I have an 84 coupe. Whenever I am in traffic or out on the highway for an extened period of time the coolant temp gets up to 210 degrees all the way up to 240. This is causing the clutch to glaze over and it takes for ever for the gears to grab. :banghead: :banghead:

I'm using the Red Line oil's Water Wetter in the radiator. I was told about installing a fan switch on the inside of the car so whenever I am going to be in traffic or in a parade I can turn it on and help cool the engine down.

I also saw on Trucks! on TNN this aluminum fin that goes around the oil filter that'll act like a heat sink to pull heat out of the oil.

I would really appreciate any suggestions you guys can give

:flag :seeya


[Modified by Darktrooper, 2:54 AM 7/21/2003]

 

The ECM (electronic control module) turns on your main fan at 228 F and the auxiliary fan (if you have one) comes on at 238 F. Air must pass through the radiator to cool the engine coolant. In summer temperatures and/or under 35 mph, the C4 cooling system cannot transfer enough heat to maintain the engine thermostat opening temperature and the engine temperature rises. A differently programmed memory chip in your ECM can turn on your fan at a lower coolant temperature and reduce the temperature your engine settles to. You can also install a manual switch to turn on the fan when you anticipate conditions that will make your coolant soar. Your temperatures sound a bit high and you should check and clean the debris that C4's suck up off the road and collect between the a/c condenser and the radiator. The top shroud needs to be removed to gain access to the front of the radiator. An easy check to see if the radiator needs cleaning is to take a garden hose and blast water backwards throught the radiator and then blast water around the radiator cap gap to flush the loosened debris out. Drive the car and see if the engine temp is lower. If so, clean the radiator by removing the shroud.

 

You can order from ecklers, a temp sending unit that will turn your fans on as low as 185 degrees. They also sell a connecting harness to turn on both fans at once. Not staggered as the factory has it. I did this on an 85 I had . Never overheated agian. Good luck :seeya


[Modified by fnseeker, 7:35 PM 7/20/2003]

 

I only have ONE large fan (can you believe it?). I will try the spraying the radiator with the hose and see if that helps. Thanks!!!!!

 

Is this a new problem or ongoing? As jfb said, make certain the radiator and condensor are clean, especially the space between the radiator and the a/c condensor coil. The fan "on" switch is located in the passenger side head between plugs 6 and 8 (one wire connector). The stock switch won't turn the fan on until 224 to 228 degrees, so changing to a lower temp switch will help at low speed. You state it also runs hot at highway speeds, the fan is not an issue over 35 mph. Check the coolant and make sure you have a 50/50 mix of water to anti freeze, too much anti freeze will not cool as well as straight water and straight anti freeze is a sure bet to cause overheating. Your symptom can also be due to a stuck thermostat. If you change the thermostat, a 180 or 190 is a good replacement for the '84. If all else fails, check the basics, radiator hoses should not be spongy or swollen, the bottom hose should have a spring in it to keep it from collapsing at higher rpms, flush the radiator and finally make sure you don't have air trapped in the system. I don't think I have seen an '84 with anything but a single fan. Good luck.

 

My dad had the same problem with his 88 auto. Tried lower temp t'stat...was advised by trans shop to replace with original. Didn't help any way. About two weeks ago he cleaned out all the junk between the a/c condenser and the radiator and voila! That did the trick for him...now it runs as cool as my C5.
Good luck. :seeya

 

I don't think your two problems are related. a 240 degree engine should not cause your clutch to slip. good luck