I'm getting my '87 IROC Z ready for Power Tour and I want to make sure I don't have any cooling issues. I took it on a 40-mile shakedown drive yesterday and the temp gauge was hovering around 220 (highway and local driving). The ambient temperature was about 85 degrees.

When I took the car out a few months ago, the temp gauge stayed about halfway between the 100 and 220 marks on the stock gauge. I seems like the car is running much warmer in warmer weather.

Is this normal?

Here's my combo: 427 big block with iron heads, TH350, 3.73 gears, Northern aluminum radiator, 3 electric fans - 2 aftermarket pushers and the stock puller, air dam intact, 170 thermostat.

Thanks. -Neil

 

I run my 400 at about 220.

 

Take it from me, make sure you're cooling system is adequate for the power tour. You'll end up in a lot of traffic jams as you go thru cities. Especially if it's as hot as it was last year. You'll end up stuck with a lot of dead air, and a whole bunch of muscle cars just radiating heat as well.

 

Yep. I did the last few stops last year with a different car. It was either sweltering hot or raining. I'm just not sure there's much more I can do to my cooling system.

 

I'm not a fan of the pushing AND pulling setup, no pun intended. It can create a "dead" flow zone between them, i.e. over the radiator.

 

I think you would be better off to remove the mechanical fan, and reinstall the pushers on the back side and use them to pull the air through the radiator. I think you are actually restricting the air flow the way you have it set up. What kind of fans are you using?

 

The car does not have a mechanical fan. It has dual aftermarket fans (brand unknown) on the front side of the rad. I also has the factory single electric fan/shroud on the engine side of the rad. This setup was working perfectly in 65-70 degree weather. My only concern is that the temp gauge is reading higher than expected now that ambient temps are in the mid-80's.

 

The air flow over the rad. was colder then. I agree with trying to use the dual fans as pullers instead (if they can be converted as such).

FWIW, when it was about 75 or so around here, my fan came on a few times. A few days ago, when it was 55 or so, I drove around and not once did I see my fan come on.

 

Well, I found part of the problem. I got up under the car and found traces of a white plastic bag in my front-mounted pushers. I took an air hose and blew out the radiator and it looked like it was snowing from all of little plastic bag pieces coming out of my radiator. I'll take it for a spin when I get a chance to see if that cools it off some.

 

Had the same problem but mine has mechanical fan. Wondering if dual fans would cool my 327 thats bored 40 over in the summer?