momof3

i was wondering i have been having problems when im idling and my ac is running my car will run hot but if i cut my ac off then it will not run hot but then it has a hard time cranking back up but once it is cooled off it will crank back up can someone please help me to figure out what is going on with my truck please

tech8

Open the hood. Turn the engine on and the A/C on. Look to see if both engine compartment fans turn on. Both driver's side: radiator fan and passenger side: A/C condenser fan should run at the same time.

momof3

well what if all those are working like they should is there anyway it could be my thermostat, or radiator, or my water-pump? just trying to figure out what all the possibilities are?

tech8

First check the coolant level in the radiator when the engine is cool. Top off the radiator and reservoir (for the reservoir: to the max level line, look for the line) with the proper mix of coolant as necessary when it is cool.

It can be due to low coolant levels, thermostat or a flow restriction in the cooling system. Better to diagnosis instead of just guessing and throwing a part at it.

For the thermostat, when the car is warmed up a bit, turn the engine off. Then carefully, touch the lower radiator hose and see if it feels about the same as the upper radiator hose. If the lower radiator hose is much cooler than the upper radiator hose, it means the thermostat did not open yet. A partially stuck closed thermostat can cause flow restriction and overheating problems.

tech8

Water pump can be an issue, do you hear unusual noises near the belt and pulleys area in the engine compartment?