that would certainly help but Texas says you have to have a front plate 
overheating problem
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 185
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The reason I asked about the flex fan was I was thinking about going back to mine and getting rid of the electric to see if it helped at all. I didn't have this problem with my flex fan but it was also the original motor not the new one that is in there now.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,487
Likes: 83
From: Titusville Florida
I didn't have a problem with the flex fan either, well except I couldn't hear anything else. It cooled the motor great (both old and new motor), I wish it didn't make so much noise.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 2,716
Likes: 121
From: Sulphur LA
St. Jude Donor '05-'06,'11,'13-'14,'16,'18,'19,'24, '25
I removed the vacuum canister and the front crash bars along with the egg crate for the bumper. I than built a light weight lower core support and a new crash bumper from pipe for the bumper support.
There is a solid plate behind the front plate.
Don't mind at all
Neal
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,487
Likes: 83
From: Titusville Florida
So yesterday I had a brilliant idea 
I decided to take my IR heat gun with me for a ride and get it up to speed where it starts getting hot then I can check the temp at the T stat housing and compare against my gauge. Well the road I was on didn't get it up as high as I've seen it (just a under the 200 mark), but thought I could make a good guess as to what the high temp is was getting. The gauge was reading slightly more that half way between 150 and 200, the IR read 210 so I'm guess that it's getting in the 230 range at just below the 200 mark. I know that's not over heating but still don't much care for it being there. I wanted to drive my Vette to work today but worry about the drive home and heating up.
I decided to take my IR heat gun with me for a ride and get it up to speed where it starts getting hot then I can check the temp at the T stat housing and compare against my gauge. Well the road I was on didn't get it up as high as I've seen it (just a under the 200 mark), but thought I could make a good guess as to what the high temp is was getting. The gauge was reading slightly more that half way between 150 and 200, the IR read 210 so I'm guess that it's getting in the 230 range at just below the 200 mark. I know that's not over heating but still don't much care for it being there. I wanted to drive my Vette to work today but worry about the drive home and heating up.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 3,372
Likes: 215
From: Peoria Arizona
Adam, not sure if you've looked under the front of yours but there is a good bit of work to get all the iron out of the way.
I removed the vacuum canister and the front crash bars along with the egg crate for the bumper. I than built a light weight lower core support and a new crash bumper from pipe for the bumper support.
There is a solid plate behind the front plate.
Don't mind at all
Neal
I removed the vacuum canister and the front crash bars along with the egg crate for the bumper. I than built a light weight lower core support and a new crash bumper from pipe for the bumper support.
There is a solid plate behind the front plate.
Don't mind at all
Neal
Thanks for the info Neal. I have the crash bar stuff out right now as the car is only partially done as far as the body work (stock cover is just bolted on so we can drive it some for now. A neighbor of mine is a welder so he's going to help me make the crash bracing to fit behind the '74 fiberglass bumper cover I have and I'll plan it so I can open up that license plate area. May even glass in a "duct" behind the cover which is shaped to direct the air right at the radiator.Sorry Airborne... was not trying to derail your thread here. Hope you can get your overheating issue figured out. Looks like you found out what your actual temps are compared to your gauge. Now you know what you're working with for sure.
Adam
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,487
Likes: 83
From: Titusville Florida
Actually I jacked the thread from AZguy but I think he's cool (no pun intended) with it.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 3,372
Likes: 215
From: Peoria Arizona
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,487
Likes: 83
From: Titusville Florida
Let us know if it helps and the particulars of how you modified it. I ordered the foam seals that go on top of the radiator support today, hopefully that does something.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2007
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It's been a while but I figured I would update with what I have done in the past several months. It is still overheating on long highway drives but I have seen some improvements. replaced the radiator seals again with thicker ones, replaced the air dam on the front( the old one was deceiving. it had cracked in the center and would blow back while moving but the crack was not visible unless you were right up next to it.). I also made a plate to cover the last open area and force every bit of air though the radiator. I think it came out pretty good. Next will be upgrading to dual higher flowing fans when I have the cash.
open area between radiator and radiator bracket
plate
installed
open area between radiator and radiator bracket
plate
installed
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,487
Likes: 83
From: Titusville Florida
Looking at your shroud it doesn't appear that is has the flaps to allow air to flow through at highway speeds. Before I bought a Dewitt's radiator with dual spaul fans I was having pretty much the same issue you were, tried a dual fan w/aluminum shroud, below 60 MPH it cooled fine but when you get 65 - 70 it started to heat up, I pretty much figured out that I needed flaps in the shroud to allow air flow at speed. I said screw it and invested in a Dewitt's as described above, now it doesn't get above 200*, my new heat problem this summer is vapor lock but I think I'm getting that figured out too.
Anyway, I hope you get yours figured out. Oh, one way I figured out the flap thing, or lack there of, is I installed the fans direct to the radiator, no shroud, and it did cool it down at highway speed but warmed it up at lower speeds...
Anyway, I hope you get yours figured out. Oh, one way I figured out the flap thing, or lack there of, is I installed the fans direct to the radiator, no shroud, and it did cool it down at highway speed but warmed it up at lower speeds...
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 6,900
Likes: 833
From: melbourne florida
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
The fans come on at 200 like I set them so I the no its right but I will try the ir gun this weekend to be sure. It also keeps running sometimes when I try to shut it down. Sometimes just for a second tonight it lasted for 2 or 3. Is that a timing issue that could be contributing or something completely unrelated?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2007
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Ordered some flaps from Summit last night and will modify my shroud when they get in next week. I did some research on this yesterday also. i don't know how I overlooked it. It makes perfect sense. Hopefully it works.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,487
Likes: 83
From: Titusville Florida
Do you have a link to those flaps you found?
Last edited by AirborneSilva; Aug 21, 2014 at 11:04 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 7,410
Likes: 949
From: Tennessee/Rhode Island
Chased the high speed heat problem for 25 years and finally cured the problem with the combo of 79 heavy duty cooling rubber spoiler extension on the stock chin spoiler on my 78,
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2007
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They are about 20 cents more expensive than the Spal web site but shipping was 5 bucks cheaper through Summit.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sp...0012/overview/
I thought about getting the pace car front spoiler since it looks bigger but I don't know if that would improve anything.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sp...0012/overview/
I thought about getting the pace car front spoiler since it looks bigger but I don't know if that would improve anything.