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Still running hot, what else could it be?

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Old Aug 9, 2009 | 10:16 PM
  #1  
Ward's Avatar
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From: Rowlett, TX
Car: 1988 GTA
Engine: 5.0 TPI
Transmission: T5
Axle/Gears: 9 Bolt, 3.45
Still running hot, what else could it be?

My car still tends to run hot, and I'm running out of ideas. It just slowly creeps up, and in 100 degree heat it will eventually get up to 220-240. This is what I've done so far:

-Hard-wired fans to run full-time
-Brand new replacement radiator
-Brand new 160 degree t-stat
-Flushed coolant system, running water/antifreeze mix

* edit, forgot to add these
-Brand new fan motors
-Air dam is in good shape

The only thing left to replace is the water pump, could that be it? I will probably get an aluminum high-flow one. I noticed that the coolant was quite rusty looking when I got the car, is it possible the passages are just too scaled up?

Last edited by Ward; Aug 10, 2009 at 05:31 AM.
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Old Aug 10, 2009 | 12:44 AM
  #2  
antoine's Avatar
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Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 851
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From: vacaville,ca
Car: 1988 camaro z28,1997 camaro lt1
Engine: 355 afr 195 heads,tpis big mouth
Transmission: 700r-4 built by me 3-4 z pack
Axle/Gears: 3.42
Re: Still running hot, what else could it be?

under the front of the car is the air dam still there? cause without it it will run hot when driving it pushes air up to the radiator



Originally Posted by Ward
My car still tends to run hot, and I'm running out of ideas. It just slowly creeps up, and in 100 degree heat it will eventually get up to 220-240. This is what I've done so far:

-Hard-wired fans to run full-time
-Brand new replacement radiator
-Brand new 160 degree t-stat
-Flushed coolant system, running water/antifreeze mix

The only thing left to replace is the water pump, could that be it? I will probably get an aluminum high-flow one. I noticed that the coolant was quite rusty looking when I got the car, is it possible the passages are just too scaled up?
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Old Aug 10, 2009 | 03:24 AM
  #3  
Ward's Avatar
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From: Rowlett, TX
Car: 1988 GTA
Engine: 5.0 TPI
Transmission: T5
Axle/Gears: 9 Bolt, 3.45
Re: Still running hot, what else could it be?

Yeah, the airdam is there, and in good shape. I forgot to mention that in my original post. Also, I can't really tell that it heats up quicker when going fast, or sitting still. I just kind of slowly creeps up.
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Old Aug 10, 2009 | 04:56 AM
  #4  
RevItUpZ28's Avatar
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 457
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From: NC
Car: '91 Camaro Z28
Engine: 383 Vortec HSR
Transmission: Pro-Built 700-R4;Vig 4000 stall
Axle/Gears: Moser M9 9" / 3.89
Re: Still running hot, what else could it be?

I ended up getting a set of Be Cool /SPAL 11" dual electric fans to replace the stock ones. Even with new motors on my stock fans, it just seemed that the stock fans just couldn't get enough air flowing.

Those fans along with the new radiator keep the car at around 200 degrees in the summer heat. The only negative thing about these fans is they nickel and dime the heck out of you for everything. The fan setup comes with some crappy brackets that suck, and the instructions that come with them show the brackets (that I have), and say, "If you want to install the fans as shown, please purchase part #'s yadda yadda yadda. There are actually 2 different sets of brackets that you need to install them that way--and they aren't cheap. (One set was like $85 and the others were $50) I didn't find this out until I had already ordered the fans and had to get them in the car ASAP. You could probably have some fabbed up pretty easily to save money. I also remember seeing some "Summit-brand" one's that seemed close and were a heck of a lot cheaper.



I also had to purchase seperately the little black rubber bumpers that keep the fans from pushing up against the radiator.

Here are the part #'s that I have for my setup (Note, these are summits part #'s for these products at the time I ordered them 2 years ago, and may have changed):



Be-cool brackets PN#BCI-72031
Be-Cool brackets PN#BCI-72037
Be-Cool SPAL fans PN#BCI-75007
Be-Cool rubber spacers PN#BCI-72104
Be-Cool fan wire harness PN#BCI-75117 (Got this free at the time with a special promotion from Summit Racing)

Hope this helps.
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Old Aug 10, 2009 | 05:33 AM
  #5  
Ward's Avatar
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From: Rowlett, TX
Car: 1988 GTA
Engine: 5.0 TPI
Transmission: T5
Axle/Gears: 9 Bolt, 3.45
Re: Still running hot, what else could it be?

Hmm, 200 degrees, is that with A/C on? Ultimately I'd like to be able to use the A/C without overheating, and it needs to work in 100 degree plus temps.
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Old Aug 10, 2009 | 05:48 AM
  #6  
RevItUpZ28's Avatar
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Joined: May 2003
Posts: 457
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From: NC
Car: '91 Camaro Z28
Engine: 383 Vortec HSR
Transmission: Pro-Built 700-R4;Vig 4000 stall
Axle/Gears: Moser M9 9" / 3.89
Re: Still running hot, what else could it be?

Sorry, I eliminated the AC/Heat before this stuff went in.
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Old Aug 16, 2009 | 08:47 AM
  #7  
oil pan 4's Avatar
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Posts: 1,040
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From: High plains of NM
Car: 89 Firebird
Engine: L98
Transmission: T-56
Axle/Gears: 3.73
Re: Still running hot, what else could it be?

Sounds a little like what my car did when the radiator cap went bad. And it just happed to go bad about 3 weeks after I put a new radiator, electric cooling pump and converted to electric fans.
Do you still have your heater hooked up?
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Old Sep 11, 2009 | 09:54 PM
  #8  
Romilin's Avatar
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 34
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Re: Still running hot, what else could it be?

Sorry to bring up a somewhat older post but I had the same issue and it ended up being my front shocks, the car was way to low to the ground especially at high speeds, once I replaced the shocks it kept that heavy nose up enough to allow the air to flow properly under the car and gave me a 40-60 degree improvement. Just an fyi
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Old Sep 11, 2009 | 10:15 PM
  #9  
Kevman's Avatar
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Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,674
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From: Windsor Ontario
Car: 1987 Firebird Formula
Engine: 2004 LQ4
Transmission: T-5 WC
Axle/Gears: 3.42
Re: Still running hot, what else could it be?

Perhaps the water jacket has blockage inside the engine?
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Old Sep 13, 2009 | 01:01 AM
  #10  
New2Chevy's Avatar
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,375
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From: Wyoming
Car: 1995 Formula
Engine: LT1 350
Transmission: Built 4L60e
Axle/Gears: 10 bolt, Eaton posi, 3.73's
Re: Still running hot, what else could it be?

When my other Camaro behaved like this, I changed to a heavy duty water pump from Autozone, and it solved the problem 100%. I would change the water pump, and see what happens.
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