overheating lt1
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2023
Posts: 1,093
Likes: 35
From: San Diego
Two things I recommend looking at, without reading the whole thread. Radiator caps need to be changed periodically, as the spring and gasket to go over time. The overflow bucket near headlight in bumper has a gasket on the the cap. Change it or buy a new one.
And, I am telling you, besides a dirty radiator, fans go bad. You need to verify they are both working.
And, I am telling you, besides a dirty radiator, fans go bad. You need to verify they are both working.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2023
Posts: 33
Likes: 1
yea both fans are working, i havent thought about the caps but ive been too busy with school and work to have more than 3 hours on the car. it also has a parasitic draw and i keep leaving the battery connected :/. today im going to fill up the coolant and see if it still over heats.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2023
Posts: 1,093
Likes: 35
From: San Diego
yea both fans are working, i havent thought about the caps but ive been too busy with school and work to have more than 3 hours on the car. it also has a parasitic draw and i keep leaving the battery connected :/. today im going to fill up the coolant and see if it still over heats.
Or, you can jack front end up a little, get engine hot with cap off and rev engine to about 1500 rpms to help burp air out.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 1,696
Likes: 728
From: Stay dangerous my friends
If you've had a 260 degree incident, and now it's frequently over heating, unfortunately it's likely that the system pressure check will fail meaning head gasket... if you're lucky it's a radiator issue or a hose, heater system, etc.. I get that not everyone wants to buy a $50 test kit unless they have to, but that's the best way to tell. Other signs may be coolant in the oil system (foaming) or coolant n the combustion chamber (white smoke).
Water boils at 212 degrees at standard atmospheric pressure, and about 260 degrees at 21 PSIG so it needs to hold pressure or it boils over. The water pump head pressure is typically higher than cap rated pressure, but steam pockets form in the head and the steam does not cool the engine, starts the overheating chain of events.
4th Gear
Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2023
Posts: 33
Likes: 1
good news with bad news
Good news is that after a flush and thermostat the car stays cold. but now it shuts off while driving with no other symptoms' and it starts right up after. Im going to change the radiator cap since it looks very old and i dont want any problems with it. Still thinking of changing radiator, it is the factory one.
Last edited by c4bomb; Sep 30, 2023 at 09:24 PM. Reason: to add
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2023
Posts: 1,093
Likes: 35
From: San Diego
Good news is that after a flush and thermostat the car stays cold. but now it shuts off while driving with no other symptoms' and it starts right up after. Im going to change the radiator cap since it looks very old and i dont want any problems with it. Still thinking of changing radiator, it is the factory one.
As far as shutting down, I bet you go the Opti wet after the thermostat was removed, possibly, and this may be why it shuts down.. There are several hundred write ups on how to dry an optispark, before actually removing it. If it has too much water in it.
FYI, whenever removing an LT1/4 thermostat, put towels all around the housing to keep water from dripping down on Opti. And always do it cold.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2023
Posts: 33
Likes: 1
If your radiator had the proper type of fluid in it, why change it unless its leaking? Nothing wrong with the C4 design. Fan settings cause it to run hot , as far as when it is new. Over time, yes you can get some dirt and crap in the fins of the radiator to cause it to run a bit hotter. Thats called maintenance. Clean it every few years of driving. Not fun, but doable.
As far as shutting down, I bet you go the Opti wet after the thermostat was removed, possibly, and this may be why it shuts down.. There are several hundred write ups on how to dry an optispark, before actually removing it. If it has too much water in it.
FYI, whenever removing an LT1/4 thermostat, put towels all around the housing to keep water from dripping down on Opti. And always do it cold.
As far as shutting down, I bet you go the Opti wet after the thermostat was removed, possibly, and this may be why it shuts down.. There are several hundred write ups on how to dry an optispark, before actually removing it. If it has too much water in it.
FYI, whenever removing an LT1/4 thermostat, put towels all around the housing to keep water from dripping down on Opti. And always do it cold.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2023
Posts: 1,093
Likes: 35
From: San Diego
A thicker radiator like BeCool and Dewitt do make it technically run cooler as the more water has time in the radiator to cool. Thermostat and fan settings really a make it run cooler.
Regardless a new radiator or a cleaned old one are better than a dirty old one.
Regardless a new radiator or a cleaned old one are better than a dirty old one.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,971
Likes: 243
I’ll admit I did not read the entire thread. But wanted to mention one experience I had which was an intermittent working fan. Hard recognize!
I ran a bit warm with ac on and it wasn’t until I went to reflash the pcm with a new tune that I noticed my primary fan didn’t cycle. Gave it a tap and it worked. Tried it again and it didn’t. Just something to keep in mind. Intermittent problems suck.
I ran a bit warm with ac on and it wasn’t until I went to reflash the pcm with a new tune that I noticed my primary fan didn’t cycle. Gave it a tap and it worked. Tried it again and it didn’t. Just something to keep in mind. Intermittent problems suck.