Why does 97 Pontiac Sunfire over heat or red line?

Answer 1

There are several possible reasons for overheating. Could be that your water pump is dieing. You can often hear it rattle when it's spinning, or you might be able to feel a lot of play in the pulley.

It could also be a fan problem. The fan motor has died so the fan never "fans". Or it could be a temperature sensor failure and the fan is not being told to turn on.

Basically, if you have an overheating problem, it means that coolant is not being circulated through the engine block, or the coolant is not EFFICIENTLY being circulated, and/or that the cooling system, IE the radiator and/or the fan is not operating correctly.

Do you have coolant in the reservoir? If not, or if it's low, top it off with a 50/50 mix of antifreeze and water. If you add coolant and it goes away quickly, you have a leak in a hose or at the water pump. Are any of the hoses collapsed?

As you can see, I'm rambling here. That's because it's early and I haven't had enough coffee, and because overheating problems can be a bear to troubleshoot.

If I were you, I'd check the obvious. Failing finding a problem, I'd get the car to my mechanic.

Let us know how you do, OK?

FriPilot