My car wants to stay at 220* or a little more. I'd like to keep it around 160*-180*. I've got my other cars('97 Z28, '90 Sentra, '89 Subrau Justy and a '89 Formula) to cool this well, but the Camaro just don't want to do it. Right now it has a Jet fan switch, 160* thermostat, 20% antifrezze & 80% disteled water with 1 can 40Below water wetter, Moroso 19# rad cap. I also just put in a new temp sending unit(the one thats in the drivers side head). I'm runing underdrive pulleys but there was not a change in the cars temp after installing them(only the volts at idle). Also the timing is set at 4 BTDC, it has no ping here. I run only 93 Exxon, BP or Mobile gas.

I just ordered a Miliodn high flow 160* thermostat and a Edelnbrock aluminum water pump. If this don't get it cool the only other thing I know to do is try another radiator such as a Be Cool unit.

The radiator was took out a few months and cleaned & flushed as good as could be with a pressure washer, I also cleaned the AC condenser thats in front of the radiator. The bottom hose does'nt suck in none at all when the motors reved on. And the air dam under the car is fine.

I know that this is'nt TOO hot but I do feel better performance can be had if I can get it running cooler. I don't fear of running so cool that the ECM won't go into closed loop. Besides I can check it with WinALDL and I also have a heated O2 sensor.

Anyone else had trouble cooling there LO3? Or anyone with any tips? I live in Panama City, Florida so its kinda hot here anyway, but still all my other cars run cool?
Thanks, Bobby

 

220* is normal. These car heat up to that point, the fans kick in, and then it cools back down. It is a roller coaster. You can make your fan manual so that you can turn it on whenever you want but you have to make sure you watch your gage all the time.

 

he has a jet fan switch, so it should kick in at a lower temp.

does it heat up when you are cruising above 45mph ???

 

you need a dual fan setup


I dont know how GM got away with only putting single fans in any v8 thirdgen. In my car, a single fan setup rigged to run constantly will still get hot on any warm day unless I'm driving around like a grandma.

Hit up the junkyard and grab a dual fan setup along with the extra relay, easy swap. With it, my temp gauge stays pegged at where my thermostat is rated at, basically no movement whatsoever no matter how hard i drive.

BTW I should have said that they probaly got away with it because most of the US doesnt get that hot. Im from Miami originally and I can tell you its way way way hotter there than it ever gets in southern california which is supposedly a warm climate (im always freezing my *** off though, thin florida skin)

 

Also, do you still have your A/C? I took mine out and there is a huge gap around the edges of the radiator where the condenser used to be and this allows air from the engine compartment to come around to the front of the radiator when the fan is on. There is a nice stiff breeze of hot air coming around and the radiator doesnt cool too well when the air going through it has already gone through it once before. Ill be boxing it off...

EDIT: Saw you still have A/C

Also check to make sure the airdam is slightly tilted forward to catch and redirect the air and not all messed up and bent out of shape. Alot of your air that provides the cooling comes from having the airdam.

Like said above, if it overheats at idle and low speeds then its time for something more then the cheesy stock fan.

 

My car is only a problem during the summer months and during the daytime only. Even in the summer as soon as the sun goes down the engine temp is never a problem. I still have the stock setup with a 160* thermostat and I see 220* - 260*. But only during the daytime.

And here is the thing that blows the mind of most people, if I want to cool my car down I turn on the a/c. as soon as that second fan comes on the temp gauge goes down a bit.

 

I never have a problem with my 83 I have stock radiator and 160 thermo and on a hot texas day it will stay at 160 in traffic, but thats probably because I have a belt driven fan, but my GTA gets hot sometimes but normally runs at about 190-200

 

I just use my AC as a fan switch whenever I am stopped at a light. It turns on the fan and I can keep my temp right around the 170 range.

 

I have ben battling this problem on my 305 for two months now.
Its summer in Colorado, and its a bitch to drive. My car has gone over 220 four times and once up to 230. This always alarms me. I just re-built my heads, and I am glad that I have done that, cuz otherwise I am not sure if the car would handle the heat.
What I have done is as follows.
New replacement radiator
180 thermo
Drilled holes infront bumper (homemade grille, so so job) 3/4 about where the symbol of pontiac or chevy would be, its the only opening on the bird for clear air travel.
Switched the air dam backwards so it scoops air into the fan.
Open element filter with two dryer non flamable hoses connected to the fender openings and hooked to open element.

Urgh....
It runs cooler, but it will warm up to 190-210. The open element with the two tubes really brought the cooling speed down, so I can run for about 30min. on high temps, till the fan starts kicking. Than it goes down and it rides at 160-170, it goes up to 190-200 (its hard to tell, but it could be a bit less).

With all of the **** out of the picture I have decided that in order to properly cool a firebird, you will need, either dual fans or a sucker fan infront of the radiator and your stock one fan throwing air to your engine. Install it with a remote switch so when it gets colder you would not have to freeze in your car.

I hope that my tiral and error (or not really) helps you guys.
Good luck