Overheating problem with a 2000 Camaro 3.8 L V6
 

I've been having some issues with my car overheating lately, I was wondering if anyone might have any tips to fix it. Basically, my car overheats after about 10 or so miles of driving.

The oil will be really overheated and smoking if I take of the cap or pull out the dipstick, and sometimes my car makes a kind of knocking noise when the heat gets really strong.

I'm pretty sure there is no water in my oil, and I just changed it anyway. Also, I've checked the hoses and they don't seem to have any leaks. I don't believe its a head gasket because the oil isn't milky and there's not any smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe.

Tomorrow I'm going to flush the radiator, change the thermostat and bleed the air out of the radiator hoses as well. Any more suggestions for simple things to check on it? And does anyone know anything about what the knocking noise in the engine could be or how serious that is? Thanks a lot for the help.

what kind of a knock is it ? Is it like knocking on a door or more of a tapping ? The only other thing i can add is make sure the fans are coming on.

It's definitely more of a knocking type noise, it mainly happens when I accelerate and seems to be coming from around the center of the engine on its topside

oh and the fans definitely come on, I can hear them running after the car gets overheated and I shut it down to cool off

Have you changed your water pump or has it ever been changed?

T-stat made a world of difference for mine. Start with what you have and keep us posted.

so it doesnt knock at all during idle then ?

Id check to make sure your water pump is moving coolant. Are you loosing any coolant? If your oil is not milky and there isnt water dripping out the exhaust then you more than likely have a plugged radiator or bad water pump. Have you ever changed and flushed the coolant system? Also, are you using GM dex cool? That stuff is known for getting sludgy... Does your resivore have a filmy/sludgy coating inside it? If so you need a good flush. I know a lot of guys who flush it out and refill it with the regular green stuff.

Id also try a new thermostat. It might not be opening...

same problem
 

Im also having the same problem, i just bought a 1996 camaro v6 3.8l and we just got it running. bought new water pump, t-stat, and other parts. after letting it run for a bit the temp gauge starts acting up and the check guage lite comes on as well as the check engine light. and smoke starts comming out of the dip stick and the oil cap.. we changed the oil because it was way bad.. but its still doing the same thing..were thinkin it the radiator.. but not sure yet... how do you also bleed the cooling system?? any help will be great.

I'm sure you checked the coolant level, have you or anyone changed the thermostat recently? always put in the stock heat range thermostat, always always. make sure a belt isn't loose, loose belts slip and sometimes don't run the water pump properly. ECT sensor is a quick easy thing to check, if it is bad it's possible that the engine may not kick on the cooling fans, i believe the fans were mentioned somewhere up there, but i don't have much time right now to read the whole thread. If you are running the a/c at all the cooling fan must be on all the time that the a/c compressor is kicked on, that's another thing. just some things to check up on. if i think of anything else later i will post again. good luck.