Good morning Scotty, I have been a huge fan of yours for years. I am dealing with a mechanical nightmare. My firebird overheats and runs over 210 in stop and go traffic, and also when the car is stopped. The mechanic has done a pressure test and has not found any leaks, the previous owner changed out the waterpump 2 years ago. The mechanic has also mention the fans are kicking on when they need to. I have already changed hoses thermostat 2 temptuare sensors the car continues to run hot, the mechanic know is avoiding me after he took so much money out of me. The car also struggles to start and than fires up potentially the fuel pump might be going bad. I'm giving up I really love the car, I cant find the right mechanic to fix it right. Please help me Scotty God bless take care. I do also occasionally get a exhaust and gas smell.
Well, for the starting issue you want to check the Optispark module. They are famous for going bad and are super sensitive to moisture despite being located under the water pump. If the previous owner got it wet while changing the pump, I can just about guarantee you it needs replacement. And they are not cheap.
As for the cooling system, you either have a leak somewhere or a clogged up radiator/bad radiator cap most likely. I would swap the cap and if that doesn't work, pressure test the system with dye to see if you have any leaks. If not, check the radiator itself for leaks. If it is the original radiator, go ahead and replace it. They aren't too expensive.
