New t stat, new electric cooling fan, still over heats after running for a while. Ideas?

 

old coolant
water pump
mech fan clutch
clogged rad

 

Temp gauge went up but then a few min later it dropped down, any way to tell if it the pump going out?

 

Try flushing out your radiator it may be clogged

 

What started this whole thing?

 

is it just on the gauge or is the motor visibly overheating?

it could just be an air pocket near the sensor

 

Last week gauge was getting high and overflowed bottle was getting filled up pretty high started with t stat come to find out electric fan was frozen, replaced both has been fine up until today 90deg in Chicago today gauge came on but no fluid in the overflow today

 

Recommend way to flush system?

 

The best way to flush the motor is with the t-stat cover and water pump removed. Stick a garden hose in the stat hole and flush out via the pump hole. It's really easy to change the old rad out when the stat and pump are out of the way.

 

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While I was typing

When you had it apart for the thermostat what was the condition of the coolant was it still clear green? If not a "flush" will not be of much help because the mineral deposits are so thick they won't just disolve. You can try to flush by just disconnecting hoses (heater & radiator) and using the garden hose. How bad did it overheat, with the 2000 - 01 sometimes it's fatal.

 

Never really over heated to the point where steam was come out of the motor, just went to the red for a few min then back down right away, fluid looked pretty dark, but I didn't see coolant on the oil dipstick so hoping not fatal