Several weeks ago I posted about my filthy radiator causing in town temps to be high enough for the fans to come on. Here's a pic of what it looked like. Now that it's clean full temp is 210-220, no fans running and actually drops to below 190 on the highway.

The previous owner opted for a new water pump and thermostat to fix the problem to the tune of $750 at the Toyota dealer in town. Formally a GM dealer with little Corvette experience.

 

Amazing how many on here believe that putting a super duper water pump in will solve the problem

 

That's dirty! Glad you got it fixed!

 

Based on your picture I got to agree with you. The have no Corvette or car experience, they took the $750, and didn't fix anything.

 

When I bought my '90 I could not do more than a lap and a half on track before it got too hot to continue. I took the radiator out and it looked much like yours. Big improvement afterwards.

 

And 160° Stats

 

I bought a little brass wand that has different fittings on the end, one of which sprays water 90 degrees from the wand. I can fit it into the shroud and clean the radiator. On my 94 I cleaned the radiator and switched to Engine Ice coolant and never saw the high side of 230 ever again. I run about 185 to 195 on highway with A/C on in 95 degree heat with a 190 thermostat.

 

Exactly what I used. Funny the condensor was clean with no debris, all on the radiator.

 

I thought the same thing; until I back lighted and couldn't see through it..what happens is the small stuff plugs up the Condensor, and the large trash ends up in front of the Radiator, your Condensor has stuff in it look closer.

 

I washed it out too but nothing. I think maybe it was cleaned before but nobody thought to remove the shroud and clean the radiator.

 

Where did you purchase the brass wand?

 

Hi the link below should help do it before it gets blocked up again

Only takes a few months to fill up with leaves then they sort of compost.

I ended up sliding a fine mesh screen down between the front frame that has that sort of x shape and plastic air shroud (under air cleaner) That has saved me cleaning the leaves and debris before summer every year, it stays very clean there now

Sorry for the dim pics taken by mobile in the garage at night with a torch but you get the idea on a simple fix.





There are some different style ones for sale on ebay if you are interested.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/91-96-CORVET...kparms=aid%3D1

 

Yup thats the key pull that sucker out or drop the fans at least and make friends with that high pressure water hose/air

Friend that owns my old 90 brought his in to a Corvette specialist, car was pegging the temp gauge.

Shop "specialist" flushed the system thats it.

And away he went much poorer and a C4 that still pegged the gauge on H. Like really really pegged til it started trying to die on him

Hope he didnt cook the motor

 

Hi All,

just replaced the radiator on the 94 LT1 with 101K (Delphi RA1138 via ebay $115 plus $15 shipping), and whereas it didn't look dirty or anything like the other pictures in this post (I kept it clean with a shop vacume hose into access hole on passenger side and a tooth-brush taped to a paint stirrer stick), replacing the radiator did result in 10+ degree drop in overall temperatures with a drastic drop in time to recover from a traffic light (now from 210ish to 197 within 1 mile)...

However, even with my years of prudence, the radiator was actually quite clogged with dirt/debris within the fins, especially in front of the areas of the fans, which a regular hose nozzle wih very strong pin-point spray could not budge. Without replacing the radiator, I do not believe I could have cleaned it sufficiently to gain the same benefit as the new radiator provided.

Whereas it would have been faster to also replace the condenser, I choose to spend time cleaning it and made an interesting tool to be successful.

I took a electric leaf-blower, cut off the top of a 1-gallon jug and taped it to the end of the leaf-blower tube, with the top facing sideways (90 degree to the tube) and attached it with good ol' duct tape, to both provide a 90 degree output and a reducer to about 3/4" (typical jug cap size).

I was then able to easily position it behind (and in front) of all parts of the condenser (with upper shroud and radiator removed) and with a sweeping motion, clean out the condenser -- and was amazed at the stuff coming out -- it looked like I was sand-blasting -- all without bending any of the fins (which would be my concern with a power washer).

Whereas I expect it will make a significant improvement in the condender, the temperatures suddenly dropped off here (NJ), so waiting for them to come back up a bit before using gauges to check pressures to quantify improvements.