88 1/2 Testarossa over heating in 30 degree weather?!

What a bummer!

Two weeks ago while visiting the warehouse where I keep the testarossa my children (against my better judgment) asked to play in the car. Well unfortunately they turned on the interior lights and drained the battery.

Last Saturday the temperature fell bellow freezing and while at the warehouse I thought I would start the car and let it warm up. The battery was dead, very dead! I jumped it and let it idle while I did other work around the shop.

Being cold I didnt think much about the fans not kicking on and didnt realize there was a problem until I smelt anti-freeze and noticed the car overheating.
I stopped the engine and frantically began trying to figure out the problem. After sitting 30 min it started right up and the engine had cooled down so I turned it off and left figuring it had to do with the battery or maybe the freezing weather.

During the week I asked around and everyone thought the coolant had frozen causing the problem however it had recently been serviced and I knew for a fact it had anti-freeze.

Tonight I went to get the car out and bring it home for the weekend. I started it up and took it for a local spin. It heated up and I watched closely to stop the engine before it got to hot. Then it proceeded to cool down. I breathed a sigh of relief thinking maybe it had frozen. Then at a light it shot up so fast I could barely pull over to shut it down, after cooling for 30 min it ran cool, then shot up and then cooled down, then shot up again. I noticed at no time the fans kicking on. The overflow tank was steaming and I towed it back to the shop where it sits.

I figure its one of three problems however I may be wrong.


1. Computer problem (no fans) due to the battery being dead
2. Thermostat??
3. Water pump.

The car has anti-freeze so I am for sure there isnt any freezing. Plus tonights temp is well above freezing.

Any ideas?

Thanks
Jason

 

Thank you,

I dont think its as much of a fan problem as something else, it is in the low 40's outside and plenty of air is running through the radiators at speed yet it still drastically overheats. Usually in this weather even at stoplights my fans dont turn on.

Thanks for your input and I will check the fans/thermo switch tomorrow morning.

Thanks again!!!

Jason

 

Does anyone have a cross refference for the radiator cap ? My old radiator cap was failing keeping the cooling system from building up the correct pressure.
thanks

 

We found the problem, I would of never guessed that bleeding the cooling system would fix the overheating as well as the fan issue.

It seems as if the radiator cap was failing allowing pressure and coolant to escape even at lower temperatures.

I added coolant while the car was hot (I guess a big no no) which in turned allowed air into the system.

The air in the system would allow the water to flow properly which in turned didnt allow the hot water to make it to the senser to turn on the cooling fans.

My friend (an excellent mechanic) came over and we removed the two caps along the radiator line and filled the radiator with the engine cold until they coolant leaked out of the two caps. We then replaced the caps.

We then started the car and held a hand over the cap (which is not holding pressure) to keep it pushed down to build up pressure.

We then unscrewed the caps under pressure and released the air until coolant flowed through. After the car cooled down I filled the radiator again and everything is great! The engine runs cool and the fans run properly. However the cap still leaks so I need a new one.

Jason

 

Thanks everyone for the input and advice!