farm-kid/88camaro

Ive been having problems with my cooling system after a recent swap to a 350 from the L03 305. Im running a carb setup with vortec heads.

What happens is the gauge will move up slowly then back off quickly. I thought at first it was the thermostat...but in a 160 and no change.
I think i have it narrowed down to something to do with the rad cap. If i run the car at an idle and remove the cap it will sit at 160 dead on and barely move.
I bought a new rad cap and the same thing happens. I grabbed the one of my bros truck and the one day i drove for an hour to the track didnt act up once. Few days later it was back at it.
All the caps are 16lb. It doesnt seem to be letting the pressure off, do you think say a 13lb cap would be of any help?

Also one time i noticed some fluid was released from the cap at one point.

Im lost on this one guys
Any help would be appreciated

EDIT

[This message has been edited by farm-kid/88camaro (edited October 01, 2001).]

82camaro

Sounds like it might have some air in the system. cover the radiator with something, run the engine up to about 190 or so(thermostat completely open), then fill the radiator up. All while the engine is running. If you've done this, just ignore this post.

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350 with stealth intake, holley carb, 470 lift cam. 700r4 with .5 boost valve, vette servo, tci lock-up kit, B&M megashifter. Richmond 3.73 gears, powertrax locker, timkin bearings, synthetic lube. Custom 3 inch single into 2 2.5 pipes. 1 1/2 drop springs, 1 5/16 solid front sway bar, 1 inch rear bar, custom subframe connectors, custom LCA relocation brackets. Kobel ground FX, currant red metallic paint. Lots of other stuff...
82camaro

Mark A Shields

If fluid is releasing from the cap, then it isn't holding pressure thus your boiling point is lowered causing overheating. You said the temp would go up and then down all of a sudden. If it does this once, that is normal for when the stat opens up, however, if it does this several times, you might have a faulty gauge.

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"Rice burners are like tampons...Every pu$$y has to have one"
'86 IROC
T-TOPS, TINTED WINDOWS, BRAKE LIGHT BLACKOUTS
GM GOODWRENCH 350
EDELBROCK TES HEADERS
3" Hooker CatBack w/Aero Chamber muffler
EDELBROCK 600CFM CARB.
KN AIRFILTER
ACCEL HEI DISTRIBUTOR
160* Stat
3:73 Posi
Rebuilt 700R4
B&M Megashifter, 5" Autometer Tach w/shift lite

firbird

yea thats what i was thinking, its prolly your gauge, just replace your sensor its like 6 bucks at auto parts, fast and easy.

farm-kid/88camaro

have done the fill up with the cap off and the car running thing a few times now, as i have lost fluid through the cap.
The gauge is not faulty, it is an aftermarket and is new. I know something funky is going on as when it does this the bottom rad hose is getting sucked in alot. It has to do with too much pressure. When i take off the cap it hisses and the temp gauge with imediatelly fall back to around 160. I may have explained it wrong but the gauge creeps up slowly then shoots back down.
Thanks for the comments anyway

[This message has been edited by farm-kid/88camaro (edited October 01, 2001).]

Enkil

ermm... The lower radiator hose collapsing doesn't really have to do with too much pressure... But it does mean that you need to replace that hose. That'll probalby fix your overheating problems as it chokes coolant.

Everybody's radiator hisses if you open it after the car's warmed up. They're pressurized.

And get a new radiator cap... Fluid shouldn't be leaking out of it. Without pressure the radiator can't cool effectively.

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89 iroc-z 305 tbi
k&n filtercharger, open element air filter. nuffin' else

Mark A Shields

Yep, that hose isn't supposed to collapse, get a new one, and you'll have no problems most likely.

------------------
"Rice burners are like tampons...Every pu$$y has to have one"
'86 IROC
T-TOPS, TINTED WINDOWS, BRAKE LIGHT BLACKOUTS
GM GOODWRENCH 350
EDELBROCK TES HEADERS
3" Hooker CatBack w/Aero Chamber muffler
EDELBROCK 600CFM CARB.
KN AIRFILTER
ACCEL HEI DISTRIBUTOR
160* Stat
3:73 Posi
Rebuilt 700R4
B&M Megashifter, 5" Autometer Tach w/shift lite

farm-kid/88camaro

Is there any chance that i need a reverse rotaion water-pump?

This is an 88 car with at 97 vortec truck engine...im not sure what year they changed the pumps on the camaros. Anyone know something about this?

RB83L69

Which way does the pump turn with whatever belt setup you have? If it's going clockwise, that's "normal" rotation; if it's going counterclockeise, you should be using a "reverse" pump.

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports

82camaro

If the lower hose is getting sucked shut, the pump is running the correct direction. Put a new hose on and see what it does.

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350 with stealth intake, holley carb, 470 lift cam. 700r4 with .5 boost valve, vette servo, tci lock-up kit, B&M megashifter. Richmond 3.73 gears, powertrax locker, timkin bearings, synthetic lube. Custom 3 inch single into 2 2.5 pipes. 1 1/2 drop springs, 1 5/16 solid front sway bar, 1 inch rear bar, custom subframe connectors, custom LCA relocation brackets. Kobel ground FX, currant red metallic paint. Lots of other stuff...
82camaro