LT1 Coolant capacity?
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Pro
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 715
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From: Ontario California
LT1 Coolant capacity?
Last weekend, while getting on the freeway, I blew one of the top radiator hoses on my 94 coupe. A large slit in the bottom of the hose, coming off the water pump, managed to blow coolant all over my engine compartment. I got to the next ramp, pulled off in a shopping mall parking lot. I bought some duct tape and a judge of water, and patch the break enough to get me home.
Yesterday, I completely drained the system, and bought coolant (the green stuff) and two bottles of distilled water. Now....my owners manual says the capacity of the cooling system is 17.8 qts. However in the Cor-Vette Specs 1984-1996 book by Mike Antonick say the capacity is 9.61 qts with the manual transmission.
Well...I added the coolant and water in a 50/50 mix, and even after bleeding the system and running the engine up to temperture, the system still only took a little over 8 qts of fluid... Is the owners manual wrong?
Yesterday, I completely drained the system, and bought coolant (the green stuff) and two bottles of distilled water. Now....my owners manual says the capacity of the cooling system is 17.8 qts. However in the Cor-Vette Specs 1984-1996 book by Mike Antonick say the capacity is 9.61 qts with the manual transmission.
Well...I added the coolant and water in a 50/50 mix, and even after bleeding the system and running the engine up to temperture, the system still only took a little over 8 qts of fluid... Is the owners manual wrong?
Large Impressive Member
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die
St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'07
The capacity is 3.8 gallons. But if you didn't remove the knock sensors from the block (where the block drains are on older SBCs) you didn't get it anywhere near empty. Also, you need to bleed it upon refilling to get the air out and to get it full.
8th Gear
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 8
Likes: 2
Last weekend, while getting on the freeway, I blew one of the top radiator hoses on my 94 coupe. A large slit in the bottom of the hose, coming off the water pump, managed to blow coolant all over my engine compartment. I got to the next ramp, pulled off in a shopping mall parking lot. I bought some duct tape and a judge of water, and patch the break enough to get me home.
Yesterday, I completely drained the system, and bought coolant (the green stuff) and two bottles of distilled water. Now....my owners manual says the capacity of the cooling system is 17.8 qts. However in the Cor-Vette Specs 1984-1996 book by Mike Antonick say the capacity is 9.61 qts with the manual transmission.
Well...I added the coolant and water in a 50/50 mix, and even after bleeding the system and running the engine up to temperture, the system still only took a little over 8 qts of fluid... Is the owners manual wrong?
Yesterday, I completely drained the system, and bought coolant (the green stuff) and two bottles of distilled water. Now....my owners manual says the capacity of the cooling system is 17.8 qts. However in the Cor-Vette Specs 1984-1996 book by Mike Antonick say the capacity is 9.61 qts with the manual transmission.
Well...I added the coolant and water in a 50/50 mix, and even after bleeding the system and running the engine up to temperture, the system still only took a little over 8 qts of fluid... Is the owners manual wrong?
In the 1996 service manual they talk about using these cooling systems seal tabs. I have not seen anybody mention it here or on YouTube when working on the cooling system for the car! Also the 1996 owner's manual quotes the LT1& LT4 motors, 14.5 quarts of antifreeze!
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 25
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From: New Jersey
Advanced
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 73
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I used Bars Head gasket sealer a few weeks ago because of a minor coolant drop on the left head. I had bad experiences usings the old "pills" on leaking radiaotors clogging the engine. But this new development works actually great ! No more visible drops. No use of coolant and everything runs perfect.
