2003 Eclipse overheating

[tom4bren]

I didn't see any plugs in the water pump ... but I didn't look for any either. DANG, I hope that's not it.

The Mitsu parts guy indicated that it has a problem with trapping an air pocket behind the thermostat which keeps it from opening (which is why the fans don't kick on either).

I tested the 1st replacement thermostat last night & it worked fine. I was going to drill a small hole in it to allow any trapped air behind it to bleed past. But there's already a hole in it with a brass plug. I pulled out the plug & will try installing it tonight & burp the system again.

FINGERS CROSSED EVERYONE (this is getting irritating - too simple of a job to be causing all this trouble)!!!!

[tom4bren]

Modified thermostat tested again & installed. Burped the system AGAIN!!!

*&^&(*%^^

Still overheating. (BTW, checked the 2nd thermostat too - it's working but it musta been a much higher rating - water had to be boiling).

Next step will be to remove hoses & flush system to see what comes out.

I'd just hotwire the fans but it's bothering me that the lower hose still isn't getting hot.

[WormGod]

That's crazy man. It's that kind of crap that makes you want to pull your hair out. I feel your pain.

I wouldn't go hot wiring anything if it was never intended to work that way in the first place. Just seems like a hack fix to me. There has got to be some idiotic underlying issue that just has not been found yet.

GL man.

[tom4bren]

I flushed the radiator - cloudy water came out but no chunks

I flushed the block - again, cloudy water but no chunks (this process ran water backward through the thermostat - block - waterpump ... no blockage).

I'm almost ready to give up & take it to the stealership.

I still want to check the rest of the fuses to see if that's why the fan isn't kicking on (just a shot in the dark tho since they kick on with the AC).

Cooling system is supposed to be SIMPLE!!!