I think your hot running problem may be from the otterstat. My original one didn't turn the fans on until the temp gauge was around 220 +/- a needle width. The next time your car starts getting hot, see if the fans don't come on until around the 220 mark. If so, then replace the otterstat with a cooler one. Another symptom that makes me suspect your otterstat bad is the fact that you are running without a/c. When the a/c compressor is running, then so do the radiator fans regardless of what the otterstat thinks. Even with my otterstat disconnected, the a/c runs the radiator fans enough to keep the engine cooler than relying on the otterstat alone. For a more precise way to check your otterstat, put it in a pot of water on the stove and hold it with the alligator clips from a continuity meter. Then see what temperature it switches at. When buying a new otterstat, be sure that you get the right one. There are several versions of the otterstat that will fit, but each switches at a different temperature. If you replace it with another one that is also for too high a temperature, then you won't get an improvement. Just be careful who you buy the new one from. The next part I would suspect is the thermostat. You can take it out, drop it in a pot of water and heat it up to see at what temperature it opens. It may not be opening completely or not soon enough. A less likely cause could be a loose fan belt, but you would probably hear that squeaking if it were. Walt Tampa, FL