I have…so many problems with my solstice. Pls help

1597 Views 44 Replies 15 Participants Last post by halnwheels, 7 d ago

AmGonnaCryHelpPls

Discussion Starter · 13 d ago

-sigh- idek where to begin.

first issue: I bought this 2009 solstice gxp that had a bunch of stage 3 upgrades from RPM motorsports but it had the wrong tune on it. I got rpm motorsports to re-tune it only to discover that the exhaust manifold is cracked.
I haven’t had the cash to handle it so it’s been like that for over a year now….

Second issue: a few months ago the coolant light came on. Took it into the shop and they said the floater that tells you the level of the coolant is cracked and sunk to the bottom.

third issue: about 3 days ago my car started overheating…. Once it starts getting too hot the ac stops blowing cold air. Seems to happen more often when the engine is idling. The fan still blows air and it’s cold sometimes and warm sometimes - all within the same trip.

when the engine starts to overheat sometimes it starts to cool down a little during the trip as well so it’s not just getting constantly hot the whole time…

the coolant is full. I changed the thermostat today (what a pain in the ass) and im still having the same issue.

so I bought the following items and im just waiting for them to arrive and im going to change all of these things:
Exhaust manifold
Exhaust manifold gasket
Water pump
New coolant reservoir
Airbag impact sensor (I got into a little fender bender and my airbag light has been on)..

im hoping that changing all of this will finally have my car running properly….but I was wondering if anyone has any idea why my car is overheating…only check engine light code I seem to have is for a lean air mixture which I assume is from the cracked exhaust manifold.

any help/advice is very much appreciated…I know I waited far too long to address some of these issues, please don’t be too hard on me lol.
You guys/girls have a lot more experience than I do so I trust your judgement more than mine.

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rob the elder

· #2 · 13 d ago

Welcome

Have you checked the radiator to ensure its not blocked by leaves or trash?
Is your air dam intact on the bottom of the front of the car? This is essential for proper cooling.
How long ago was the RPM mod done? There are a couple of members who have had issues following the upgrade.

RTE

Reactions: 2

BillyBigMac

· #3 · 13 d ago

I just dealt with this. You likely have an air pocket in the cooling system. It developes in the heater core area, and between the pump and Tstat.

Symptoms are heater core working only under load (above 2000rpm for me) and maybe at idle before the Tstat opens between 180 and 190 degrees.

There are many ways on YouTube to get it out, I tried them all and the last one worked. A YouTube channel called Tim’s garage has a method for getting air out that worked for me. BUT before it worked I had to drill 2 small holes in my thermostat to get the air out using his method.

If these don’t work, I doubt you have an air bubble, though I’d be surprised. From there I’d try testing your engine coolant sensor (pulling it out, plugging it back in after uninstall, dipping it in a hot cup of water with a thermometer and making sure the temps match. You’ll need a second set of eyes)

After that I’d try testing your Tstat if you haven’t already, make sure it works. Boiling water will do it.

If none of this fixes it, waterpump is the last thing I can think of.

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BillyBigMac

· #4 · 13 d ago

If this doesn’t help, air bubbles are very common in these cars and a search of the forum will bring up many other past solutions

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HHGadget

· #5 · 13 d ago

Whoah whoah. If you thought the thermostat was hard the water pump will make you crazy.
First off you must, must have the water pump holding tool or don't even think about it.
Its not “hard” but things are located in very difficult to reach places and if you don't take your time and do it right, and even sometimes when you do, one simple thing can turn into a big job. (Ask @BillyBigMac )
You are probably going to at least need the thermostat housing to block gasket and the two rubber o-rings for the water pipe.
Technically you can do the water pump replacement without removing the turbo (as described in the GM service manual) but that involves some rubik’s cube maneuvering that will require a lot of additional patience and time.
And if you do remove the turbo there is a whole other set of washers and gaskets involved. And that of course means the cat has to come off which is its own special flavor of fun.
It is all very doable but i would research the hell out of the job before attempting it.
I have replaced the clutch myself twice and that job was right up there with the water pump in my opinion.

Does your water pump actually need replacement?
Not trying to discourage you but it is a lot of time to do and doesn’t “sound” like that is your issue.

The AC sounds like a separate issue and it could be a failing AC compressor or your system may need to be recharged.

Either way best of luck.
There are a ton of threads and some recent youtube videos to help and the folks here are always happy to help out as well.

