[Billegoat]

I have a 2001 pt non turbo, which is my wifes car. The other day the battery light came on and it started to overheat. When I got home from work the car stated fine several times, the next moring the starter clicked but it did start. I replaced the battery, and added water, My wife drove to the store and the battery lights comes on and it started to overheat again. I added water this morning and let idle in the drive, when the engine warms up the battery light comes on and I've driven it up and down the road but it hasn't overheated on me. any suggestions?
:excited:

 

[ImperialCrown]

A fault code is stored if the battery light comes on. Try to read the fault code.
Is the car overheating while at a stop or while in motion? Does the radiator fan come on?
You should add a 50/50 mix of coolant and not straight water to the radiator. If the level is down, is there a leak visible underneath?

 

[Bob Lincoln]

Did the serpentine belt break? It runs the alternator and water pump on most cars. Sounds obvious, but did you check?

 

[Billegoat]

I did check the belt and it is spinning. It over heats while is driving

Also there are no visible leaks under car I have not seen the fan come on but with sitting in the drive way and driving up and down the road it has not come on. I tried turning on the ac to see if the fan would come on but it has not.

 

[djsamuel]

Did the serpentine belt break? It runs the alternator and water pump on most cars. Sounds obvious, but did you check?

On the PT, a separate belt drives the alternator, the serpentine belt drives the A/C compressor and the power steering. The timing belt drives the water pump.

Could be two issues, the charging system and the thermostat? Seems too coincidental though, although I can't imagine the connection.

 

[CudaPete]

This exact problem happened to my wife on her GC when driving back from Kentucky a few years ago. The radiatior cap came loose allowing coolant to spill on the serpentine belt causing it to slip. The battery light came on and coolant was all over the place. The van did not overheat though.

 

[ImperialCrown]

Diagnose the radiator fan circuit. It may set a radiator fan relay circuit fault code.
If that is working OK, try putting 12 volts directly to the fan motor itself. There is a low and high speed armature winding. The fan motor may have failed.
Electrical diagram found here: http://www.ptcruiserlinks.com/forum/tech-performance-forum/30591-2001-pt-cruiser-radiator-fan-wont-work.html

 

[Billegoat]

Thanks for the help, I had the alt. ck'd out and it was putting out so low of amps the fan was not coming on. I installed a new alt. and it is doing fine now. I'm glad to have found this site. And agin thanks for the advice.