Why the %@$# is my car still at 220!
#1
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Why the %@$# is my car still at 220!
So I have a new replacement radiator, new Jegs dual fans that are constantly on, 160 Thermostat, water wetter added(Ive tried both with water and 50/50). Yes I have an air dam as well. My car while driving will climb slightly and stay around 220 and will even go a bit higher after 30 minutes of driving. The weird thing is it will slowly cool down when its not moving. Ive messed with the timing and still no luck. It's hot here in Texas I know but I had pretty much the same setup with my other 3rd Gen in Arizona and it stayed at 180. I'm totally stumped. The only difference was the other 3rd Gen didn't have the TA ground fx. Do you think there could be a lack of airflow from the front? Should I swap to the regular Firebird rear and front bumper covers and lose the TA look?
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Car: 86 Trans Am, 92 Firebird
Engine: 408 sbc, 3.1L of raw power
Transmission: TKO600, T5
Axle/Gears: Moser 9", 3:70 trutac, 3:23 torsion
Re: Why the %@$# is my car still at 220!
what gauge? stock? i've never had a stock gauge read anything other than 220-230 degrees under normal conditions.
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Car: 1992 RS
Engine: Carbed 350
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.42 posi
Re: Why the %@$# is my car still at 220!
I'd blame the guage if it's stock - it's rare anymore that a stock guage is accurate as old as they are.
#7
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Car: 1989 Iroc-Z Camaro
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Re: Why the %@$# is my car still at 220!
They make a radiator cap that has a thermostat built into it at Advanced Auto. Might try that to make sure your gage is on the money. Heres the link = http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...AMS_1459711279___
Last edited by Ron U.S.M.C.; 08-23-2010 at 06:45 PM. Reason: add info.
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#8
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Car: 87 formula
Engine: 350
Transmission: 700
Axle/Gears: 12 bolt strange 3.73
Re: Why the %@$# is my car still at 220!
i think that the only thing else to try is the gauge.
#9
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Re: Why the %@$# is my car still at 220!
Here's a couple odd Qs for 89FRMLA350---
Are the fans pushing instead of pulling??
Are they the kind that have low, med, hi speed settings & they are not going into med or hi??
IDK how to tell if they are multi-speed. A friend wired his fan, & when it came on, it was pushing instead of pulling, so a simple wire switch around fixed it.
Are the fans pushing instead of pulling??
Are they the kind that have low, med, hi speed settings & they are not going into med or hi??
IDK how to tell if they are multi-speed. A friend wired his fan, & when it came on, it was pushing instead of pulling, so a simple wire switch around fixed it.
#10
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Re: Why the %@$# is my car still at 220!
What are your fuel trims like? Is the engine running lean? Lean AFR will cause high combustion temps and thus high coolant temp. Youll generally see a tendency for "pinging" in a this case but not always. As others have said, be sure to check your actual coolant temp. Never trust the in dash gauge without testing it against CTS data and a thermometer.
#11
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Car: 92 Camaro RS
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Re: Why the %@$# is my car still at 220!
Are your engine and/or heads original to the car, or have you ended up somehow putting in a temp sender from another year than your gauge. Possibly calibrated differently?
#12
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Car: A lot and 86' Z28 and 88' Camaro
Engine: 305, 383 and 565
Transmission: 700R4, th400 and 4L80
Axle/Gears: Frd 8.8 /3.27 and S60
Re: Why the %@$# is my car still at 220!
Check the bottom radiator hose to see if it has the anti-colaspsing spring in it. If it don't then that's the problem. As you are driving the water pump may be sucking that hose shut. It won't happen while at idle or very low rpms cause the pump will be turning slower. If the spring isn't in the hose you can test it buy watching the hose while a buddy rev the engine, it should colaps. Just had a custermers TA do that very same thing, overheating while driving but fine at idle.
#13
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Car: 1986 Camaro Z28
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Re: Why the %@$# is my car still at 220!
Obvious, but worth the 5 seconds to check:
Is the radiator full of fluid?
Is the radiator full of fluid?
#14
Re: Why the %@$# is my car still at 220!
Make sure ur head gasket isnt broken or anything by when you start your car slowly open your radiator cap till it burps then check for bubbles in your radiator and let it run for a little with the cap off because if theres air in your cooling system the stem is going to rise and throw of your gauge. And btw when you do get ur problem fixed switch your t-stat to 180 or 190...at 160 your just gonna get sludge and wear
Last edited by rdsxfn524; 09-30-2010 at 02:27 PM.
#15
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Re: Why the %@$# is my car still at 220!
So here is what it was.... A few months back I swapped all the interior and tail light wiring to an 87 GTA harness because I wanted to use my 140 Cluster. Well there must be something different in that 87 harness and the original 85 engine harness. My stock gauge was off my 40 degrees. So I installed a mechanical temp gauge and it stays between 170 and 180 with a 180 thermostat. Thanks for the reply's everyone
#16
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Re: Why the %@$# is my car still at 220!
there is a difference between '85 and '87 clusters,
they were made by different suppliers;'85 back by AC
delco,most '86 up by nippondenso-apparently the
senders are different between the two...
they were made by different suppliers;'85 back by AC
delco,most '86 up by nippondenso-apparently the
senders are different between the two...
#17
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Re: Why the %@$# is my car still at 220!
Yes I know there is a difference. Originally I had all the stock 85 interior wiring and 85 gauge cluster. I swapped it all for the 87 wiring and 87 gauge cluster. So that left the only difference being between the engine and interior wiring.
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Car: 85 Z28
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Axle/Gears: 3.23
Re: Why the %@$# is my car still at 220!
While you guys are talking about cooling, I tried to run mine with cap off to make sure it is sucking into hose like it is supposed to do but it just spews and bubbles out. Any ideas why
#20
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Car: 85 Z28
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Re: Why the %@$# is my car still at 220!
As soon as I start it. In fact as I am cranking it over. It is like it is just full of pressure or something
#23
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Re: Why the %@$# is my car still at 220!
As far as my oil goes. It isn't milky. It doenst really overheat I don't think. I have not driven it a lot though. I just got it. I has been changed to a crbed motor so a lot of crap in it right now. I don't know if correct water pump. I will check thermostat. Top hose get presurrized but take a long time to lose it. It heats to about 230 and then just sits at that temp. But it only takes about 5 to 10 minutes to get there. I don't know if guage is right. I will buy aux tommorow and hook it up. Just think that it is weird that when I crank it over it spews out of hole when cap is off.
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