Overheating
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 166
Likes: 58
From: Louisville KY
Overheating
I have a 2007 C6 Z51 package. I had it in the dealer recently to replace the fuel sensor in the right tank. I also asked them to flush and replace the coolant. The next day the check engine light came on (solid not blinking). Day 2, the coolant temp. ran up to 245 degrees in heavy traffic. I almost pulled over, but after getting onto the expressway and setting cruise at 75MPH it went down to 205 degrees which is more normal for the outside summer heat of almost 90 today. It has 97,000 miles and this is the first coolant flush. Thermostat? Water pump? Maybe wrong coolant? Any ideas before I run it back to the dealer?
(And any chance they program these things to have problems right before the C7? I'm ready to order......
)
(And any chance they program these things to have problems right before the C7? I'm ready to order......
)
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,220
Likes: 16
From: Sugarhill Ga
do not drive an overheating engine. it's aluminum, stuff will warp or crack. open the hood let it cool. then check your coolant, see if it has any. check the fan and make sure it is plugged in and it works. if you are lucky it's just an air pocket not something they forgot like filling the system. yes a tstat can still stick especially if it full of steam.
Track Junky
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 4,074
Likes: 36
From: Orlando Area
Tech Contributor
The coolant system may need to be burped. The easiest way it to remove the rubber hose from the crossover pipe and plug the rubber hose with your thumb. Put a catch/tupperware under the aluminum crossover tube. Finally, take the reservoir spillover ribbed hose and blow into it. This will slightly pressurize the coolant system and burp and bubbles out of the head (typically where they collect).
If the spillover tube isn't air tight, you may need to replace it with the appropriate size rubber hose (1/2" I think) and try again. You will have to blow for several seconds until all a solid stream of coolant comes from the crossover pipe. You will likely end up with 1/2 to 1 cup of coolant in the catch.
Button everything back up and idle for a few min to see if that helps. Pretty common problem when coolant is drained from the block (if that's what they did) and not just the radiator.
Hope that helps.
Sean
If the spillover tube isn't air tight, you may need to replace it with the appropriate size rubber hose (1/2" I think) and try again. You will have to blow for several seconds until all a solid stream of coolant comes from the crossover pipe. You will likely end up with 1/2 to 1 cup of coolant in the catch.
Button everything back up and idle for a few min to see if that helps. Pretty common problem when coolant is drained from the block (if that's what they did) and not just the radiator.
Hope that helps.
Sean
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,220
Likes: 16
From: Sugarhill Ga
another way that works for me, is cut the bottom out of a 2 litter bottle, put the neck into the coolant bottle and fill it 1/2 way with coolant then start the engine. turn the heater on FULL BLAST and after a few minutes the air if in there will BURP out and the coolant in the bottle will drop.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,491
Likes: 806
From: West coast CA
I find these cars burp themselves in one warm-up. You can probably just top off the coolant and be done with it, assuming that low coolant was the problem in the first place. It's almost certainly a problem _now_, since it ran hot and no doubt overflowed a little.
In any event you don't need to mess with the heater because there is no heater valve.
In any event you don't need to mess with the heater because there is no heater valve.
