Overflow boiling when car shuts off?
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 259
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From: Long Island, NY
Car: 1987 IROC-Z
Engine: 350 TPI
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 3.23
Overflow boiling when car shuts off?
Ok I thought I might have found something in the search, but I've been searching for it again for the past 45mins and can't find it and I figured this would be a simple enough question/answer to repost again for those who know it. so heres alittle background of what went down.
I just got my camaro a few weeks ago and I've been driving it a good amount since (about 30miles a day give or take). When I got it, it had a bunch of new parts on it already, one of those being a new radiator (so that I think is out of the question). So I was driving around for about 45mins a couple days ago and decided to go to taco bell so I ordered what I wanted and pulled into the parking lot and my girlfriend told me she heard a bubbling sound and to listen. So i did, and it turns out the overflow tank was bubbling up real good, I decided I would check it out when I got home and too just let it cool down for now. When I got home I checked it out after letting it cool a bit, and ran it checking to make sure the t-stat was working and the radiator was flowing and it was, so I thought nothing of it. Now it happened to me again twice today, but its not like the car is over heating b/c when I drive it, it will stay right at 170-180 on the highway and the fan kicks on good when the temp rises while I'm sitting in traffic, but its like everytime I turn off my car now, it just starts boiling into the overflow. So I was wondering what it could be?
I just recently changed the fluids and I have a 50/50 mix and I'm pretty sure it's all level, so I was thinking it might be the radiator cap has gone bad? It does put up alittle struglle to take off sometimes, if not that what else could it possibly be?
Also it does blow alittle cloud of smoke on start up but that goes right away, and it still has good power and the oil looks pretty clean, so I wouldn't think it was a head gasket. Sorry for rambling on alot but I wanted to describe what was going on alittle clearer.
Any help would be awesome. Thanks John
I just got my camaro a few weeks ago and I've been driving it a good amount since (about 30miles a day give or take). When I got it, it had a bunch of new parts on it already, one of those being a new radiator (so that I think is out of the question). So I was driving around for about 45mins a couple days ago and decided to go to taco bell so I ordered what I wanted and pulled into the parking lot and my girlfriend told me she heard a bubbling sound and to listen. So i did, and it turns out the overflow tank was bubbling up real good, I decided I would check it out when I got home and too just let it cool down for now. When I got home I checked it out after letting it cool a bit, and ran it checking to make sure the t-stat was working and the radiator was flowing and it was, so I thought nothing of it. Now it happened to me again twice today, but its not like the car is over heating b/c when I drive it, it will stay right at 170-180 on the highway and the fan kicks on good when the temp rises while I'm sitting in traffic, but its like everytime I turn off my car now, it just starts boiling into the overflow. So I was wondering what it could be?
I just recently changed the fluids and I have a 50/50 mix and I'm pretty sure it's all level, so I was thinking it might be the radiator cap has gone bad? It does put up alittle struglle to take off sometimes, if not that what else could it possibly be?
Also it does blow alittle cloud of smoke on start up but that goes right away, and it still has good power and the oil looks pretty clean, so I wouldn't think it was a head gasket. Sorry for rambling on alot but I wanted to describe what was going on alittle clearer.Any help would be awesome. Thanks John
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,739
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From: Beaufort South Carolina
Car: 1983 Camaro Z/28
Engine: LU5 305 CFI
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: J65/G80/G92-3.23
It sounds like you have an air bubble trapped in the cooling system.You need to purge the system of air.The radiator cap could be defective.There are several tech articles to check if you haven't already.
https://www.thirdgen.org/overheating
As for the smoke on startup is a common problem on motors that don't see a lot of run time or ones with high mileage.It usually comes from valve seals worn.main thing is to keep an eye on the oil level.
https://www.thirdgen.org/overheating
As for the smoke on startup is a common problem on motors that don't see a lot of run time or ones with high mileage.It usually comes from valve seals worn.main thing is to keep an eye on the oil level.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 259
Likes: 0
From: Long Island, NY
Car: 1987 IROC-Z
Engine: 350 TPI
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 3.23
Wow, I've never even head about a trapped air bubble, I'm only 19 and I've been around cars for quite a bit, mainly older muscle cars, but yeah this is the first time I've heard about that. I'll definately look into it if the radiator cap doesn't fix the solution.
And yes it does have about 110k+ miles on it, but runs and still pulls really hard, as for the oil pressure it starts up and stays up around 60 and then drops to about 15-20 at idle while I'm stopped in traffic until I start to move again.
Any other suggestions? Thanks for the quick reply too.
Also is it bad to drive around b/c I need to drive my mom to the airport tomorrow and its about 15miles away (all highway) or am I risking blowing the head?
Thanks
And yes it does have about 110k+ miles on it, but runs and still pulls really hard, as for the oil pressure it starts up and stays up around 60 and then drops to about 15-20 at idle while I'm stopped in traffic until I start to move again.
Any other suggestions? Thanks for the quick reply too.
Also is it bad to drive around b/c I need to drive my mom to the airport tomorrow and its about 15miles away (all highway) or am I risking blowing the head?
Thanks
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 259
Likes: 0
From: Long Island, NY
Car: 1987 IROC-Z
Engine: 350 TPI
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 3.23
well I just went out and started it to tell you exactly what it was, and it wasn't white white, it looked more to have a blueish tint especially when it blew by the street light(since it was dark out) and you could tell it showed more bluer than white. But I think it is the seals b/c I do here a ticking under the hood but I haven't pulled teh valve covers or really looked into it at all.
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