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sirwm

· #6 · 13 d ago

replacing the coolant tank reservoir will be easy compared to a thermostat.

post #21 of this thread ( Coolant light issue ) gives the part number of the coolant tank reservoir

Reactions: 1

BillyBigMac

· #7 · 13 d ago

Sorry, was just narrowing things down in order from easiest to hardest. But yes a waterpump job does require significant quantities of beer.

Reactions: 3

rob the elder

· #8 · 13 d ago

We did a club members water pump a couple of years ago. We did it without removing the turbo and manifold because my experience has been that when you start pulling parts that are working well, you inevitably end up with creating problems.

My recollection is it took us around 7 hours. We had the quick jack so we could work on it from the top and the bottom which was helpful. We ended up putting the pump in as two halves so it fit into the space, then bolted it together in place. The rear water tube bolt was by far the most challenging. It took us a lot of time to get it out and then back into place.

And this was the first time we used the waterpump tool and I will admit I was nervous when we installed it because the consequences are great and there is really not much room to access the bolts. We used grease to hold the bolts in place while we maneuvered it into position then tightened it.

The outcome was good and I would not hesitate to do it again but its not something that I would ever do unless I had to.(4) Punisher | Page 128 | Pontiac Solstice Forum

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Katdude66

· #9 · 13 d ago

AmGonnaCryHelpPls said:
-sigh- idek where to begin.

first issue: I bought this 2009 solstice gxp that had a bunch of stage 3 upgrades from RPM motorsports but it had the wrong tune on it. I got rpm motorsports to re-tune it only to discover that the exhaust manifold is cracked.
I haven’t had the cash to handle it so it’s been like that for over a year now….

Second issue: a few months ago the coolant light came on. Took it into the shop and they said the floater that tells you the level of the coolant is cracked and sunk to the bottom.

third issue: about 3 days ago my car started overheating…. Once it starts getting too hot the ac stops blowing cold air. Seems to happen more often when the engine is idling. The fan still blows air and it’s cold sometimes and warm sometimes - all within the same trip.

when the engine starts to overheat sometimes it starts to cool down a little during the trip as well so it’s not just getting constantly hot the whole time…

the coolant is full. I changed the thermostat today (what a pain in the ass) and im still having the same issue.

so I bought the following items and im just waiting for them to arrive and im going to change all of these things:
Exhaust manifold
Exhaust manifold gasket
Water pump
New coolant reservoir
Airbag impact sensor (I got into a little fender bender and my airbag light has been on)..

im hoping that changing all of this will finally have my car running properly….but I was wondering if anyone has any idea why my car is overheating…only check engine light code I seem to have is for a lean air mixture which I assume is from the cracked exhaust manifold.

any help/advice is very much appreciated…I know I waited far too long to address some of these issues, please don’t be too hard on me lol.
You guys/girls have a lot more experience than I do so I trust your judgement more than mine.

If you are going to attempt the water pump I would suggest going to the DDMWorks web site and click on Pontiac Solstice then click on 2.0 Turbo then click on engine then click water pump then scroll down and click on instructions and click there you find a step by step guide on changing the water pump. It's perfect. Also you might want to look into check valves for your air in the line issue. There are a buch of Youtube videos on the subject. Good Luck. Also as mentioned by a few members on this site you will need the tool for the the water pump replacement.

Reactions: 2

Katdude66

· #10 · 13 d ago

Katdude66 said:
If you are going to attempt the water pump I would suggest going to the DDMWorks web site and click on Pontiac Solstice then click on 2.0 Turbo then click on engine then click water pump then scroll down and click on instructions and click there you find a step by step guide on changing the water pump. It's perfect. Also you might want to look into check valves for your air in the line issue. There are a buch of Youtube videos on the subject. Good Luck. Also as mentioned by a few members on this site you will need the tool for the the water pump replacement.

I meant bunch

Reactions: 1

Katdude66

· #11 · 13 d ago

Katdude66 said:
I meant bunch

ZZP performance is one company that sells the coolant check valves.

Reactions: 1

ennonne

· #12 · 13 d ago

AC will shut off when the coolant gets too hot. So the AC coming and going may just be that.

Sounds like the cooling fan (not the HVAC blower) is not working. Car gets hot sitting still, AC shuts off. Cools off a little when you start moving and the AC comes back on.

Have you pulled the airbag code? Airbag light is a common Solstice issue. You may not need a crash sensor.

Where are you located? Maybe someone nearby can lend a hand?

