Overheating 2003
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
Overheating 2003
Saturday I went to pickup my first Corvette 03 Blue Coupe. I was driving on a tollway for about 20 miles and the outside temperature was about 55-60 F. I look down and a message said check gauges, sure enough the coolant temperature gauge was buried, the DIC said 253F. I pulled over, the coolant tank was full.
I started to look around a bit noticed the fans weren't running. I decide to see if I could find a gas station drove about 1-1.5 miles, opened the hood and the coolant resorvoir was empty. Couldn't see any coolant running out.
Check fuses for the fans, ok. Let it set for a while then drove it to a Chevrolet dealer about 2 miles away. He checks it today and says there are no codes, the fans come on when they are supposed to, etc.
Even drove it 10 miles and no problems, but temps are in the 20-30 F range today.
Anybody, had this happen to them? I'm thinking for some reason it was air locked and the temp sensor that turns the fans on didn't sense anything, then when it cooled off a little bit it sucked the coolant into the engine. Or maybe the thermostat was stuck.
Terrible way to start my C5 experience. Any comments would be appreciated.
I started to look around a bit noticed the fans weren't running. I decide to see if I could find a gas station drove about 1-1.5 miles, opened the hood and the coolant resorvoir was empty. Couldn't see any coolant running out.
Check fuses for the fans, ok. Let it set for a while then drove it to a Chevrolet dealer about 2 miles away. He checks it today and says there are no codes, the fans come on when they are supposed to, etc.
Even drove it 10 miles and no problems, but temps are in the 20-30 F range today.
Anybody, had this happen to them? I'm thinking for some reason it was air locked and the temp sensor that turns the fans on didn't sense anything, then when it cooled off a little bit it sucked the coolant into the engine. Or maybe the thermostat was stuck.
Terrible way to start my C5 experience. Any comments would be appreciated.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
The C5 radiator air inlet is one LARGE trash vacuum. It sucks up all sorts of things (news papers, leaves, dead birds, ect ect. Look in the front of the radiator and see if there is trash in the front of the radiator.
That will cause it to overheat! It could also be the thermostat.
BC
That will cause it to overheat! It could also be the thermostat.
BC
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,269
Likes: 50
From: Dallas Texas
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'09-'10
I think the clue was that, when you looked at the Service station, the resorvoir was empty. The car may have just been serviced and the Antifreeze changed, since you say you just picked it up. C5's are notorious for getting air trapped in the cooling system. This is probably what happen to you IMHO. You, no doubt, put water in and filled it up at the Service station and everything was then fine. 
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
Overheating 2003
Thanks to all that commented! You are making me feel more comfortable with what the dealer is telling me.
Now my problem is that it is 260 miles away!!!
I have only been on this forum for a short while and it's the best I have seen, Looking forward to joining in with more input, as I enjoy my first Corvette. I was a Mopar man for 35 years!
Now my problem is that it is 260 miles away!!!
I have only been on this forum for a short while and it's the best I have seen, Looking forward to joining in with more input, as I enjoy my first Corvette. I was a Mopar man for 35 years!
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 43,084
Likes: 33
From: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
get down on the ground and look up into your radiator. Chances are there may be a plastic bag or lot of grass and other crud up there causeing the over heating.
Radiators need to be cleaned quite frequently. I use a high pressure air hose to blow all the grass out. This pic is from all the grass and crud out. The floor was clean before I did this.
Good luck.
up there causeing the over heating. Radiators need to be cleaned quite frequently. I use a high pressure air hose to blow all the grass out. This pic is from all the grass and crud out. The floor was clean before I did this.
Good luck.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,082
Likes: 710
From: Sunnyvale CA
Originally Posted by sxe60
I think the clue was that, when you looked at the Service station, the resorvoir was empty. The car may have just been serviced and the Antifreeze changed, since you say you just picked it up. C5's are notorious for getting air trapped in the cooling system. This is probably what happen to you IMHO. You, no doubt, put water in and filled it up at the Service station and everything was then fine.
Sounds like there was an air bubble in your cooling system. With a cold engine open up the radiator cap and fill it up. Then fill up the overflow.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 19,802
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio Texas
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'08
Radiator
On Corvettes, the only success you will have is to check the radiator frequently...........this thins are like sharks, they suck everything in front of them.....regardless of the size.
