WTF happened? I got out of my car today and my friend said it smelled like rubber real bad. I went over to check it out and I smelled something real strong from under the hood. Then I heard the BOILING...that scared the **** out of me. I opened the hood and sure enough something was boiling. It was the liquid in the oil coolant overflow tank. I checked my temp and it was at 220(+ or - 10 degrees). Then when it sat for a while I came back and looked at it and it was almost empty. When it was boiling it was literally overflowing.

WTF is wrong??? PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!

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1987 Firebird Formula 350[*]Stock except...[*]Cragar Street Stars
My Car Website w/ Pics
fyrebird350@hotmail.com
AIM/AOL Screen Name: FIREBERD350

 

My dad said it may be the thermostat...any ideas???

 

Check to make sure your fan(s) are working.... If I am not mistaken if the thermostat is not working it you would see it on the temp gauge, and as a boil over in your overflow tank.

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Kevin Irving
85 Trans Am WS-6, 305 TPI, custom burned '86 PROM with '87 "165"ECM, Accel Supercoil & 8.8 Wires, MSD 6AL, Aluminum Driveshaft, TB Coolant Bypass, Ported Plenum, Modified MAF, Cyclone Fuel Pump, JET Airfoil

Veiw my car at: http://www.geocities.com/transam85tpi/TransAm.html

 

I just popped the hood and it's been running for maybe 5 minutes...the temp is at 220 and only one fan is running(the driver side). The overflow has emptied but is slowly filling again.

 

If you find out why only your drivers side fan was working let me know, mine does the same thing, and i know the pass. fan works cause it came on the other day at like 130*.
As far as the coolant boiling it might be your radiator cap not holding the ressure when the car gets turned off, i think i saw a post like that a little while back

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90 IROC 5.7l (L98)
ram air, K&N's, air foil,Flows

 

Go ahead and put a new cap on it. Water boils at 220* (which is not overheating) unless it is pressurized, and with a 15psi cap, it should be good up to the red zone. As long as it is not overheating, than your system is OK except for the lack of pressure, which is usually the cap.

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"I used to have a handle on life, but then I used it as a plunger and broke it" -The Wave

ASE Master Tech + L1
Savannah, GA
'87 Trans Am-K&N,Cold air induction, SSM SFC, Flowmaster, 16" GTA rims.
'97 Bonneville SSE
About Me

 

Replace your radiator cap. It is not holding pressure, or you may have another pressure leak.
Under 21-15lbs of pressure water/coolant should not boil until 235-240 degrees or so.

 

Is that the reason the overflow tank filled up and overflowed?

 

That would be my best guess.

 

Yeah, I had similar probs w/ my 86. I had some leaks in the radiator hoses, and had a bad cap. Took me a little while but I finally got it worked out.

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Ray87Z
-Vortec headed 350.
86 IROC w/ a cammed 305 TPI.
Formerly Ray86IROC.
www.inter-scape.com/Ray

 

Oil coolant overflow tank?I don't think a rad cap would help that

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Often imitated, but never duplicated

 

Actually, water boils at 212*F at sea level. Every 1 lb of increased pressure, raises the boiling point by 3*F. So a 15 lb cap would raise the boiling point of pure water to 257*F. However, the glycol and other additives in the coolant, dilute the water and decrease it's atmospheric boiling point.

As the coolant heats, pressure increases. Heated enough, the pressure will rise to the point that the cap opens and allows the coolant to flow into the recovery tank, which lowers the pressure, and therefore the temperature, of the coolant that remains in the radiator. However, the coolant that makes it's way to the recovery tank is still above the atmospheric boiling point, and thus when it hits normal atmospheric pressure(14.7 psi at sea level), it boils.

Replacing the radiator cap with one that has a higher rated pressure is not a good fix. You would be better off finding out why you are running so hot, and looking for a cure to that problem. Check the condition of your cooling fins(damaged or missing?), check for debris blocking airflow through the rad(especially between the a/c condensor and rad), check the coolant's boiling point(you'll need a hygrometer) and check the coolant for signs that rad is corroded or degraded.

The coolant, like most other fluids in your car, will degrade over time. Therefore, it is important to have it regularly checked and changed(like the other fluids in your car). Anytime you change the coolant, you should take the extra step of having the rad flushed, to clear it of debris and deposits which diminish the effectiveness of the radiator.

On 1987 - earlier models, the second fan is not commanded to turn on until the coolant has reached 225*F. However, turning on the A/C should immediately command the other fan to turn on. If the coolant temp. exceeds 225*F, and the second fan does not come on, you may have a loose connection to the second fan(this has happened on two of my IROCs), switching on the A/C will determine if this is the case. If turning on the A/C turns on the second fan, but the second fan does not come on at a coolant temp of 225*F(A/C off), you may need to replace your "Coolant Temperature Sensor".

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He who hesitates,... is lost!

 

Oil overflow tank.. have you modified your car with like a racing external oil resevoir?

is everone just assuming it's the radiator expansion tank?

[This message has been edited by IROCSS (edited July 30, 2000).]

 

I think it is safe to assume he doesn't have an external oil reservoir(his sig says the car is stock), and I don't know of anyone who needs a dry-sump system for a stock car.

besides if the liquid, he was referring to as boiling, was oil,... well he'd have much bigger problems to worry about! Besides how would he be able to view the oil boiling in an external reservoir. for a dry-sump system to function properly, the system must be sealed.

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He who hesitates,... is lost!