I must say that I have a cooling problem. I live in Minnesota where in the summer driving months we see 65-90 degree weather. My car (1985 DRM) has all of the free mods you can think of, a not so aggressive cam, 1.60, 2.02 iron GM heads, 1.52 RR, ported plenum, large tube runners, long tube headers, no cat, under drive pulley (which I removed thinking the temps would go down...) Well anyhow, I can not use the AC, if I do the temp sky rockets. Keeping in mind I do drive the card hard, I see temps upwards of 220.

Any thoughts on keeping my temp down?

Thanks Chris

Oh yah and I am running a 160 stat. Z-51 Cooling fans with a switch under the dash I turn on as soon as I start the car.


:cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:


[Modified by TheCorvetteGuy, 12:21 PM 3/6/2003]

 

Clean the front of the radiator, it will be full of trash in that little space between the condenser and the radiator. Also flush it out and replace with new coolant and DISTILLED water, you may also want to buy a bottle of Water Wetter and put that in.

Next thing you should do is either have a chip reprogrammed for your mods and have it set to make the main fan come on at 195F.

Or you can buy a fan switch and wire it to the main fan.

You may also wish to think about a new Water Pump, one of those hi-flo units.

 

If you have never pulled the radiator shroud and cleaned in there that would be the place to start.

 

I would not use a hi-flow pump. The coolant travels too fast and doesn't cool off in the radiator. A stock pump in more than up to cooling your vett

 

perfect subject here guys... my 89 vette is HOT. I can't figure this out....for the love of god. It's an 89 Auto Coupe, i've cleaned the trash in front of the radiator, flushed, filled, new water pump, 160 thermostat, and i have a fan overide switch so i kick the fan on @ 160....still runs at 220 in traffic, and 180 on the interstate. so it's only in traffic. I have the L98 motor 72K runs low 13's. mods: 3pc pulley kit, custom chip, fan switch, every free mod there is, 24# injectors, full length headers, tru dual exhaust h pipe, etc...

 

One of the things to look at is dirt/grime that has forced its way into the fins on the radiator.

When I removed mine to put the Ron Davis in, I tried looking through the radiator and I'd say the bottom 1/3 was stuffed so full of dirt and bug guts that you can't see through it. I cleaned the thing out regularly, but never actually removed the radiator before this.

Find a steam cleaner (we got one from Bed, Bath & Beyond for about $100) and use it to loosen up the crap in there, then flush it with a hose. It should make a world of difference.

 

I have the same problem. I have the stock fan swith that starts at 228, sitting in traffic, it sometimes hit 240. I have cleaned out the area between the radiator and condensor before, but not for 8 months. I live in Florida, so that make it worse. Maybe I should get a 160 fan switch and maybe consider the high flow water pump. Not sure :confused: :confused:

 

Mine does not go over 200, that I have noticed. Is it possibly because it is pure stock, no mods at all? :rolleyes:

 

Do the other stuff before worrying about the water pump.

 

Ok, i just pulled the radiator out tonight.....yes..i pulled it out at 11pm...and it's done....at 3.23am. i had it in the sink of my Apt....and i was scrubbing that bastard down. I was in shock to how much rubbish was inbetween the radiator and condensor... ALSO- While scrubbing the radiator in my kitchen sink out...i hear some crap inside it..... falls out.... little pebbles. someone wana explain that shizi to me??? lil rocks in the radiator. about a small hand full of white and redish pebbles. maybe the previoius owner put that sealant leak stopper in??? :smash: :mad Well, the outside of the radiator was pretty shotty too. had tons of poopiee on there. feathers, dirt, rubbish, pollen. So... i put her all back together, burped the system... i'll post tomorrow for follow up. ....PEBBLES????? WTF is that???? mineral deposits???

 

I own an 87 L98 no mods. I installed a toggle switch so I can turn on the fan when I know the temp will soar (I have the required 195 stat) like at stoplights in the summer. My stoplight 95 F day coolant temps used to go to 210-215 and drop to 195 when I got underway. I knew the factory water pump was inadequite because I could race the engine at a light and the temp would fall. Last Spring I did some engine work (head gasket let go) and did a lot of work since it was down and high miles anyway. The water pump showed a wet weep hole so I installed a Stewart pump (41% more flow than stock) and now at stoplights in 95 F weather, it goes to 200 and quickly back to 195 when underway (much quicker than with the stock pump).

I would like to point out here that high coolant flow through the engine provides MORE cooling and it is incorrect thinking that the coolant needs to stay in the block longer to pick up heat!!!!!! Heat is transferred at a rate (calories/hr) directly proportional to the difference temperature between the engine and the coolant. Notice that flow rate is not involved. The same goes for the radiator. When the coolant flow is not high, its temperature rises and the flow rate of heat DECREASES. HIGHER FLOW PROVIDES MORE COOLING.

The only exception would be when the coolant flow is so high that the friction of the coolant with the walls of the cooling system begins to significantly generate heat and this point occurs when the entire engine horsepower is required to pump coolant, something that just isn't going to happen.

 

I have a new radiator and new water pump and all new cooling system stuff...and no matter what kind of temperature outside....in slow traffic or stop and go traffic or anywhere going slow or stopped for a while my temp goes to 228-230 and then the fans come on and bring it down to 215 and then when I get going over 35 the temp drops to 195....and guess what....all of this is perfectly normal for my 1995...it works the way it was designed to work and it is doing exactly what it is supposed to do...and it hurts NOTHING... Vettes are "bottom feeders" and when going slow..they heat up...when moving faster they get more air flow, then they cool down...just like they are designed to do....I use to get frustrated thinking that my vette was overheating until I found out that I may not be "normal" but my vette cooling temperatures are perfectly NORMAL.....:D :lol: :lol: :lol: :cheers:


[Modified by Yello95, 2:37 AM 3/9/2003]

 

Yeah, the leaves, animal parts, plastic bags, etc., that piled up in front of the radiator behind the condenser overheated my engine so badly and so quickly that it blew both head gaskets. The only way to check it is to take off the upper shroud/radiator support. One of those little important things that the General never mentioned or any of the service manuals.

If that's OK, then replace the radiator. It's aluminum and can't be cleaned inside with system cleaners. It's only about $125 on the net. And after you replace the radiator, don't throw the old one away before you take the "low coolant" sensor out of the right tank like I did.