Hi folks! So very happy to be back here. I own a 94 dark charcoal grey XR2 Capri that I just bought back yesterday. I owned this car a few years ago and stupidly sold it. It's not quite as good of shape as it was, but mostly cosmetic. I live in WV, and drove it back from Frederick Maryland yesterday. The car has developed a weird overheating problem that it did not have before (it appears the car has set for a couple of years, only being driven sporadically).
While driving back, I noticed that the car would run hotter and hotter while pulling hills on the interstate. Once it got so hot I had to pull over. I didn't allow it to get into the read so as not to warp the head. I checked the coolant, and it's full. There is good flow when I pulled the cap off the radiator with no bubbles. No water on the dipstick, and it runs like a champ. On flat ground and coming downhill, the temp returned to normal (sits in the middle of the gauge). Just to be safe at to get it home, I pulled the wire off the fan switch to make the fan run all the time. It still caused the gauge to run in the upper 3/4 of the gauge on long hills, but I was able to get it home.
The weird part is, in town and in traffic, it doesn't get hot. It only only does it when the engine is under a heavier load pulling a long hill. And forget using the air conditioner. Even with the fan running all the time.
Where would you guys start? I planned on flushing the coolant system (I assume you do this the same on these cars as you would any other) and replacing the thermostat. I've always heard that when thermostats go bad they are supposed to stick in the open position, but I've had them fail before and restrict some flow. It just seems like there isn't sufficient flow under engine load. The fan seems to be running fine and is moving a ton of air when it's on.
Thanks!