Hey all, I have a problem with my car. It is a 1988 Camaro SC with a 1985 305 TPI in it. My issue is as follows:

The car will heat up to 220 degrees, and if I take it on the highway, it doesn't cool down; it just gets hotter. I have a Hypertech Thermomaster chip and the 165* thermostat with it...so what is making my car just keep heating up and getting up to 220* so fast? It never did that before...

I also just drained 1 gallon of coolant and filled the radiator to full with straight water...no difference.

I was thinking i might have a plug fouled, causing one cylinder to be "dead weight" for the others and causing overheating because the engine has to work harder to move that dead piston.
I could be wrong, though.

I didn't think this would happen with that chip, thermostat, and coolant combo. But it is.

Any help is appreciated


kev

 

I am not sure about the running hot on the highway thing with the Camaro's since the fronts are different, but on a bird with a damaged or missing air dam, car will heat up on the highway.

I just changed to a 160* stat tonight and my 88 Formula runs nice and cool, 160 instead of 200.

 

Fans coming on? Fuses?

 

well, my single electric fan is wired to a manual switch I control, and i know it turns on because i can hear it. but the airdam... that seems to have a slight curve backwards to it...so could it be that the rushing air hitting it is making it bend back more and stop proper airflow? i am going to get a dual cooling fan setup and see what happens with that.

thanks for your help and keep it coming please!

kev

 

When going at a steady speed on the highway the car should have more than enough airflow to keep cool. The fan is mainly used for city driving and traffic (when there isn't enough airflow). If the car is heating up on the highway, something may be wrong with your air dam.

I've also heard, not speaking from firsthand experience, that people running 160 thermostats ended up having their car run hotter, since it allows coolant to flow freely, not giving it any time to cool down. Of course, I've also heard people say that their car runs cooler than ever on a 160 thermostat. I would try switching the stat to a 195 stock and check the airdam.

My .02.

-Anthony Helton

 

Check your ignition timing. If it is not correct - it may cause the engine to run hot.

Does your car have a serpentine drive? is the water pump correct? Serpentine drive systems need a reverse rotation water pump.

The Sport Coupe nose is not the best for feeding the rad - but on the highway you should not have any problems... but the air deflector on the bottom of the rad support MUST be there - and it MUST be lower than the nose of the car - or it will not work.

I would change to a 180 degree thermostat. Unfortunately the chip you have will run the fan all the time at that temp - but that Hypertech chip isn't worth much in my books anyway... I had one... I burn my own now... the Hypertech isn't much different from stock.

Make sure that when you fill the cooling system you purge all the air.

When you put the new thermostat in - or even if you choose to leave the 160 in - drill a small - 3/16 hole in it - to allow constant circulation - and to eliminate air locks in the system. Works very well.

 

I had this problem with my TA. First I changed the temp switch to a JET performance low temp switch (not much difference), I went to a cooler 170* thermostat (not much difference), checked my air dam, bent fixed it (little help), I put in a new radiator and wow, running at like 175* all the time now. Radiator didn't seem clogged or rusted out but changing it made all the difference in the world. Next came the waterpump because I noticed a slight leak in the relief hole, when they pressure checked that they blew my heater core out (bought a new one but haven't put it in yet).

 

Karl-

The ignition timing was set last year by a profesional here in town. She never gave me a problem since then.

As far as the thermostat and fan..I have a 100% manual fan switch. I can turn the fan on or off as I please w/o any computer info.

In 1988, all SC models got the Z28 style front end with the gfx and whatnot.

I will be calling Hypertech tomorrow to find out what is the highest temperature rating thermostat I can put in my car. When I install it, I will drill that small hole.

I don't think I need a new radiator Never gave me a problem until now. I might get her flushed out though.

Thaks for your help guys and keep it coming!

kev