# 94 Camaro Overheating



## Kearin (Feb 18, 2010)

I have a 94 Camaro V6 3.4L that has a serious overheating problem. It first started while I was driving I noticed the heat gauge went off so I pulled over and looked under the hood to find nothing out of place, and no coolant leaking. I filled up the engine coolant and got it home as fast as I could. After consulting a friend I replaced the thermostat which was fried but upon taking the car out for another drive it still overheated. The overflow for coolant is full but when I take off the radiator cap it seems bone dry so I proceeded to fill it up and take it around the block, after a few minutes it began to overheat again and when I opened the hood there was coolant all over my engine. Does anyone know what the problem could possibly be.


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## bruiser (Jul 30, 2005)

Sort of sounds like a hose burst, or maybe the radiator developed a crack. When the engine is cold, refill the radiator. Leave the hood up and start the car and look for any leaks. Don't let it get hot, or a head gasket may let go. Or, get a coolant system pressure tester. Autozone rents them, and you get your money back when you return it.


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## Wrench97 (May 10, 2008)

After changing the thermostat did you leave the car run to get up to operating temp and get all the air out? If not it would not have been full of coolant and overheated pushing the coolant out of the overflow.


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## SABL (Jul 4, 2008)

bruiser said:


> Sort of sounds like a hose burst, or maybe the radiator developed a crack. When the engine is cold, refill the radiator. Leave the hood up and start the car and look for any leaks. Don't let it get hot, or a head gasket may let go. Or, get a coolant system pressure tester. Autozone rents them, and you get your money back when you return it.


The head gasket might noy be the only thing to go... you should see my son's 4.0L Cherokee head. You should see the whole engine after a major over-heat...not pretty at all. The cracked head was the least of his problem and I am waiting for him to retrieve the engine hoist so we can do a complete engine replacement. 

I hope the OP did not dump cold coolant into the radiator of an over-heated engine...:4-thatsba. 

*Important note*.. in some cases the thermostat can be installed upside-down and cause this symptom. The "spring and pellet" must be facing the engine with the dome facing the upper radiator hose connector. Also make sure the gasket area is clean before reassembly of the thermostat housing.

Example thermostst


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## Nucleartractor (Jul 31, 2008)

Kearin said:


> I have a 94 Camaro V6 3.4L that has a serious overheating problem. It first started while I was driving I noticed the heat gauge went off so I pulled over and looked under the hood to find nothing out of place, and no coolant leaking. I filled up the engine coolant and got it home as fast as I could. After consulting a friend I replaced the thermostat which was fried but upon taking the car out for another drive it still overheated. The overflow for coolant is full but when I take off the radiator cap it seems bone dry so I proceeded to fill it up and take it around the block, after a few minutes it began to overheat again and when I opened the hood there was coolant all over my engine. Does anyone know what the problem could possibly be.


Sounds like an intake gasket leak. This is common among GM V6 engines. I have a 1998 Blazer with the 4.3, exactly the same symptoms and that was the problem. It's a difficult fix, will take a couple of days if you've never done it before so set plenty of time aside. Get some fel-pro gaskets (ask if fel-pro updated gaskets are available).

Before hand, make sure that there is no coolant in the oil and make sure there's no steam out the tailpipe. If there is coolant in the oil (there will be coffee and cream colored foam around dipstick and filler cap) you'll need a rebuild. Since you'll be removing your entire inake, go ahead and get all of your upper intake gaskets and valve cover gaskets -- you'll have an engine that runs like new again.

Regards,

Thomas


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## wolfen1086 (Oct 4, 2007)

Nucleartractor said:


> Sounds like an intake gasket leak. This is common among GM V6 engines.
> Thomas


Or a cracked intake manifold? some 3.4's did that too around here.
Right now though I'd lean toward a upside down thermostat, a bad hose, or a crack somewhere io the radiator, or even the air bubble


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