Ok, today I put my car into the shop to get some work done. It was all voluntary, just to get crappy parts taken off and good ones on in their places.
I replaced the water pump, power steering pump, alternator, and rear brake pads. So 5 o’clock this evening I go to pick it up. The mechanic, a good friend of mine, just left to take it for a test drive, he comes back and everything is good.
I pay $770.48 and leave, He left for the day then too. I get about a mile and a ½ away and my temp gauge pegs and check engine light comes on. I figure it may have been air in the system so I drive it for about a ¼-1/2 mile and it stays pegged. I pulled over and called the mechanic at home. He said what I thought, “its probably air in the system from doing the water pump, go back to the shop, the owner should still be there”
So I’m back at the shop, after about an hour or so of trying everything to make sure all air is out of the system, the gauge will not come back down. We established the gauge is fully functional. He told me the only thing I could do is let it sit for a while, like 1 to 2 hours and come back, see if its sucked any from the overflow and if it did try and start it. See what t does.
So 1 ½ hours later I come back. The reservoir is about 1 inch lower then it was, so I figure I’ll try and start it. I started it. The gauge quickly went up to 220 and stayed there. I shut it down and restarted it. The gauge pegged with in 15 seconds. I shut it down and picked up my girlfriend from work for her break. When she got off work 2 hours after that I went back. It climbed slowly to 220 then stopped, I tried to take it for ride. Got maybe 2/10 mile away and it pegged again.
The whole time even before I took it back to the shop it has a nasty vibration. Nothing harsh, just annoying. Almost like an auto transmission going bad. But its not, its in the engine, it does it in neutral.

What could make it so hot, did the 1 to 2 miles with the pegged gauge fry my engine. PLEASE HELP!?!?


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[This message has been edited by 86FyrBrd (edited October 05, 2001).]

 

Is it possible that you got the waterpump for an 88-up, the reversed one?


Ken

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1986 IROC-Z Conv't
17x9.5 TT II's w/ 275/40x17's, BMR stb, Lakewood APR, Jamex 1.5" Lowering Springs
ChevyKen's Cars

Administrator @ ChevyWorld.net

 

thats what I thought, especially since its not the original engine, and they ordered the one from my '86 but then I reailized that the water pump that was on it before and worked was actually taken off of my 86 305 TPI and worked great for cooling, just leaked a lil cause it was from autozone. so I threw that idea out.

 

You drove around with the temp. pegged. Isn't that like 260 on stock gauges. Most likely you have blown a head gasket by now. But I'm no expert. Are your fans coming on.
"I figure it may have been air in the system so I drive it for about a ¼-1/2 mile and it stays pegged". Why would you drive around to let air out of the system. I thought the only way you could do that is to take the radiator cap off and let the engine run until the bubbles are gone. Check to make sure your lower radiator hose isn't collapsing in upper rpm's, maybe invest $6 in a new rad. cap, and make sure there are no leaks around the thermostat or water pump. The reason I mention the hose and cap, is maybe it's just a conincidence that these failed right after you replaced parts. But in the future if your gauge gets near 240 I would pull over and let the engine cool before driving it.

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"Rice burners are like tampons...Every pu$$y has to have one"
'86 IROC
T-TOPS, TINTED WINDOWS, BRAKE LIGHT BLACKOUTS
GM GOODWRENCH 350
EDELBROCK TES HEADERS
3" Hooker CatBack w/Aero Chamber muffler
EDELBROCK 600CFM CARB.
KN AIRFILTER
ACCEL HEI DISTRIBUTOR
160* Stat
3:73 Posi
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fans coming on, its so hot they come in rite at start up. my mechanic actually told me that it should be fine to drive it back to the shop. I dunno. I'v heard people telling me everything from maybe a seized valve to blown head gasket, to a cracked head tonight. Should I be engine shopping.

 

I would keep a close eye on any leakage of antifreeze around the head area. Not to put down your mechanic but I don't know anyone that would have told me to go ahead and drive a car that is relining on the temp. gauge.

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"Rice burners are like tampons...Every pu$$y has to have one"
'86 IROC
T-TOPS, TINTED WINDOWS, BRAKE LIGHT BLACKOUTS
GM GOODWRENCH 350
EDELBROCK TES HEADERS
3" Hooker CatBack w/Aero Chamber muffler
EDELBROCK 600CFM CARB.
KN AIRFILTER
ACCEL HEI DISTRIBUTOR
160* Stat
3:73 Posi
Rebuilt 700R4
B&M Megashifter, 5" Autometer Tach w/shift lite

 

Did you actually test the temp of the water in the radiator? Did the engine make a nice bubbling sound when you turned it off?
Was there coolant spewed all over the engine from coolant coming out of the overflow resevoir cap?
Reason I ask is I had a serpentine belt break once, this belt ran the alternator and the waterpump, nothing else, and my temp slowly rose to waaaaay past 260. I drove it for about a mile trying to make it to my friends house. I pulled over because there was so much smoke behind me when I looked in the rear view mirror.
Turned the motor off, popped the hood, saw coolant everywhere and heard a gurgling sound from the cooling system.
Didn't break anything, just got a new belt and I was good to go.

On my 96 Camaro, I replaced the coolant Temp switch(CTS), the one that controls the gauge in the car because this car broke a serpentine belt and the belt broke the connector on the CTS. Bought a new CTS, installed it, checked the fluid levels, topped it off and then drove to work.
About 2 miles down the road from my house I looked at the gauge and it is at 260*, I am like what the f*ck. Stop by my friends garage and check the coolant level and top it off just to be safe.
Drive to work, temp is still very high, going from 220 to 260 then to 220, depending on my speed, faster I go warmer it gets.
Well, park the car for about 6 or so hours while I am at work, jump into my car and start her up and within minutes the temp is at 260*.
Put old sensor back in and tape the connector to it and temp now reads 160*.

So I was freaking out about the temp when all it was was a bad CTS.

Moral of this long post, make sure your gauge registers the correct reading, or, don't get your CTS's from Advance Auto.