I've been plagued with nothing but braking and cooling issues with my 96' sport ever since I got her. I'm no idiot but I'm running out of ideas and money so what do you guys think?... I was idling for only 10 mins in the freezing cold and was way into the red zone for no reason. I let it cool down and drove a mile home before it overheated again. I replaced the heater valve unit, again, damn things always break, Topped off with coolant. Now It will idle at temp fine and not even budge a few degrees. Driving however, I accelerate and my temp drops a 30 degrees, I brake and it soars past operating temp and almost into the red. What the heck is going on here???? Here is what I know it ISNT; A coolant leak, pulled the front end apart and dry as a bone. Not low on coolant, topped off and system full. So what?, Here is what I think it could be... Clutch fan, E-fan, Water pump, T-stat or something else?????????? I'm replacing the t-stat today and the oil filter adapter o-ring but does anyone have any thoughts? I dont feel like replacing every part in the system one by one to find out I spent 300 in extra parts.

t-stat sticking? radiator plugged? my wifes 95 had cooling issues, I replaced the t-stat, water pump still ran hot. I replaced the radiator even though there were no leaks. solved the problem. I busted open the the old radiator tanks and they were packed full only 1/4 of the core was even getting coolant.

Might be just the gauge that's driving you crazy

^ right? Sounds like dummy gauge is either shorting or just shot, or there is a plug in rad. Feel the outlet hose, it should be toasty, if it's cool then there's a chance of blockage... My iPhone doesn't tell me what year ya got, but it doesn't sound like a head issue..

Just a thought....have you burped the air out of the system.

My thoughts were dummy gauge is just making you look like the dummy.. .

....burn.......

Check your temps with a temp gun

I think u've thought of 4 reasons why it may be overheating and I'll guess the 5th reason is a 'plugged on the inside or outside' radiator. There's a big difference between new/properly functioning parts and extra parts.

No one feels like replacing cooling system parts (doing routine maintenance), but it's just one of those things we all have to do in order to have a reliable daily driver.

Man law - if posting a overheating thread, list all of the cooling system components that have been replaced......if nothing has been replaced, don't start a thread that says "overheating for no reason".

replace ground wire from eneinge to firewall... my jeep did the same thing
9replaced t-stat and sendind unit... no help) founf a bad ground wire even thou it lookked good .... got mine for like under $10

AMEN brother, bingo, u hit the nail on the head and hit a home run with that statement.

So many folks stick a garden hose in an old radiator and see clear water flow out just as fast as the hose is putting it in.......not realizing that water is only flowing thru the top half of the rad. Half of a really dinky 11" tall rad doesn't leave much rad left for proper cooling. I flushed the cooling system and replaced everything but the rad but it still overheats........there's a clue in there somewhere.