I also posted this on the Solstice forum:
Okay here we go...another overheating thread. Before you ask, yes, I have read as many of the threads here and on the Solstice forum as I can get through about overheating--please forgive me if I should have found the answer already. ;-) Most of those threads include warranty repairs which don't apply to my new-to-me 12 year old car and my brain has turned to mush.
I purchased a 2008 Sky Redline with just North of 21,000 miles 6 weeks ago. My wife and I have put over 1600 miles on it since--perfect car that is working very, very well. However, we have had two overheating incidents that seem unrelated but both concern me:
#1. Near the end of a 1500 road trip home after purchasing the car, we had a late check out from a hotel. The car was sitting in the sun in about 75 degree ambient air. I started the car with AC to cool the interior off and let it idle for about 5 minutes while we loaded our bags. Just as I pulled away, the overheat lamp/ding popped on and (if I recall correctly) the DIC read 229. Drove to a safe spot to pull over in the shade, left it running, revved a bit and the temp gradually came down. Wrote this one off to the combo of factors and asked here about normal operating temps.
#2. This is the one that concerns me. Day before yesterday, I had the car pulled out of the garage to install the new wind restrictor so naturally we went for a quick spin before putting the car away for the night. Top down, but just over 50 degrees ambient temp, so I cranked the heat so we wouldn't freeze. While we are out my wife asks to get ice cream from a drive through, cause why not. I'm 8-10 minutes away from home sitting in the drive through and the overheat lamp/ding pops. I sigh and flip to the DIC temp which reads 250 (!). I am freaked out. Rev the motor some thinking it might help, having not read here yet about the heater making it worse not better. Now I know. After less than a minute we pull away and the temp fell rapidly back to normal operating temps.
Summary and questions:
Okay here we go...another overheating thread. Before you ask, yes, I have read as many of the threads here and on the Solstice forum as I can get through about overheating--please forgive me if I should have found the answer already. ;-) Most of those threads include warranty repairs which don't apply to my new-to-me 12 year old car and my brain has turned to mush.
I purchased a 2008 Sky Redline with just North of 21,000 miles 6 weeks ago. My wife and I have put over 1600 miles on it since--perfect car that is working very, very well. However, we have had two overheating incidents that seem unrelated but both concern me:
#1. Near the end of a 1500 road trip home after purchasing the car, we had a late check out from a hotel. The car was sitting in the sun in about 75 degree ambient air. I started the car with AC to cool the interior off and let it idle for about 5 minutes while we loaded our bags. Just as I pulled away, the overheat lamp/ding popped on and (if I recall correctly) the DIC read 229. Drove to a safe spot to pull over in the shade, left it running, revved a bit and the temp gradually came down. Wrote this one off to the combo of factors and asked here about normal operating temps.
#2. This is the one that concerns me. Day before yesterday, I had the car pulled out of the garage to install the new wind restrictor so naturally we went for a quick spin before putting the car away for the night. Top down, but just over 50 degrees ambient temp, so I cranked the heat so we wouldn't freeze. While we are out my wife asks to get ice cream from a drive through, cause why not. I'm 8-10 minutes away from home sitting in the drive through and the overheat lamp/ding pops. I sigh and flip to the DIC temp which reads 250 (!). I am freaked out. Rev the motor some thinking it might help, having not read here yet about the heater making it worse not better. Now I know. After less than a minute we pull away and the temp fell rapidly back to normal operating temps.
Summary and questions:
- Overheated, (hot!) not under load and still getting heat--and only for a minute and then back to normal.
- Less than 10 minutes from startup with heat on.
- There is no evidence of radiator fluid having discharged from the overflow tank. Ever.
- Fan seems to work just fine--including running for a bit after shutdown.
- If I understand what I've read I could need a new radiator cap?
- Or is this most likely trapped air? When I squeeze the top radiator hose I hear sloshing.
- How can I tell if my car has had the check valves installed?