Reactions: 1

agent008

· #13 · 13 d ago

Welcome. As others have already said your issue is most likely air bubbles in the cooling system. Which can have been introduced by the shop that messed with your reservoir to diagnostic the low coolant light...

The first and easiest thing to do is check how clean and free your radiator is, as suggested by Rob. And whether your air dam is intact. If all is OK there then I'd start chasing the air bubble into the coolant circuit issue. Use the Tim's garage video as a guidance kn how to burp your cooling system. Then let us know the results.

There is a higher than even chance your AC is fine, the only ngine computer turns off AC once it detects an overheating issue. Because AC creates additional thermal load on the cooling system so it is an emergency measure taken by the engine computer to avoid catastrophic overheating. My bet is that solving your cooling the AC will get back to normal.

Check what is suggested above then report back here and we'll walk you through this!

ChopTop

· #14 · 13 d ago

AmGonnaCryHelpPls said:
-sigh- idek where to begin.

first issue: I bought this 2009 solstice gxp that had a bunch of stage 3 upgrades from RPM motorsports but it had the wrong tune on it. I got rpm motorsports to re-tune it only to discover that the exhaust manifold is cracked.
I haven’t had the cash to handle it so it’s been like that for over a year now….

Second issue: a few months ago the coolant light came on. Took it into the shop and they said the floater that tells you the level of the coolant is cracked and sunk to the bottom.

third issue: about 3 days ago my car started overheating…. Once it starts getting too hot the ac stops blowing cold air. Seems to happen more often when the engine is idling. The fan still blows air and it’s cold sometimes and warm sometimes - all within the same trip.

when the engine starts to overheat sometimes it starts to cool down a little during the trip as well so it’s not just getting constantly hot the whole time…

the coolant is full. I changed the thermostat today (what a pain in the ass) and im still having the same issue.

so I bought the following items and im just waiting for them to arrive and im going to change all of these things:
Exhaust manifold
Exhaust manifold gasket
Water pump
New coolant reservoir
Airbag impact sensor (I got into a little fender bender and my airbag light has been on)..

im hoping that changing all of this will finally have my car running properly….but I was wondering if anyone has any idea why my car is overheating…only check engine light code I seem to have is for a lean air mixture which I assume is from the cracked exhaust manifold.

any help/advice is very much appreciated…I know I waited far too long to address some of these issues, please don’t be too hard on me lol.
You guys/girls have a lot more experience than I do so I trust your judgement more than mine.

If you're located in FL (or close by), I'd recommend you contacting Bill Lewis.

Reactions: 2

RPM-Motorsports

· #15 · 13 d ago

@AmGonnaCryHelpPls

If the Manifold was cracked during the last tuning session there is a good chance I threw additional fuel at the MAF table, once you get the car back up and running with the new manifold reach out to us so we can swing the V-Tuner kit back out to you for a final check...

In regard to bleeding the cooling system, seems like everyone has their own method... here at RPM we use a "No Spill Funnel" keep it half full>>>Let the engine temperature come up to 210deg>>> Start the process of revving the engine to 3500rpm, hold for 1 sec let it come down to idle>>> Repeat the process until you see the coolant temp start to drop... it will do it rapidly and you will probably see the car drink down all the coolant that was in the funnel...

Reach out directly to us at RPM with any questions

Martin-RPM

Reactions: 5

AmGonnaCryHelpPls

Discussion Starter · #16 · 13 d ago

rob the elder said:
Welcome

Have you checked the radiator to ensure its not blocked by leaves or trash?
Is your air dam intact on the bottom of the front of the car? This is essential for proper cooling.
How long ago was the RPM mod done? There are a couple of members who have had issues following the upgrade.

RTE

The RPM mod was done about 2 years ago.. I know I’m going to get **** for this but idek where the radiator is located on the solstice... I tried googling it but couldn’t find a clear picture. I’ll look up videos when I get off and see if I can find it. Innercooler and radiator are two different things right? (Sorry for the ignorance)

BillyBigMac said:
I just dealt with this. You likely have an air pocket in the cooling system. It developes in the heater core area, and between the pump and Tstat.

Symptoms are heater core working only under load (above 2000rpm for me) and maybe at idle before the Tstat opens between 180 and 190 degrees.

There are many ways on YouTube to get it out, I tried them all and the last one worked. A YouTube channel called Tim’s garage has a method for getting air out that worked for me. BUT before it worked I had to drill 2 small holes in my thermostat to get the air out using his method.

