S14 sr20 overheating only when idleing

[abolter12]

So here's my problem. I recently put in a blacktop SR20det with about 60xxx miles on it along with a new tranny. I've got headers, intake, exhaust nothing else done to the engine. When I drive the car I have a host of problems including overheating. What happens is I will drive around for 10 minutes with no issues of overheating and once I come to a prolonged stop the car will begin to over heat. First I replaced the thermostat from my previous redtop sr20. That helped a little but it still happens. Next I tried in vein to burp the coolant system and never really had any luck. And now I've replaced the factory clutch driven fan (w/out shroud) with an electric pull fan. Strangly enough, when I turn the fan on, it only increases the overheating. Needless to say I'm stumped. I don't think it's a waterpump because to my knowledge it would always be overheating if that was on it's way out. Btw I have an aftermarket radiator, not sure the brand. Any advice you guys have would be greatly appreciated!

[xSoCalxRiderx125]

I had the same problem. Spend some good quality time bleeding your coolant system. jack up the front as high as you can get it and while the car is running massage the upper and lower hoses while refilling the coolant as it drops. Keep repeating it. I had to spend about an 1-2 hours doing this.

Nissan Factory Service Manual (FSM) (http://www.phase2motortrend.com/nifasemaf.html)

Better To get it right the first time than to have to go back over and over

[S14Lee]

Check for coolant leaks and broke coolant hoses even the small hoses and see if your heater core is leaking and see if waterpump is leaking or maybe just low on coolant. Or it can be a bad temp gauage sensor. That's all I can come up with from experience I had to deal with my ka engine before my sr swap which only over heated once because the person that did my swap don't add enough coolant. Hope that helps

[abolter12]

Thanks for the advice guys I'll try that out, if anyone else has experience with this stuff too feel free to toss in suggestions

[chetos13]

make sure the electric fan is pulling the air the right way i seen this alot on people installing electric fans wrong on a sr. i removed my clutch fan and used a dual fan i got from a 96 altima and it works great that solved my overheating problem

[yurisfriendevan]

also when you are trying to evacuate the air from your cooling system turn the heater on.