Hot '84 Coupe
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 167
Likes: 0
From: Thousand Oaks CA
Hot '84 Coupe
I have an '84 with 115,000+/- (instruments were out for a while so I don't know the actual). It has been running around 208 degrees with the fan coming on at about 228. I just had the AC fixed and have noticed that during hot weather with the AC on the temp runs a consistant 222 and climing to 234 in heavy traffic. There is water in the recovery tank. 
Should I be concerned?
Should I be concerned?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,135
Likes: 0
From: Sebastian Florida
St. Jude Donor '06
You car will always run hotter with the A/C on, but should cool back down at continous speeds over 45 mph. If the temps stay up then, then you have a problem, when was the last time you flushed the system?
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 17,551
Likes: 26
From: El Paso Texas
Originally Posted by rick lambert
No, you're in the range, but you might want to take a look between the radiator and condensor, these thing suck up anything in their path.
And the only way to correct this is to pull the radiator out and clean it by hand. On the 84, you can have your radiator out in less than 15 minutes.
C4 corvettes are bottom feeders....that is, they draw cooling air (and anything else they can suck up) into the radiator from the ground.
If it's never been done on your car, you will be amazed at what you find. I found gum wrappers, leaves, cig butts, a piece of a wal mart bag, and a nice big long deceased bumble bee.
Clean it with some good degreaser, straighten any bent fins, and your car will run considerably cooler. Your temp range is pretty normal, but my car ran much cooler after cleaning the radiator. I live in a very hot area, and I get about 185-190 at freeway speeds in 105 degree ambient temps. In traffic with the A/C blowing, about 200-210. At idle, it does the usual cycling thing with the A/C off, and runs about 225 with it on. Cools right back off after I get moving again.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 26,598
Likes: 0
From: Hampton, VA Yea, i'm a redneck... but you love it
Cruise-In 8-9 Veteran
aka/Trunk Monkey/Banned For Life/Corvette For Life
Originally Posted by Frizlefrak
And the only way to correct this is to pull the radiator out and clean it by hand. On the 84, you can have your radiator out in less than 15 minutes.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 17,551
Likes: 26
From: El Paso Texas
Originally Posted by Corvette for life
i want to do mine but i cant figure out where the dirt is. everyone says that they collect dirt and debris but i can't see where at from under or above the car. is the dirt in the front or rear of the radiator?
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 26,598
Likes: 0
From: Hampton, VA Yea, i'm a redneck... but you love it
Cruise-In 8-9 Veteran
aka/Trunk Monkey/Banned For Life/Corvette For Life
Originally Posted by Frizlefrak
The front. You really can't see it very well until the radiator is removed. Then you'll wonder how it cooled as well as it did.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 17,298
Likes: 33
From: The Top of Utah
Originally Posted by Corvette for life
i want to do mine but i cant figure out where the dirt is. everyone says that they collect dirt and debris but i can't see where at from under or above the car. is the dirt in the front or rear of the radiator?
RACE ON!!!
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 167
Likes: 0
From: Thousand Oaks CA
Hot '84
Thanks guys. I feel better about the temp. I did change over to the newer coolant when I changed the compressor. I will be pulling the radiator within the next week or so. I'll let you know what I find.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 17,298
Likes: 33
From: The Top of Utah
If you swapped over to Dex Cool, I hope you did a super thorough flush before you installed "orange" where only "green" had been before. If not you will start to see troubling temps.
RACE ON!!!
RACE ON!!!
Racer
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 378
Likes: 0
From: Whitby Ontario
Originally Posted by valkryder
I have an '84 with 115,000+/- (instruments were out for a while so I don't know the actual). It has been running around 208 degrees with the fan coming on at about 228. I just had the AC fixed and have noticed that during hot weather with the AC on the temp runs a consistant 222 and climing to 234 in heavy traffic. There is water in the recovery tank. Should I be concerned?
Should I be concerned?It just needed it anyway. Well worth the effort when you see how bad it gets in there.
Last edited by Red C4; Jul 22, 2006 at 03:35 PM.
