How hot is too hot?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 232
Likes: 0
From: Hayward, Ca
How hot is too hot?
Yesterday I had a heater hose blow. I refilled at the overflow container but when I looked at my guages the temp was still climbing. Hit 250 and I shut it down. I waited all night for it to cool down and I will add coolant thru the cap today. I need to open the air bleeds at the TB and the stat right? Was 250 hot enought to do any damage? :mad
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 5,972
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From: San Francisco CA
Re: How hot is too hot? (cgtarga1)
Your thermostat may be stuck closed from the hose failure. Try tapping it with a rubber mallet, then warming the engine up to about 190 and feeling the top hose to see when the coolant starts flowing. 
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 22,267
Likes: 3
From: Dallas TX
Re: How hot is too hot? (A96LT4)
Over heat on most GM vechicles is 260 degrees (coolant). I would have done exactly as you and shut her off at 250. I've seen mine hit 240 in bad traffic in 100+ weather, and I turned on the heat with the A/C on (to get all the fans going) and it dropped pretty quickly down to 200. If this happens again, I suggest doing that to help bring it down.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2001
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From: TurtleCreek Twp Ohio
Cruise-In III Veteran
Re: How hot is too hot? (Breezy)
you were pretty damn close to having very bad things happen but you should be ok. if it was only at 250. hope it turns out OK for ya' :seeya
Safety Car
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From: TurtleCreek Twp Ohio
Cruise-In III Veteran
Re: How hot is too hot? (Jays84Z51)
seen 270 myself twice ...no problems :reddevil
Former Vendor
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 5,593
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From: Brighton
Re: How hot is too hot? (Breezy)
While GM designed the C4's to run at 200+ I don't think it's a good idea. The horsepower in these cars is higher than cars built in the 60 and 70 yet they are trying to cool them down with 1/2 the radiator. I don't owe a C4 but the day I buy one is the day I'd change the stock single row rad to a double row Griffin. You can limit the temp to 200 with the right rad and fan switches. See the thread on "double cooling..." www.dewitts.com/pages/griffin.asp
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,237
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From: Southern Maryland
Re: How hot is too hot? (Breezy)
The air bleeds are a MUST! After replacing the water pump it took quite a while to get all the air out of the system. Don't sweat 250*. Unless you have a fan controller it has probably come awfully close to that in traffic many times anyway.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 232
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From: Hayward, Ca
Re: How hot is too hot? (Breezy)
Thanks for all the replies!
Situation was touch and go but its resolved now.
Couldn't find the proper heater hose. It is a different size on each end.
The dealers don't have them in stock.
Used a connector and it worked out fine.
Got something wet when the hose blew. It started running real rough. I thought for sure it was the opti. Probably just the ignition (or ?) After running it for a while it seems to have dried out. Now its 2 days since it blew and it is still running fine so I guess I dodged a bullet on that one.
Thanks again and God bless America!
:chevy
Situation was touch and go but its resolved now.
Couldn't find the proper heater hose. It is a different size on each end.
The dealers don't have them in stock.
Used a connector and it worked out fine.
Got something wet when the hose blew. It started running real rough. I thought for sure it was the opti. Probably just the ignition (or ?) After running it for a while it seems to have dried out. Now its 2 days since it blew and it is still running fine so I guess I dodged a bullet on that one.
Thanks again and God bless America!
:chevy
Racer
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 369
Likes: 0
Re: How hot is too hot? (Breezy)
I'll attest that yes Temprature does kill!!!
heh my car's temps killed my heads, friggin pos ;P
Now I'm spending time on an engine swap & probably going to score one of them griffin while I'm at it, after I see the new temps with the new engine.
heh my car's temps killed my heads, friggin pos ;P
Now I'm spending time on an engine swap & probably going to score one of them griffin while I'm at it, after I see the new temps with the new engine.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 4,910
Likes: 698
From: grand rapids, lowell mi. area
Re: How hot is too hot? (Breezy)
Hey Breezy
You might want to take the cover off that is over both your radiaters and check to see how much @$%^&&$&%^ is between them,I had 36,000 miles on my 84 ,and I wanted to take alook at mine ,and I was suprised at all the crap was there.About one third of the radiater was pluged with it looked like mud,paper ,bird feathers,bugs,thigs, and everything else!!!!!
yo Bill
You might want to take the cover off that is over both your radiaters and check to see how much @$%^&&$&%^ is between them,I had 36,000 miles on my 84 ,and I wanted to take alook at mine ,and I was suprised at all the crap was there.About one third of the radiater was pluged with it looked like mud,paper ,bird feathers,bugs,thigs, and everything else!!!!!
yo Bill