[96TBird]

alright i need some input...my car has a very rought idle and acceleration up to 1500 RPM. then last night it over heats really bad and wouldnt run normal unless the thermostat was taken off. then on my way home after the thermostat was taken off the check engine light came on, probably from the thermo being removed, and it still ran rough. is this the head gasket?

 

[RichardM]

So it runs rough from cold start and all throughout the heatup. It overheats.

these seem exclusive but related.
Have you had the intake recall done on your car? Maybe you are leaking coolant into the intake somehow.
Overheating has to be a clogged radiator, malfunctioning pump or thermostat or No water.
My bet right now is that the thermostat is not operating. The bypass line for the coolant is leaking into the motor and causing the roughness.
You got a lot of steam out the exhaust at idle when engine is hot? Smell the exhaust right after a cold start and see if it smells like the radiator fluid.

Lots you can check.

r

 

[96TBird]

yea at cold start is runs rough....i know it is not the thermo cause i have remved that last night so i could drive home without the car overheating again. i dont know if i have had the intake recall donwe on the car. i bought it used, do u konw of n e way that i can check to see if it was done? the pump isnt malfunctioning and isnt bad cause it would be making that annoying squeek or spitting coolent out everywhere and it isnt. last night i had to put a whole lot of water in it and it is running pretty much streight water due to all of the coolent i have lost. right now it is in the shop gettin looked at. i am really hopin that it isnt n e thing expensive. or if it is gonna be expensive than i am hoping it is the tranny, no im not crazy!, but if it is the tranny than i plan on doin the T-45 tranny is it. so fingers crossed for a enw tranny...lol

 

[cmcconkey]

I am having the same basic problem... but not the over heating. When I go to start it takes it a couple of turns to start. Then it will shudder for a couple of seconds and will then come up to a good idle. I also put in a post a lil while back about my car coming up to around 3500 rpm in first and second and "lagging", I was told that this was the TPS. Could what I am experiencing be caused by the same part. I would like to get this problem fixed before it can become worse than it should be. Let me know any suggestions.

97 LX Sport
K & N Cone Air Filter
Everything else stock

Christopher McConkey