I have a heating problem!
'88 GTA 5.7 ltr TPI
700r4
Air foil
K&N
Flowmaster Catback
3.70 9 bolt borg-warner
New suspension
shift kit
chip
etc.

I'm good at 220+ or so, in traffic and cruisin' but if I get on it or put ANY kind of a load on it(even just uphill for a mile or so or A/C), it will shoot up to redline at 250+. This happens at ALL outside spring/summer/fall temps. I realize this car runs warm but this is ridiculous.


I have:
1. blocked the bypass at the water pump, which really helped but didn't fix
2. 180 thermostat with 4 holes
3. reworked the air dam
4. Transmission cooler
5. Flushed radiator
6. 30-70 coolant mixture
7. checked and set timing

As far as the water pump, I watch it work. The higher the revs the more water flows. I've read most all of the boards and tried everything they say but still get a boil over unless I'm very carefull.

I'm flipping out here and at my wits end. Maybe you guys can help.

 

Have you tried installing a new fan clutch? I was having heating problems too. Had my cooling system flushed, installed a new thermostat, had a new radiotor cap put in as well but it still overheated. Later I found out my heater core was leaking into the passenger's side, but before getting that bypassed I also replaced the stock fan clutch with a sever duty one. Not heavy duty but severe duty, and I noticed it helped out a lot before getting the bypass done. It also makes your engine sound a bit different in a good way.

 

sounds like maybe one of the hoses is collapsing, thats the only thing i can think of to cause an increase of temp just by getting on it some..

also sounds like your fans might not be coming on.

when the a/c is turned on both fans should come on, independant of where the temp is at..

 

This has been an ongoing thing, through the whole rebuild basically.
As far as the fans go, I forgot to add to the original post that I have the fans (which are both getting 12 v) straightwired. The auxillary is set to come on with the key and the primary kicks in at the 180 mark (I think).

By the way I got broke into last night and they took all my speaker stuff.

It's a damn shame a working man can't have anything without some schmuck taking it.

I thought I'd paid all my dues!

Guess not

 

Do I have a blown head gasket?
Or maybe a crack in the head?
I've switched the relays
Have not switched the water pump, radiator, fans or heater core but I think I will just because. Try a 3 core and a higher volume water pump etc. .

But is it all in vain?

if it is a head gasket I have to go back in.

 

Are you running 30 water and 70 coolant? If so, that would be the first thing that I would get rid of. Water pulls a lot more heat the straight coolant. I usually try to run about 70 water and 30 coolant and I run plenty cool.

Tom

 

You can get a block test kit that has thetube with the blue liquid that you put into the radiator opening. If you have a blown headgasket, you will have hydrocarbons in the cooling system.
Thats an easy test.
I would suspect at those temps if the HG was blown you would be adding alot of water as it would probably be getting into the cylinders.
You can pressure test the radiator with a hand held pump and guage, take the coil wire off and turn the ignition. If hte pressure bumps, thats a blown HG because pressure is incressing in the cooling system with compression in the cylinders.

But with all that said, I would be swappin out the radiator, just for a new stock unit, regardless of what the radiator shop says how good this one is and go to an oil cooler also, just to be safe
Evan

 

even though you flushed the radiator it could have solid deposits the flush didnt get rid of ...constricting the wateerflow thru the radiator...i've also seen worn out electric fan motors which spin less..getting less cooling...did you inspect the outside of the radiator?..or the a/c condenser could be dirty blocking air to the radiator...a little cheap fix or help is riveting an impeller from summit you simply take off the water pump open the back up dril and rivet the impeller too it..5 bucks cant go wrong..hope i was of some help..