Car heat gauge going over midline where it's never gone

[Racer X]

Oh yeah. I get many of my auto consumables at Fred Meyer (west coast Kroger big box store). Our favorite Rain X washer fluid frequently on sale for $2.50 a gallon. Their everyday is less than an auto parts store's sale price.

[DP]

My old Grand Prix(es?)

That's "Grands Prix", Jamie. Just being didactic...

[Acer]

DP wrote:
My old Grand Prix(es?)

That's "Grands Prix", Jamie. Just being didactic...

You must mean "being pedantic."

_{Which I, of course, am never.}

[Dennis S]

Well, I checked the radiator and it's full to the top. Should I find some green antifreeze like my mechanic put in it, or use the All Purpose stuff to top off the reservoir? Walmart didn't have the green stuff the last time I looked.

[Cary]

Acer wrote:
[quote=DP]
My old Grand Prix(es?)

That's "Grands Prix", Jamie. Just being didactic...

You must mean "being pedantic."

_{Which I, of course, am never.}
You must mean, "Which I, of course, never am."

[OWC Jamie]

Actually, that's unfortunately probably meaning that the radiator is blocked and not flowing / circulating properly...... sorry to say. The other thing none of have mentioned is it could be a worn out thermostat. That would be the easiest and cheapest fix for sure. But what you describe I dealt with twice. I tried power flushing one radiator and it didn't make much of a difference, the other was so plugged (a 1997) that it would not even get water flowing through it, it just pooled over the radiator cap and didn't come out the drain spigot at all. Dex-Cool is terrible stuff. Your mechanic was smart to flush it out and go to green coolant.

Just my opinion, I'm curious what your mechanic finds.

Good luck!

Dennis S wrote:
Well, I checked the radiator and it's full to the top. Should I find some green antifreeze like my mechanic put in it, or use the All Purpose stuff to top off the reservoir? Walmart didn't have the green stuff the last time I looked.

[Speedy]

Open your windows. Turn your heater up to high. Run the heater fan on high.

[Carm]

OWC Jamie wrote:
Actually, that's unfortunately probably meaning that the radiator is blocked and not flowing / circulating properly...... sorry to say. The other thing none of have mentioned is it could be a worn out thermostat That would be the easiest and cheapest fix for sure. But what you describe I dealt with twice. I tried power flushing one radiator and it didn't make much of a difference, the other was so plugged (a 1997) that it would not even get water flowing through it, it just pooled over the radiator cap and didn't come out the drain spigot at all. Dex-Cool is terrible stuff. Your mechanic was smart to flush it out and go to green coolant.

Just my opinion, I'm curious what your mechanic finds.

Good luck!

[quote=Dennis S]
Well, I checked the radiator and it's full to the top. Should I find some green antifreeze like my mechanic put in it, or use the All Purpose stuff to top off the reservoir? Walmart didn't have the green stuff the last time I looked.

Me. Me. Me.
I mentioned replacing the thermostat.
As for a hose being “too worn” if you can squeeze it. It depends on if you can squeeze a new hose. An old floppy hose needs replacing and will look and feel worn.
I have been lucky to never been burned by hot radiator fluid even though I have had two cars over heat.

One recommendation is to turn your heater on to check if the fluid is going through interior heater core used to heat the air in the car. That can be an indication of a stuck or blocked thermostat. No heat = replace thermostat for sure. I would still replace it though if you haven’t.

[Dennis S]

I'm leaning toward Jamie's blocked radiator theory.

[Rolando]

Agree on the trying the heater. Its a good indicator.