Hey guys so i bought the air dam and it still over heated..
Drive on the freeway, hit 60MPH and it reached 3/4th of the gauge.
So I got out oh the free and it cooled down a little.

I'm lost. I don't know wat to do?

 

Things to check:Thermostat...Water pump...Upper radiator hose

Failure (partial or full) of any one of those can contribute to overheating too.

 

New thermostat
New hoses.

Should i check the radiator and see I'd it holds up pressure?

 

If it isn't holding pressure, that would most likely be a bad radiator cap (i think).

 

Check the easy stuff first . like have the cap off while it's running making sure the coolant is all the way to the top . Maybe your rad is clogged , is the rad full of sludge . Make sure your oil isn't low , ect . Could be air bubbles in the cooling system . I think when the engines get old they tend to heat up more , the weight of your oil filter when changing your old can say a lot about the condition of your engine . If none of that works try swearing

 

I was having this same trouble with my 87 5.7 right before the heater core went bad. The thing is, the radiator was rusting and, pushing debris through the system. The over heating stopped after changing the heater core but, I went the distance and replaced the entire cooling system (minus the fans). Hasn't even got close to over heating since.

 

Make sure your rad surface is clean and the fins are free from dirt and stuff. Also check the timing.

 

i figured it out it was the timming, i fixed it and it ran way better then before, but it still reaches the red line and after a couple of mins it cools down to 1/4 of gauge.. what do u think it it??

i might need to add new colant/

 

how does the water in the radiator look? Also, what kind of coolant are you using?

I know this is something nobody wants to hear but, check your oil and water frequently, your symptoms are similar to a small leak in the head gasket. If you're not leaking water visibly but, are still having to put more water in a couple times a week, it could be a gasket.

 

it looks dark but It hasn't been changed And I will change it soon.. and yeah I have checked them.. I think it is fine.. but I could be wrong u know..

but It runs and starts fine. no rough idle or lag.

 

Fans? Do they come on?

 

Yes they do
but I did figure it out.
It was the coolant.
I think the mixture was more water then coolant and the water was getting hot to fast.

I flushed it out and drained the water out and added new coolant

 

Its really better to have more water than coolant. It may have been very old and needing changed or the flush cleaned it out. either way you have it fixed..

 

It was very old it was like dark and nasty... but Why is it better to have more water
??
Just wondering/

 

So I sold my firebird! it was fun while it lasted

 

Water is the most effeciant coolant on the planet but the antifreeze raises the boiling point which of course helps a ton. Most people say a 50/50 mix but I like a 60/40 mix with a little water wetter or purple ice. Distilled water keeps the radiator and other parts of the system from corroding.