alfa romeo gtv overheating

Hi, i recently bougth an alfa romeo gtv 2.0 t spark(r reg 1998) and im having troubles with overheating since the first day i bought it.
the car is overheating in short journeys, the fans swich on at 90dg. but never stop, and the water start came out from the water "tank",becuase looks like the water is not circulating around the engine. i went back to the place i bought it and the mechanic told me it was the sensor that goes on thermostat need to be replaced, work done but the problem still there. the car keeps overheating and the water start to come of.
while i was waiting for the sensor on the thermostat the plug into that sensor was unpluged, with this the car never overheated and the tempratures where all the time under 60 dg, as the fans were on all the time and the water has been on level and never start to come out. now the sensor has been replaced but exactly the same was before.
does anyone know what is cousing this?
best regards

Welcome to AO

moved to GTV lounge

Have a good look at your radiator, as I wouldn't mind betting it is stuffed.

The fins fall out, especially at the bottom, and this substantially reduces the cooling.
Also if the car ran at a constant 60ºC with the fans on permanently your thermostat is stuck open.
Even with constant cooling it should sit a lot higher. Normally between 80ºC and 90ºC depending on the individual car.

Hi thanks for reply.
that is true, with the fans on the temprature never goes over the 60 .c.....never seen going higher...

It does sound to me as if you have a combination of a inneficient radiator and a stuck open thermostat.

Radiators rarely last more than about 6 years, and as for thermostats, I have owned 7 TS engined cars and 6 of them came to me with a stuck open stat. That's how common that problem is.

My dad also had a Spider and the stat was stuck open on that as well when he got it.

The easiest way to check the stat is to start the car from cold, the top hose on the radiator should stay pretty cold until the engine gets to around 70ºC

will try this ...let you know something as soon as possible..
thanks

You may need to remove the undertray to check the radiator properly. They usually fail at the bottom on the inside, but if it has gone you should see evidence of fins falling out on the visible bits at the top and behind the fan.

Hi does anyone know if a faulty thermostat can make the car overheat?
My car is overheating specialy if im stuck on trafic,, and when reaches the 90dg the fans start working and the water start to come of the recipient...cant understand why,any idea?