engine overheating

[Michael]

why would engine overheat only when running a/c on 1988 toyota camry

Topic

[michael wolfe]

well i think it is because your engine has to work harder to keep up. did you verify that both fans spin when the ac is on one should be just for when the ac is on the other should be for when the engine gets to operating temp and it starts to keep it cool. i had an 1988 camry i think the ac fan is on the right setting in the car.

[michael wolfe]

also a lot can be solved just buy flushing and putting new coolant in expectantly if it has not been done in a while.

[Justin]

Hello
If you do decide to do a flush remove on the radiator hoses and giver it a good inpection . i have see hoses build up a brown layer of crud and the houses start to become very hard and the flow becoms a bit restrictive also builds up in the rad.Possible check out the water pump it may be geting tired

Try this after inspection of the fan

[John]

I thought a water pump goes bad when the little hole on one side begins to leak coolant. . .I’ve never heard of a water pump getting tired. . .maybe you can explain this a little. I’ll google this as well.

[Justin]

The water pump has moving blades almost like a proper of a boat to make the water water move around. Now when I say the pump is getting tired I mean those blades could be wearing down and not moving as much water as It did before

[college man]

see if this link helps you.

http://www.ericthecarguy.com/faq/what-to-do-when-your-engine-overheats

[EricTheCarGuy]

Personally, I’d start by checking the cooling fan operation. In addition to College mans post (which has a TON of information on solving overheat problems), here’s one on HVAC that might also be helpful as it does have videos explaining the operation of the AC system.

http://www.ericthecarguy.com/faq/solving-automotive-hvac-problems

Keep us posted on what you find.

[skasten]

Arrow up! What they said, look into the cooling fan operation.(assuming coolant is full) Also I’ve noticed in the field (especially in the hottest summer days!) the cooling fins on the radiator and condenser begin to build up with debris and bugs. This can cause lack of airflow and lead to an overheat condition. Try spraying out the condenser and radiator with water and pay attention to what is coming out underneath the vehicle during this. Also try and get a visual of what it looks like between the two parts. good luck!

[Lee Ann]

I have been diagnosing a malfunctioning cooling fan on my 1997 Saturn SC2. It is not overheating, per se, but is running hotter than it should (and the fan does not turn on). I began by inspecting the cooling fan fuse and it is good. I had a worn/leaking upper radiator hose so I replaced it. Test drove it (10+ minutes), checked the upper hose temperature and it was hot so the thermostat is working properly. My next approach was to check the cooling fan motor by connecting test leads to the fan connector and then to the battery. However, the connector is difficult to access from the top and I can’t see/feel the disconnect tab. Is there a trick to it? Is it like the O2 sensor connector?

After I test the fan motor (assuming it tests fine), I will check the coolant temperature sensor and finally the fan relay. I don’t have a great technique (no Power Probe)for testing the fan relay (visually fine, not burned or melted) as of yet but will research it again.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
P.S. I haven’t tried to access it (fan connector) from underneath yet…thinking I should just move on to testing the coolant temp sensor.

[Author]

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