Car running HOT

[Andrew Wang]

Hey Guys, I know this weather is a killer but when you take into account I'm running an aluminum rad I think the car is running TOO hot. The temp gauge right now is going well over the M on even short trips, layn' off the boost. I don't recall EVER running that hot. Any ideas... in layman's terms.

[Jason Wild]

Andrew,
First I would look to see the fans are working. did you ever set up your eec tuner?

[92strokedbird]

What thermostat are you using,stock,180.....do you have the tuner set up to turn on the fan early say at 180.

Make sure the front fan is working as well,the one in front of the rad(pusher) they tend to seize up,ask Steve Day.

[tbirdsc357]

How is your coolant level? Like Jason said, check your fans.

[Ryan A Harris]

Rad cap, make sure its still good. Check coolant levels, as mentioned. Is your temp sending unit correctly hooked up? Sometimes the elbow can get worn, and not have a great connection, thus throwing out your readings. Do you have a small leak while the cars parked? Does your A/C run at all? If so I think your fans should be kicking in alot.

That should get you started.

[Andrew Wang]

I forgot to mention the temp goes up more than half way between the M and the end of the guage so I've kind of parked the car for a while.

My pusher fan is wired to a switch and I can turn it on/off at will, not sure of the puller, will have to check.
I'm using a stock t-stat. No tuner.
Yes I do have a small coolant leak but I have checked the coolant level and it's ok. A/c runs ok also.
Not sure about the temp sending unit will have to have a look.
Rad cap seems to be ok.

Could an air bubble be the culprit, I was thinking about doing a coolant flush.

[Ryan A Harris]

Could an air bubble be the culprit, I was thinking about doing a coolant flush.


That could be the trouble, but have you had your coolant system worked on lately? If notthen I doubt it. A flush is always a good idea.

[Andrew Wang]

I haven't done anything to the cooling system so right now I'm not quite sure what to think.

[charged92]

I had an over heating problem with my old 1884 Monte Carlo. Coolant level was up fans were working everything seemed ok. I changed my rad cap and it would still overheat. Finally I gave up and took it to a mechanic, I wasn't even half way home from dropping it off and he was calling my cell to say the car was fixed! Turned out it was as simple as a little piece of **** on the rad filler neck was keeping the cap seal from sealing. Man did I feel like an idiot! :D

Anyway Andrew check that out, it can happen. :o

[Blown_347_SC]

Good advice here fellas. Mine was doing the same exact thing last year, was ridiculous... :(

[Andrew Wang]

Wes, did you eventually narrow down the problem?

[BlueThunder90]

Wes, did you eventually narrow down the problem?

Andrew, when I had my SC, it started to rise in temps. Sometimes it would run great and other times, it would run hot. Some say it's a sign that your head gaskets are on their way out......as mine did just a week later.

Have you already changed your HG's?

[Blown_347_SC]

Wes, did you eventually narrow down the problem?
Well, to be honest, I never got it fixed. I have had it parked in my Grandmother's garage since 2004. As long as it got me home, I was happy, since I'm dropping in a new engine as soon as I can anyways (not sure which).

I know it had alot to do with a tiny leak in the rad, as well as the fans. Not positive on what, but it sure was a pain in the a$$. At that time, I didn't care enough to get it fixed, sadly. May have been the HG's too, I still think they are original, and it has over 230k on it.

[Andrew Wang]

Some say it's a sign that your head gaskets are on their way out......as mine did just a week later.
Arrrrrrrgh! Steve don't even mention the "H" word.
Took the car to the meet last night, had the A/C off and pusher fan on, drove it fairly hard and temps stayed at the M, not too bad. On the way home about 5 mins from where I live, turned on the A/C and turned off the pusher and the temps went past the M in under a minute.

[fturner]

Just a thought, cause if its over heating, it'll over heat your car..............

but when was the last time you checked your tranny fluid?

Frit

[Jason Wild]

Andrew I think you might be getting a bad reading on the temp gauge might want to try a after market gauge just to see whats happening. the only other thing I can think of it the rad fan is not turning on all the time.

[Andrew Wang]

I haven't checked the tranny fluid for a while :o will do it first thing. Although I suspect that's not the problem.
Curious thing though, my remote starter stopped working around the same time as the cooling issues started about 5 days ago.

