2nd Generation Specific (1986-1992) 1986-1992 Discussion including performance modifications and technical support sections.

overheats only uphill

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Old Aug 13, 2004 | 07:45 PM
  #1  
mazdamike73's Avatar
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From: kelowna
overheats only uphill

help i have a 1990 rx7 that only seems to overheat going uphill on hot days. it seems to run fine driving at high speeds and red lined but as soon as she goes uphill the temp rises.
i have had the rad flushed, boiled, and mixture checked. the thermo has been changed twice and, the water pump has also been checked, and is said to be fine. the clutch fan is said to have very low resistance, andd is also recomended to be changed which i am in the process of doing. but from all ive read online it seems that if its the fan then it would overheat driving through town or stopped at the lights. what the heck is the problem then?????
someone plese help!!
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Old Aug 13, 2004 | 11:48 PM
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trochoid's Avatar
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From: St Joe MO
How high and long is this hill? Are you mountain driving with the AC on? What altitude are you at? All of these can make most any engine overheat, i.e. long hard pull uphill, thin air and the AC drain.
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Old Aug 14, 2004 | 12:40 AM
  #3  
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From: Miami
Check to see if you have air in the cooling system.
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Old Aug 14, 2004 | 10:53 AM
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From: EUROPE
its the clutch fan...100%
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Old Aug 15, 2004 | 12:21 AM
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From: kelowna
after getting the cooling system flushed they said that they burped all the air out and put a new rad cap, cause the old one was giving no pressure.
thanks for the reply!!!
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Old Aug 15, 2004 | 12:24 AM
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From: kelowna
im glad your 100% positive.......travlintrev.... cause im runnin out of options, i get the clutch on monday. it looks simple to install myself, but any pointers would be appretiated.
thank you as well for your reply, i appreciate it!!!
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Old Aug 15, 2004 | 01:16 AM
  #7  
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From: Ames, IA
Clutch fan is simple to install. A 10mm wrench is your friend, because there's no way to get a socket on there. The water pump spins, so getting the nuts off can be a pain. Impact works well (put the wrench on, whack it a few times with a screwdriver, it should come loose).

Make sure you securely attach the fan to the new clutch (threadlocker suggested). I had some excitement at a gas station when I realized 3 of 4 bolts had disappeared, and my fan had been rubbing on assorted belts, and generally not doing a great job cooling.

Also, I was having overheating (well, not really, but getting hotter than it should) problems, and replacing the fan clutch fixed it.

-=Russ=-
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Old Aug 15, 2004 | 02:04 AM
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Originally Posted by mazdamike73
im glad your 100% positive.......travlintrev.... cause im runnin out of options, i get the clutch on monday. it looks simple to install myself, but any pointers would be appretiated.
thank you as well for your reply, i appreciate it!!!

you can usw the 10mm wrench and a long skinny screwdriver..take the screwdriver and wedge it between two of the nuts and studs so that it keeps waterpump/fan from spinning while you turn the 10mm..kind of hard to explain but when you get out there it will make a little more sense ..also, 2 10mm wrechces work great till all of them are off except one..then the screwdriver will need to come into play to stop the waterpump from spinning
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Old Aug 16, 2004 | 06:34 PM
  #9  
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From: Caldwell,ID
new fluids of a proper mixture
clutch fan
thermostat
cooling system flush
those are the main ones
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Old Aug 23, 2004 | 03:50 AM
  #10  
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From: kelowna
i just wanna say a quick thanks for everyones advice. i got the part installed without too much hassle and have driven quite a bit latley and gone up some pretty nasty hills in my recent long distance travels. the car seems to run great......"knock" on wood. and your tips on installing saved me a bunch of time and frustration. thanks again.
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