Will my SL2 overheat on a long drive across states?

Hi there

This may sound like a stupid question for some of you, but I've noticed
that my 1995 Saturn SL2 overheats quite readily, and on a hot day will
'shut off' until it cools down.

I am wanting to drive from Vancouver, BC to Seattle, Washington, about a
2 hour drive on the I-5 highway. Do I need to fear the car 'breaking
down' because of over heating?

Thanks.

 

Yes, you should fear that, but not specifically on the highway. Driving
at 70 mph, your engine should be cooler than it would be driving around
town at 30 mph. This is due to increased air flow at high speed. But
your problem is definitely not normal, and you need to get it repaired.
Unless you like taking a break every now and then to let your car cool
off.

 

Does your Saturn still have the air dam? If it's gone, that will cause your
car to run hot.

Brigitte

 

Have you checked the condition of your antifreeze & level on the overfill
tank. Does is still look green or is it staring to take on a coffee colour
(if it does it is a good sign of a cracked head). You could try flushing the
rad and install new antifreeze to start with. After you turn the car on see
if you have a good flow of the coolant after the thermostat opens. Feel the
top of the rad and compare it to the bottom to see if it is cooler. Does the
fan eventually come on as the coolant gets warmer (if it doesn't check your
temperature sensor)? At this point either the cooling system is working
properly or you should have a found the reason why your car is overheating.
Alex

 

First it's not green, it's orange. Second, the orange stuff when it's time
to do a flush, turn brown and kinda thick and slushy.
Also a note, you car isn't overheating, when a car overheats, stuff breaks.
It's normal for the temp gauge to go farily close to 3/4 the way to the
red.I've drivien 6 hours before, never went over 1/2 way, Inface my fan
usally kicks on around 1/2 way when sitting in traffic. You can alos open
your windows and turn your heat on full blast this uses your heater core as
a second radiotor kinda.
Now if your fan never comes on, and you see steam coming from under the
hood, check your fan, thermosate and do a flush, replace your thermostate,
and temp sensors when you do a flush

Good Luck

Jeremiah

 

I've had my saturn overheat before because of a bad radiator cap. IIRC,
this has happened twice. Just replaced the cap and good to go again.

HTH,
Brigitte

 

On a 1995 model, which he said he has, the coolant was green.

-DanD

 

my bad, thought i read something else.

Jeremiah