I have two questions regarding my 84:

Question number one:

There is a coolant overflow reservoir, passenger side right behind the passanger headlight. It has what looks to be dirty water in it, and has no cap. However, the radiator itself has fresh looking antifreeze. Is this overflow reservoir necessary? Should I siphon the junk out and buy a cap? The car currently runs great as-is, and does not over heat in the slightest (then again the warmest day we have had since ive gotten it was 60 degrees).


Question number two:

My coolant/radiator fan does not turn on to my knowledge (it has yet to turn on since I got the car). My vette has gotten up to 235 degrees (as measured by the stock guage) and it didnt turn on, but it has never gotten past that temp yet. When the manual climate control slider is in any position BESIDES vent and feet, a clicking on and off sound happens every 5 seconds when the car is idling, and seems to be coming near the passenger side of the head near the spark plugs (to me near where the fan controller is (well i believe where it is). Now it doesnt make the clicking sound when it is driving ever. Nor does it make it while idling in vent or floor mode, but any other mode (AC modes and defrost) causes the clicking sound to occur. My theory is that those climate modes trigger the fan to come on, but since something is preventing the fan from turning on, it makes a clicking noise instead. Now I may be wrong. For all I know, the two problems are unrelated. Anybody know??

 

Gauge may be reading high.
Fan switch in the pass side head that operates the fan may be faulty
Remove the connector to the switch and ground the wire .Fan should run
If it does , the switch is bad
If it doesn't the fan relay / wiring may be bad
Also need to apply power direct to the fan motor to confirm it actually works

 

With the A/C on the fan should run, unless there is a problem with the A/C thereby the relay clicking on and off..
I agree with the rest..

 

Are you sure the click is not the A/C compressor cycling?

The coolant overflow tank doesn't exchange that much fluid with the cooling cooling system, so the fluid in the tank gets to looking pretty nasty. You can make it look like a new one by removing it from the car (two or three bolts) put some water and aquarium gravel in it and shake in all directions until all the rust and scum stains are gone. Refill it to the cold mark. You'll be surprised how long it stays clean. And yes, get a cap. They are cheap at any of the automotive chain stores.

 

^^The clicking is the AC compressor trying to kick on...if it is low, the compressor kicks on, suck down whatever is in the closed loop "Low side" and triggers the lowe pressure switch killing the compressor.

Get it topped off at any AC shop.

 

I do now believe it is the AC compressor.!

Good news, update:
I got the radiator fan to start working properly. The culprit was low ATF. I topped it off with Dexron-II and while I was doing that, bam, it clicks on and has been working properly since. The transmission was about a quart short.

The AC blows cold, and now the clicking sound changed to an almost certain AC compressor cycling sound. It is only apparent while idling, and only happens when the manual climate control switch is on any position besides "OFF - Vent - OR Floor" Any settings in between, and the AC compressor makes a cycling noise.


I still have yet to siphon the dirty overflow coolant and get a cap. But that's easy lol.

 

good advice

if shouldn't go bone dry

You make have a leak, or the engine is eating coolant

Keep an eye on the level

 

Why would low ATF keep the cooling fan from coming on?

 

A happy coincidence maybe, given no connection between the two systems?

 

I think he means while the car was getting to proper operating temp so he could check the trans fluid , he saw the fan kick on. maybe???

 

There is a connection, based on the fact that ATF runs through part of the cooling system, correct? It may have been coincidence, however the fan literally started working properly as I was funneling in more ATF with the engine on.

The ATF dipstick had fluid on the very bottom of the stick. Enough fluid to not be dry, but low enough that it needed almost another quart to be near the full mark while hot.

It shifted smoothly before, and I notice no difference now that I added more fluid. An ATF drain and filter change would probably be a good thing to do, who's with me on that??

I noticed that they sell a "Wiring/Maintenance guide" for the 1984 vette @ http://www.crossfireinjection.net/catalog.htm

" Item Name: 84 Corvette Wiring/Maint Manual
Item Price: $0.00 *S/H Only*
Item SKU: DCS00014

Shipping USPS Flat Rate: $12.50

IN STOCK


Product Description This is a compilation of the C4 Parts Breakdown, Electrical Diagrams and Maintenance manual for 1984 Corvettes. Please note we ask that you just pay shipping and handling for this information. NOTE: 84 Corvette Only."



Does anyone have any info on this product? Is this the entire maintenance manual for the vette? Is it worth buying? Is it basically a FSM? I'm also planning on buying the Helm 1984 FSM here: http://www.helminc.com/helm/result.asp?Style=helm

Is that a good price?

Also is the Cheltons manual for these cars that bad? I basically just need a reference to help me with routine maintenance, such as draining the ATF from the pan and replacing the filter.

Thanks for the help.

 

I'm trying to figure out what you mean. What shouldn't go bone dry, sir?

 

My guess is that the mail order manual is "free" because thay are avoiding copyright infringement issues by giving the manual away and charging wildly inflated shipping and handling. That, and/or it isn't worth the paper it is printed on and there is no "purchase price" to argue for a refund.

Chilton's manuals can be marginally useful if you have no other reference material. They periodically update the manuals to incorporate information on later models and sometimes they miss stuff. I sure wouldn't take anything in their manuals as gospel, especially if the hardware in front of you is different from what they are describing. This is especially true with regard to any wiring diagrams they include. GM, for what ever reason will change wire colors for a given circuit from one year to the next and Chilton (and Haynes) don't always catch the change.

The Helm FSM is your best investment. I'd check e-Bay too. manuals for that vintage show up pretty cheap these days, whereas manuals for 91 through 96 can be pretty close to the Helm price. In that case Helm is the better deal. Helm was the source for the original manuals and you will be getting new old stock book or a reprint of the original.

 

Although the OP doesn't reveal his geographic location, he did say that the warmest it has been since he got the car was 60°F. At that temp and below a properly charged system will "short cycle" due to low heat load.

 

When the engine is running the coolant will expand, even more so when you turn it off. it needs a place to go, hence the overflow

Our overflow is lower than the cap.

If the tank has no fluid in it when then expanded coolant is sucked back into the engine it could pull back in some air.

You always need a little coolant in that tank so the end of the line is kept under fluid.

 

Good to know......thanks

 

Are there any chain auto parts stores that carry this radiator overflow cap? Advance doesn't. They said the Junk yard lol.

 

Ecklers show it ..

http://www.ecklerscorvette.com/cooli...-hardware.html