It's a 97. New thermostat, new radiator cap, 2 year old radiator, fans both work when the A/C is on, runs cool on the freeway even with the A/C, no rust in the system, not low on coolant, not losing coolant, no air in the system, hoses are all good, but in slow traffic it overheats. It never overheats with the A/C off no matter how hot the weather. This is a new development, as it's never done this before. I'm going to flush out the system and backflush it, but any other suggestions would be appreciated.
2007-10-03 10:15:59 · 3 answers · asked by Me again 6 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
For everyone's information, the Dodge Neon water pump is driven by the timing belt. There is no serpentine belt that drives it. The serpentine belt drives only the power steering pump, the alternator, the air conditioning compressor, and possibly an air pump.
2007-10-03 10:33:34 · update #1
Time to check the belt. And if that does not work then perhaps both the money to have a licensed mechanic check it out.
2007-10-03 10:20:40 · answer #1 · answered by banananose_89117 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
It sounds like a problem with either your serpentine belt, or the AC compressor itself. Do you notice a big drop in preformance when you turn the air conditioning on? Whenever you turn on the AC, it is an extra draw on the engine, causing it to work harder, and thus, heat up. If the compressor is going bad and causing the belt not to spin as fast, then the water pump is not spinning as fast as it needs to. That, coupled with the additional strain of the AC, could be causing your overheating problem. Or, more simply, if the compressor is very difficult for the engine to turn, then the engine will be put under much more additional strain than the AC was intended to. Also, are you noticing any belt squeaking, either AC on or off? That may be an indicator to what your problem is. Hope this helps.
2007-10-03 17:27:36 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
You have to keep in mind that the when the A/C is on you are putting extra load on the engine. It takes extra power to run that compressor and if your sitting in slow and go traffic its going to get hot. It looks like you have covered all your bases except the water pump. Have that checked and see if its working at full capacity. It sounds like your water pump might be going out. Good luck.
2007-10-03 17:35:16 · answer #3 · answered by Spoons 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