[Greg Coleman]

Andrew,I'd check and see if the fans are working properly in the driveway first then I might change the thermostate to a 180.I might also venture to say you need a tunner and a good file. :D I know with out the tunner hooked up on my'n it always ran extremly hot all the time.

[BlueThunder90]

Arrrrrrrgh! Steve don't even mention the "H" word.
Took the car to the meet last night, had the A/C off and pusher fan on, drove it fairly hard and temps stayed at the M, not too bad. On the way home about 5 mins from where I live, turned on the A/C and turned off the pusher and the temps went past the M in under a minute.

Sorry :o

Are all the fans working as they should?

[Andrew Wang]

Yea, the fans are working ok, coolant looks good also.

[BlueThunder90]

Yea, the fans are working ok, coolant looks good also.

Damn, the symptoms are so close to that of mine.

Have you already done your HG's?

[Andrew Wang]

No I haven't Steve and I'm coming up on 170 k.

[Jason Wild]

andrew easy way to find out is look in the over flow and see if there is bubbles comeing up once the car is hot

[shotbirdsc]

Andrew - Ian's 94 is doing the same thing we changed the tstat, flushed the rad, removed the seized pusher fan. still the same. In his case there is a small amount of discoloring of the coolant in the overflow(very small if any)tank no other signs but the sob heats up quite a bit. He already bought the arp head studs too! :(

[BlueThunder90]

andrew easy way to find out is look in the over flow and see if there is bubbles comeing up once the car is hot

Until the HG's have fully gone, you won't see bubbles. When it really lets go, you'll know :)

[Jason Wild]

I guess I dont know anything then. :rolleyes:

Since ever member in the club "that I know of " that has blowen head gaskets has seen bubbles in the over flow even on my car. :confused:

[Andrew Wang]

Me tinks the problem is solved, both of them. Took the car to have the remote starter checked out (warranty) and noticed one of the pusher fan wires came off. One of the fuses for the remote starter was not blown but melted. Took the car for a "little boot" and the temps never went past the O. Hopefully problem solved.

Eric, tell Ian I said good luck in diagnosing his overheat problem, hope it's nothing too serious.

[Ryan A Harris]

That was close.... :cool:

Check your pm's. :eek:

[fast Ed]

Andrew, glad to hear that it was a simple fix after all.

I'd hate to have you as the 1st 94-95 owner in the SCCoO with woofed HGs. :eek: Then the guys who are betting on me as being the first one would lose their money. :p


cheers
Ed N.


EDIT : speeling

[Ryan A Harris]

Andrew, glad to hear that it was a simple fix after all.

I'd have to have you as the 1st 94-95 owner in the SCCoO with woofed HGs. :eek: Then the guys who are betting on me as being the first one would lose their money. :p


cheers
Ed N.

Are you sure no one with a 94-95 hasn't blown the HG's, try asking Coleman.....but other than him I can't think of anyone else.

[Andrew Wang]

I'd have to have you as the 1st 94-95 owner in the SCCoO with woofed HGs. Then the guys who are betting on me as being the first one would lose their money.
You're still the odds on favorite. :p
My buddy Bill's 94 went on him a little over 200k I believe.

[fast Ed]

Are you sure no one with a 94-95 hasn't blown the HG's, try asking Coleman.....but other than him I can't think of anyone else.


Jeez, how could I forget about Greg killing Nickey's car, after we were all bugging him about it again on Sunday. :D

Andrew, I did think about Bill M.'s car, but wasn't counting him since he wasn't an active member.

cheers
Ed N.

[shotbirdsc]

Glad to hear you figured it out. hmm that pusher fan is actually functional??? :confused:

[tbirdsc357]

Me tinks the problem is solved, both of them. Took the car to have the remote starter checked out (warranty) and noticed one of the pusher fan wires came off. One of the fuses for the remote starter was not blown but melted. Took the car for a "little boot" and the temps never went past the O. Hopefully problem solved.
.


Good !!

I'll see you at the track on Aug 14 then. :) .......with your SC.

[Andrew Wang]

Glad to hear you figured it out. hmm that pusher fan is actually functional???
It's a mystery.
1 (http://www.sccoa.com/forums/showthread.php?t=47523&highlight=pusher+fan+operation)
2 (http://www.sccoa.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64490&highlight=pusher+fan+operation)