if it is a head gasket wouldnt the car run poorly? or what exactly should i be looking for

Asked by ally2002 Jan 07, 2016 at 03:46 PM about the 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix GT

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

that just it the car runs perfect except for overheating all the time

3 Answers

40

Things to confirm blown head gasket ... Check the oil dip stick if the oil looks milky there's antifreeze in it which means blown gasket ... Check the antifreeze reservoir see if there's oil floating around in there ... Check for white smoke at the exhaust and smell to see if it smells sweet ... It could also be a cracked head ... Did you have over heating issues? And if you did anything with the cooling system ? Make sure to bleed it and get the air out to avoid vapor lock

1 people found this helpful.
40

Have you replaced the thermostat? Does it cool down when you turn of the heat ?

2 people found this helpful.
18,255

The most common cause of overheating is low coolant level or air trapped in the system. If you have some sort of leak your coolant level may be so low it won't cool properly. Fill it up and see what happens. If the coolant gets low again soon you have a leak somewhere. It may be leaking into the engine and being burned off. If it happens gradually enough you won't notice it. My car does that. It may also show up in the oil as has been mentioned or it may be leaking externally through a gasket or even a leaky radiator. There are usually tell tale signs of this under the hood. As Nique said it is also very important to bleed all air from the system when refilling it if it has been drained for any reason. There is a bleeder valve near the thermostat for that. If there is air in the system it will overheat even though the system appears to be full.

4 people found this helpful.

Your Answer:

Grand Prix

Looking for a Used Grand Prix in your area?

CarGurus has 189 nationwide Grand Prix listings starting at $1,288.

ZIP:

Own this car?

Share your experience with others.

2002 Pontiac Grand Prix

Review another car

CarGurus Experts

  • #1
    munron
    Reputation
    8,140
  • #2
    james sparrow
    Reputation
    7,480
  • #3
    Dorian Hendricks
    Reputation
    6,010
View All

Know more, shop wisely

Search

Related Models For Sale

Used Pontiac Bonneville
56 listings starting at $2,895
Used Chevrolet Impala
280 Great Deals out of 4,023 listings starting at $700
Used Pontiac Firebird
11 Great Deals out of 377 listings starting at $5,950
Used Pontiac Grand Am
64 listings starting at $1,000
Used Chevrolet Monte Carlo
5 Great Deals out of 209 listings starting at $2,900
Used Chevrolet Corvette
696 Great Deals out of 12,104 listings starting at $3,200
Used Chevrolet Camaro
583 Great Deals out of 9,133 listings starting at $4,000
Used Ford Mustang
905 Great Deals out of 22,357 listings starting at $783
Used Dodge Durango
797 Great Deals out of 20,906 listings starting at $550

Content submitted by Users is not endorsed by CarGurus, does not express the opinions of CarGurus, and should not be considered reviewed, screened, or approved by CarGurus. Please refer to CarGurus Terms of Use. Content will be removed if CarGurus becomes aware that it violates our policies.