Junkyard Score

[chuzz]

Hey Guys, I went to the junkyard that I usually shop at this morning and looked for some tail lights for my 03 GT. I looked at 14 frigging PT's and every damned one of them was missing both tail lights! Well, two actually had one tail light each, but they were broken. While I was there, I met a man that was a local and he needed some help pulling some parts for his KIA. I gave him and hand and while we were talking, he asked me if I'd tried another local yard. I told him I wasn't aware of that one and didn't know how to get to it. He said he was headed there next and I could follow him. 10 minutes later, we're at the "new" junk yard for me. I found six PT's and they all had tail lights. The 03 that I looked at had complete lights but they were spider cracked inside. SO, I spotted an 06 with some NICE tail lights. I grabbed them along with the sockets and installed them on my 03 today while I was flushing the cooling system. The tail lights look great. I will also see how they look after it gets dark. I also got a center a/c, radio, etc. plastic cover as mine is cracked. I will put it in tomorrow as I didn't feel like screwing with it today. Damned PT is still running hot after the cooling system flush and new 180 thermostat. Both cooling fans are coming on, so I know it's not one of them. I'm beginning to really get pissed. I guess I'll have to put a frigging radiator in it next. I'm calling Nitro. He always gives me good advice.

[rsrocket1]

Are you using an OBD2 reader to follow your temperature as you drive?
It can tell you a lot because the dial is so compressed in the center. It's tough to see when the thermostat opens or closes and if you see lots of cycling, it may indicate air trapped in the system.

Maybe you should have scrounged a couple of temperature sensors too.

If you run the car at around 2k RPM with the radiator cap off for a while, you can clearly see coolant circulating up the pipe and toward the radiator once the thermostat opens.

[ptcruisersteve]

Originally Posted by chuzz

Hey Guys, I went to the junkyard that I usually shop at this morning and looked for some tail lights for my 03 GT. I looked at 14 frigging PT's and every damned one of them was missing both tail lights! Well, two actually had one tail light each, but they were broken. While I was there, I met a man that was a local and he needed some help pulling some parts for his KIA. I gave him and hand and while we were talking, he asked me if I'd tried another local yard. I told him I wasn't aware of that one and didn't know how to get to it. He said he was headed there next and I could follow him. 10 minutes later, we're at the "new" junk yard for me. I found six PT's and they all had tail lights. The 03 that I looked at had complete lights but they were spider cracked inside. SO, I spotted an 06 with some NICE tail lights. I grabbed them along with the sockets and installed them on my 03 today while I was flushing the cooling system. The tail lights look great. I will also see how they look after it gets dark. I also got a center a/c, radio, etc. plastic cover as mine is cracked. I will put it in tomorrow as I didn't feel like screwing with it today. Damned PT is still running hot after the cooling system flush and new 180 thermostat. Both cooling fans are coming on, so I know it's not one of them. I'm beginning to really get pissed. I guess I'll have to put a frigging radiator in it next. I'm calling Nitro. He always gives me good advice.

Does it run hot at high speeds?

[chuzz]

Do you mean at like 100 to 120 mph, Steve? I didn't get above 60. The speed limit on the road here is 50. I'm going to check a couple more things today and see if it has a blown head gasket. I'm getting a test kit today. I had to order one from O'Reilly as NONE of the other parts stores here had a clue as to what a coolant test kit even is!