If these don’t work, I doubt you have an air bubble, though I’d be surprised. From there I’d try testing your engine coolant sensor (pulling it out, plugging it back in after uninstall, dipping it in a hot cup of water with a thermometer and making sure the temps match. You’ll need a second set of eyes)

After that I’d try testing your Tstat if you haven’t already, make sure it works. Boiling water will do it.

If none of this fixes it, waterpump is the last thing I can think of.

thank you, I’ll try this when I get off of work tonight and post an update.

HHGadget said:
Whoah whoah. If you thought the thermostat was hard the water pump will make you crazy.
First off you must, must have the water pump holding tool or don't even think about it.
Its not “hard” but things are located in very difficult to reach places and if you don't take your time and do it right, and even sometimes when you do, one simple thing can turn into a big job. (Ask @BillyBigMac )
You are probably going to at least need the thermostat housing to block gasket and the two rubber o-rings for the water pipe.
Technically you can do the water pump replacement without removing the turbo (as described in the GM service manual) but that involves some rubik’s cube maneuvering that will require a lot of additional patience and time.
And if you do remove the turbo there is a whole other set of washers and gaskets involved. And that of course means the cat has to come off which is its own special flavor of fun.
It is all very doable but i would research the hell out of the job before attempting it.
I have replaced the clutch myself twice and that job was right up there with the water pump in my opinion.

Does your water pump actually need replacement?
Not trying to discourage you but it is a lot of time to do and doesn’t “sound” like that is your issue.

The AC sounds like a separate issue and it could be a failing AC compressor or your system may need to be recharged.

Either way best of luck.
There are a ton of threads and some recent youtube videos to help and the folks here are always happy to help out as well.

Haha yeah the thermostat would’ve been easy…but one of the bolts was such a pain in the ass to get to :/
Do you think as someone with limited mechanical experience I’ll be able to pull off changing the water pump?
Can I get the thermostat housing gasket at an auto store or do I need to special order it? Also what size o-ring do I need or are they all one size? What about washers and gasket for the turbo? Do you know what size of those I’ll need? This is unfortunately my only method of transportation so I’d like to grab all of these things instead of having to call a friend for a ride to the auto store when it’s all pulled apart.
also, I have to take out the turbo to change the exhaust manifold anyways right? I might as well change the water pump while I’m at it, no?

Katdude66 said:
ZZP performance is one company that sells the coolant check valves.

ugh I feel so overwhelmed. idek what coolant check valves are facepalm. I have so much googling to do and this is my only car :/

ennonne said:
AC will shut off when the coolant gets too hot. So the AC coming and going may just be that.

Sounds like the cooling fan (not the HVAC blower) is not working. Car gets hot sitting still, AC shuts off. Cools off a little when you start moving and the AC comes back on.

Have you pulled the airbag code? Airbag light is a common Solstice issue. You may not need a crash sensor.

Where are you located? Maybe someone nearby can lend a hand?

I’ll do the research but I’m at work right now so out of curiosity how hard is it to change the cooling fan?
im in Austin, TX but I’m also low on cash to hire someone to help :/

RPM-Motorsports said:
@AmGonnaCryHelpPls

If the Manifold was cracked during the last tuning session there is a good chance I threw additional fuel at the MAF table, once you get the car back up and running with the new manifold reach out to us so we can swing the V-Tuner kit back out to you for a final check...

In regard to bleeding the cooling system, seems like everyone has their own method... here at RPM we use a "No Spill Funnel" keep it half full>>>Let the engine temperature come up to 210deg>>> Start the process of revving the engine to 3500rpm, hold for 1 sec let it come down to idle>>> Repeat the process until you see the coolant temp start to drop... it will do it rapidly and you will probably see the car drink down all the coolant that was in the funnel...

Reach out directly to us at RPM with any questions

Martin-RPM

It was cracked when we did the tune, I just didn’t realize it at the time until I did a smoke test after. I appreciate that, thank you. Can you send a link for the no spill funnel?

Thank you all for the responses. A couple of things I should mention, my car doesn’t seem to drink up any of the coolant so that could definitely be from the air bubbles trapped in right?
I’m going to Home Depot later to rent an air compressor because I don’t even own one of those lol. Hopefully using that method to clear out the air bubbles will work…this has all been such a headache.

