car still overheats - NJFBOA - Home of New Jersey's Camaros and Firebirds

madness410 · 09-08-2008, 10:27 PM

so i finally got around to swapping headgaskets on my car. drove it around yesterday and was surprised it climbed up to 230 within less than a half hour of driving it.

i know i had a thread like this before but now the head gaskets are swapped, radiator fluid was flushed out, air dam is on there, gutted the thermostat so the coolant is flowing at all times, coolant is fresh, radiator is full.

water pump, and radiator have less than 500 miles on them (or so im told by the previous owner)...maybe the carb runs lean on my car

i have 2 electric fans one in front one in back of the radiator, i havent tried messing with those yet but i remember one of them went out, the wiring was loose, and the temp jumped to 250.

if anybody needs pics or something i can easily get some. thanks for any help or suggestions in advance

BonzoHansen · 09-08-2008, 10:28 PM

get rid of the front fan

are the fans coming on?

Fire_Chicken92 · 09-08-2008, 10:31 PM

IDK but if you figure it out I'm stealing you and you are gonna fix mine too! lmao

madness410 · 09-08-2008, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BonzoHansen

get rid of the front fan

are the fans coming on?

both of the fans come on yes. would that be smart though? there was an instance where one fan went out and the temp climbed really high. ill give it a shot.

chrisfrom nj · 09-08-2008, 10:41 PM

it could be running too lean

Jersyboyy · 09-09-2008, 02:11 AM

Def could be running lean.

One face in front & one behind the radiator?

Make sure their not spinning in opposite of each other and that their both coming on when they should.

Does it steadely climb up while your driving, or does it just shoot up their after awhile?

NastyEllEssWon · 09-09-2008, 06:50 AM

could have a crack in your head and your leaking compression into the cooling system. did you change your radiator cap yet????

JL8Jeff · 09-09-2008, 07:23 AM

Put a thermostat in it, you need something to slow the flow of coolant so it will get cooled down while it's in the radiator. You still might have some timing or carb issues as well.

91chevywt · 09-09-2008, 09:48 AM

I recommend backing off timing, and richen it up a bit and see if it changes any. You know the cooling system is flushed, and without a thermostat in there it should definetly be running cool if the motor is stock/pretty much stock. I'm not too sure about mileage on the motor either, but mineral build up in the cooling jacket from lack of coolant maintenance or using hard water could be hurting your cooling system efficiency.

Another thing, not sure how your fans are set up, but the one in front of the rad should be pushing air back towards the motor, and the fan on the back (inside the engine compartment) needs to be pulling air through the rad.

WildBillyT · 09-09-2008, 10:35 AM

What are the specs on the engine again?

madness410 · 09-09-2008, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WildBillyT

What are the specs on the engine again?

well what do you need to know? everything is a new aftermarket part pretty much, rebuilt from a 70's style block, flat tapped cam. small block 350 motor

madness410 · 09-09-2008, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NastyEllEssWon

could have a crack in your head and your leaking compression into the cooling system. did you change your radiator cap yet????

the heads have less than 500 miles on them

Tru2Chevy · 09-09-2008, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by madness410

the heads have less than 500 miles on them

That doesn't matter....overheating can warp and crack brand new heads.

I also say you should ditch that front fan. As long as the rear one is working, the front one is only getting in the way of the air trying to come through.

You should also get a thermostat in there.

- Justin

IROCdan330 · 09-10-2008, 05:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JL8Jeff

Put a thermostat in it, you need something to slow the flow of coolant so it will get cooled down while it's in the radiator. You still might have some timing or carb issues as well.

agreed.

and the whole sandwich the radiator with fans and more fans thing is not needed. These cars need airflow across the front of the rad, it comes from under the car, a front fan only impedes this airflow.

Slow96LT1 · 09-10-2008, 01:07 PM

make sure the fans are not fighting each other

madness410 · 03-16-2009, 12:50 PM

ok ok...UPDATE...i havent had a chance to really fix this problem, (yeah yeah, madd late yeah yeah) havent had time. but im on break and girlfriend-less so i have all the time in the WORLD.

heres the update: bought a new radiator to slip into the camaro, didnt do it. i saw the front fan and thought of everyone on here, took the front fan off...drove around till it hit 160, flipped on the fans. and it went BACK DOWN to 140. so im like...

...im like did i just solve this problem and it was a fricken front fan all along? i drive for a good 20-25 minutes and the water temp slowly climbs up, slowly climbs up, slowly climbs up, to about 200 and i shut it off.

the front fan was obviously partially the problem. but i still have no idea what it can be. i have a new radiator ready to go if need be..

would a thermostat really help out? back in september i gutted it to try and fix the problem. thanks in advance everybody

JL8Jeff · 03-16-2009, 01:06 PM

Yes, the coolant needs to stay in the radiator long enough for it to cool down to do it's job. Put a thermostat back in and try it out. Was the fan up front a pusher or puller?

sweetbmxrider · 03-16-2009, 03:12 PM

200 isn't that hot really. i believe my fans come on at a stock temp over 220 degrees

madness410 · 03-16-2009, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JL8Jeff

Yes, the coolant needs to stay in the radiator long enough for it to cool down to do it's job. Put a thermostat back in and try it out. Was the fan up front a pusher or puller?

i will try a thermostat tomorrow...u think i should get a 160* or lower?

madness410 · 03-16-2009, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweetbmxrider

200 isn't that hot really. i believe my fans come on at a stock temp over 220 degrees

really? same in my brothers vette...but that is the water temperature right?

madness410 · 03-16-2009, 03:55 PM

oh and at like 210 it starts to steam up...out of personal experience lol.

how does a thermostat work actually...if coolant is hotter than 160 a 160* thermostat will open, but since the coolant is hotter than 160* wouldnt it just be the same as a gutted thermostat? please dont call me a retard if thats a dumb question...

WildBillyT · 03-16-2009, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by madness410

oh and at like 210 it starts to steam up...out of personal experience lol.

how does a thermostat work actually...if coolant is hotter than 160 a 160* thermostat will open, but since the coolant is hotter than 160* wouldnt it just be the same as a gutted thermostat? please dont call me a retard if thats a dumb question...

Probably at 212*.

A thermostat will open at its set temperature and it provides a restriction in the cooling system so that the coolant flows slow enough to do its job and pull away heat.

madness410 · 03-16-2009, 05:24 PM

arrite i see. so a regular 160* thermostat will do?

LTb1ow · 03-16-2009, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweetbmxrider

200 isn't that hot really. i believe my fans come on at a stock temp over 220 degrees

Stock LT1 makes less nasty ozone depleting stuff when its that hot. Not the best for your engine though....

WildBillyT · 03-16-2009, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by madness410

arrite i see. so a regular 160* thermostat will do?

Hmm...

Seems to me that:

A) You have/had a problem with your charging system (alternator w/pulley)
B) You have/had a problem with your power steering system (PS pump w/pulley)
C) You have/had a problem with yoru cooling system (water pump w/pulley)

Is your accessory drive system in good shape? You don't have an underdrive crank pulley or something like that on there, do you? Or a bum idler?

You can certainly try a thermostat. They are cheap and it's one thing to remove from the debug process.