V08 question
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 201
Likes: 0
From: Sacramento CA
SunCr, interesting stuff. I wasn't concerned that I needed the fan, so much as I was interested in knowing where it was located, since I didn't see it where I expected to see it. The car runs within specs as far as temps go, so I'm good with all of that. I haven't seen any overheat problems, even when we had 107 degrees last weekend. You did, mention, though, that the auxiliary fan was often a dealer installed item. I wonder if that was the case with this one. The reason I wonder this is because I don't have an RPO B4P listed on my RPO list (I have V08.) Makes me think that, perhaps, it didn't leave the factory with the aux fan. But, hard to say. I've seen a lot of conflicting information about what, exactly, V08 included in 1985 (which may be different from what it meant in other years.)
One thing I HAVE noticed, though, is that the car runs hotter (about 10 degrees higher while driving) with the AC on. My 95 runs cooler while driving with the AC on, so just the opposite.
One thing I HAVE noticed, though, is that the car runs hotter (about 10 degrees higher while driving) with the AC on. My 95 runs cooler while driving with the AC on, so just the opposite.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 7,839
Likes: 22
From: San Diego, Ca
Service Bulletin was issued at the end of the 1st Year or after the '84 run so maybe it was a Dealer item, though as I mentioned, kits were hyped to the extreme (on the Cover) of every Vette Catalog back in the '80's (I got suckered into the "Low Temp Fan Switch")
Re the a/c - it should run cooler with the a/c on (idle and low speed - freeway should be around the thermostat regardless of whether it's on or off). What's going on in the Condenser has to be well below the thermostat or the pressure can reach a point where it blows a hole in the hood (thankfully, there's a high limit to shut it off - 400 psi). Anyway, the fan is on sooner and stays on longer than if the a/c were off, the resulting benefit being the lower Coolant Temps (and if you're interested, a/c operation is exempt from Federal emissions which is why the tech turns it off when it's tested). You could have an a/c shop hook up some gages to see what's going on, but first I'd check to make sure everything is clean and free of bugs, debris between the Condenser and Radiator, and that the Spoiler hasn't taken too many hits from parking lot stops or speed bumps. The fan, for a/c operation (R12 gas) should click on at close to 230 psi which is a saturation temp of 145 degrees and then run until 190 psi or 134 degrees. With subcooling, the liquid is easily 10 degrees cooler and touching a digital thermometer to the high line as it exits the Condenser will tell you what the temp is. Then, if you know what the High Side Pressure is, you can get the subcooling from a Pressure/Temp Chart. No or very low subcooling generally indicates a bad compressor, but auto a/c guys rarely if ever consider this measurement and simply rely on what their gages show.
Re the a/c - it should run cooler with the a/c on (idle and low speed - freeway should be around the thermostat regardless of whether it's on or off). What's going on in the Condenser has to be well below the thermostat or the pressure can reach a point where it blows a hole in the hood (thankfully, there's a high limit to shut it off - 400 psi). Anyway, the fan is on sooner and stays on longer than if the a/c were off, the resulting benefit being the lower Coolant Temps (and if you're interested, a/c operation is exempt from Federal emissions which is why the tech turns it off when it's tested). You could have an a/c shop hook up some gages to see what's going on, but first I'd check to make sure everything is clean and free of bugs, debris between the Condenser and Radiator, and that the Spoiler hasn't taken too many hits from parking lot stops or speed bumps. The fan, for a/c operation (R12 gas) should click on at close to 230 psi which is a saturation temp of 145 degrees and then run until 190 psi or 134 degrees. With subcooling, the liquid is easily 10 degrees cooler and touching a digital thermometer to the high line as it exits the Condenser will tell you what the temp is. Then, if you know what the High Side Pressure is, you can get the subcooling from a Pressure/Temp Chart. No or very low subcooling generally indicates a bad compressor, but auto a/c guys rarely if ever consider this measurement and simply rely on what their gages show.
