mjr46

sounds like your wrong to me!!...why I say cause when you understand where the inlet to the heater core draws coolant from = intake and outlet goes into port on water pump... the only thing a clogged heater core on a fox will cause is no heat not no heat and overheat...a restriction in radiator could cause such and a blocked heater core would cause no heat but not overheat..an air bubble in system could cause such due to a blown head gasket which could cause both symtoms

mjr46

depending on the quality of part used those prices seem right in line with list price and labor time in agreement with book time......remember none of us can see exactly every little thing the shop may do....often times my friends come to me and tell me this or that shop is jerking their chain and they have failed to see on the estimate the little extra things such as flush the cooling system replace a hose or to here and there......sometimes you all need to give a shop a benifit of the doubt instead of ripping them new a -holes......their in the bussiness to make money not provide a shade tree backyard service like 80 percent on here do for themselves

CantStopTheFox...

So what do you think?

I am thinking themo first (cause it is cheap), and radiator later?

mjr46

what...I'd do first is ask...when does it overheat?? sitting still ?? driving down the road??? or just plain anytime and all the time??..if you have acess to a infared pyrometer gun...you can point it at various spots on the engine and take a temp reading.. specifically if you suspect a thermostat....then right before the housing on the intake and after..if it's not opening before will have a higher temp than on the housing outlet.......I'd also lower the level on the radiator enough as to exposes the fins to see if there is calcium build up ..enough so that the flow would be restricted.....my 92 has that right now..fortunately it hasn't affected flow enough yet to cause an overheat condition.. but soon it will........if he decideds to just replace stat...I'd boil it in a pot of water suspended usually by a coat hanger and see at what temp if at all the t-stat opens...that way you can verify problem and not scratch your head.....if all tests comes up negative.. you can buy a block check kit and test for a blown head gasket......but don't rule out the water pump....I've seen the impelers come off the shaft and not spin internally....which will cause overheat due to a lack of flow....lowering level in radiator so fins can be seen while waiting for t-stat to open will confirm flow..as soon as stat opens .. flow will ocur out the fins.....just some ideas to check

87greyghost

whatever you do dont just take the thermostat out all together when i was trying to figure out my overheating problem i took it out and drove it down the road and the heater core busted. If you take the t-stat out the water dosent have enough time to cool off in the radiator because it is moving so fast. I found out that my heads were clogged and it didnt run all the way hot it just got really close before i took the t-stat out and thats when i busted the heater core. So sounds to me like you got a clogged head cause thats what mine did. Run for a while then the temp would creep up till it got to like 230 and stayed there.

drhoward

what kind of shop takes 3 hours to replace the rad[8D]

Its held on by like 4 bolts andtakes around 20 minutes to change it out

mjr46

shops charge based on a labor guide not actual time.....book on radiator is 1 hr by the time you replace radiator , fill cooling system and if it's an auto trans hook cooler back up check fluid level fill cooling system and pressure test for leaks to make sure all clamps are tight and bleed cooling system you easily have an hour and then some probably after a test drive to make sure all is good and then I wash down the mess in the engine compartment so I think your 20 min time frame leaves alot to be desired

drhoward

I understand that they use labour rates for it

If ayone takes 3 hours to do it they are retarded, I'm sorry

sofob0909

i had this problem exactly. It blows but not hot
And your temp runs regular and like at a light it starts to climb and gets high but not all the way to 220. RIGHT?

I replaced the core and topped thee fluid and now its golden
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