Over heating issue 96 beretta 70k miles

Your radiator works like a giant pressure cooker, without the pressure, it won't work. The first thing to check is the radiator cap. If the rubber seal is rotton or missing, then it needs to be replaced. If it is the original cap, then I would replace it just to be sure it has the proper tension still in the spring. Next, check the thermostat. It will be right on the engine, either on the lower radiator hose or the upper. You'll see the barb that holds the hose on, and there will be two to three bolts holding the barb on the engine. Take that off and the thermostat is inside. Just replace it with a new one, it will be 6-10 dollars. Next, I would check the coolant temp sensor. It's about 10-20 dollars, using a simple adjustable wrench you can change it in about 5 mins. You'll find it (there could be two) on either/or the inlet/outlet to the upper/lower hose. After that, if it still over heats, check the water pump. You can let the engine warm up, with the radiator cap off, and when the fluid gets to a point of starting to spill out of the radiator, rev the engine up a little. The fluid should rush out of the radiator. If this happens, it's safe to say your water pump works. If it doesn't, it needs to be replaced. Also, be sure to check the belt that drives the water pump, make sure it's not slipping and that it's still there! The last step would be a complete cooling system flush. You can do this by draining the system, (just take off the lower hose and let it drain). Then, remove the thermostat. Stick a garden hose in the upper hose going to the motor and let it run for about 10 mins. Then do the same thing, but hook the hose up to the spot where the upper hose goes to the radiator and flush it clean. After all that, I'm all out of ideas. I hope this helps.

I will give it a try! Thank you SO much.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :lol:

One more thing I thought about later, check to be sure the fan is coming on. On your car I think you have an electric fan. The fan is controlled with a relay, fuse and the coolant sensor. Test the fan by letting the engine warm up and if the fan comes on before it over heats, then you can rule out the fan. If it comes on, but only when it gets REALLY hot, like overheating hot, then it could be a faulty coolant temp sensor.

i had same problem my car would die take a hour or more before it would srart again it was overheating i changed my cooling heat sensor under the thermostat then it would run better and longer before it would act up then my fan motor went out the radiator fan replaced the motor now it runs like a champ except it eats up too much gas scared to find that problem i smell gas when i start it so i know something a miss good luck with your beretta mine been kinda nice lately oh i almost forgot mite not have anything to do with overheating but had to replace the map sensor too

Here are a few more causes of overheating. The main one is blown head gasket a blown head gasket will pump pressure in cooling system making it have way too much pressure and any engine bearings going out a stoped up cat converter will make a engine overheat and like the man said if its leaking pressure out anywhere it will overheat. The hole idea of a cooling system under pressure is that water under pressure boils at a lot higher temp and having the right amount of antifreeze in the system helps make the boil temp alot higher more stable! antifreeze is baiscly alcohol and has a lot higher boil temp and its normal state is alot cooler than water. and as far as old engines go running too lean will over heat a engine a tranny slipping. So keep all things in mind when dealing with overheating