Wish me luck everyone…I’m gonna need it

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RPM-Motorsports

· #17 · 13 d ago

AmGonnaCryHelpPls said:
The RPM mod was done about 2 years ago.. I know I’m going to get **** for this but idek where the radiator is located on the solstice... I tried googling it but couldn’t find a clear picture. I’ll look up videos when I get off and see if I can find it. Innercooler and radiator are two different things right? (Sorry for the ignorance)

thank you, I’ll try this when I get off of work tonight and post an update.

Haha yeah the thermostat would’ve been easy…but one of the bolts was such a pain in the ass to get to :/
Do you think as someone with limited mechanical experience I’ll be able to pull off changing the water pump?
Can I get the thermostat housing gasket at an auto store or do I need to special order it? Also what size o-ring do I need or are they all one size? What about washers and gasket for the turbo? Do you know what size of those I’ll need? This is unfortunately my only method of transportation so I’d like to grab all of these things instead of having to call a friend for a ride to the auto store when it’s all pulled apart.
also, I have to take out the turbo to change the exhaust manifold anyways right? I might as well change the water pump while I’m at it, no?

ugh I feel so overwhelmed. idek what coolant check valves are facepalm. I have so much googling to do and this is my only car :/

I’ll do the research but I’m at work right now so out of curiosity how hard is it to change the cooling fan?
im in Austin, TX but I’m also low on cash to hire someone to help :/

It was cracked when we did the tune, I just didn’t realize it at the time until I did a smoke test after. I appreciate that, thank you. Can you send a link for the no spill funnel?

Thank you all for the responses. A couple of things I should mention, my car doesn’t seem to drink up any of the coolant so that could definitely be from the air bubbles trapped in right?
I’m going to Home Depot later to rent an air compressor because I don’t even own one of those lol. Hopefully using that method to clear out the air bubbles will work…this has all been such a headache.

Wish me luck everyone…I’m gonna need it

Amazon.com: Thorstone No Spill Coolant Funnel Kit, Spill Free Radiator Coolant Filling Funnel, Spill Proof Radiator Funnel Bleeder with Adapters, Automotive Antifreeze Bleeder for Universal Vehicles : Automotive

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ChopTop

· #18 · 13 d ago

Check valves: Technical Service Bulletin 10-06-02-001
Document ID: 2394355
GM 20876185

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AmGonnaCryHelpPls

Discussion Starter · #19 · 12 d ago

Okay so I have an update. I got a check engine light again and was able to take it to an autozone for them to pull the code. The code I got was P2187 and it says "Fuel Trim System Lean At Idle"
It says:
"Most Likely Solution:
Power Train System
Repair Fuel Injector Wiring"

Does this give anyone a better pinpoint as to what's going on?

I returned the water pump and dumped the money on an air compressor instead so I can try to clear out any air bubbles lol. I agree with everyone else that it doesn't seem to be the water pump at this current time and I honestly would like to avoid the headache of changing it if it's not needed.

ennonne said:
AC will shut off when the coolant gets too hot. So the AC coming and going may just be that.

Sounds like the cooling fan (not the HVAC blower) is not working. Car gets hot sitting still, AC shuts off. Cools off a little when you start moving and the AC comes back on.

Have you pulled the airbag code? Airbag light is a common Solstice issue. You may not need a crash sensor.

Where are you located? Maybe someone nearby can lend a hand?

Also I have officially confirmed that when I'm driving the car starts to cool down. I definitely don't think there's anything wrong with the AC, I think the car is just getting hot as hell which is making it difficult to blow cold air when it reaches those high temps. When I'm idle at a stoplight or when I'm driving slow because of traffic the car is definitely heating more. The moment I start getting steady speed it starts to cool off. So does this still seem like the cooling fan? Maybe when I start speeding up it's causing the passing air to turn the fan? Does this correlate to the P2187 code I got?

Also in response to the airbag code, I took my car into a shop and they were the ones to tell me it was the impact sensor so I was just running with that. I already ordered it so I suppose it's worth a shot to check it out. It's not the passenger airbag light, it's the main airbag.

Can't thank you all enough for your input and guidance on this.

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BillyBigMac

· #20 · 12 d ago

Just a note, if the water pump is stock, it will fail you at some point. Not saying change it now, but always keep money lying around totaling the amount of a waterpump and some gaskets. It’ll save you part of the headache to just be ready for that.

as far as anything else, some of the more experienced guys here will be better able to diagnose your car. The pump/air bubble/chain replacement job is all I’m familiar with so far.

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