Im planning on taking a look at a 1989 Trans Am GTA about 15 miles away from me. The car runs but the Fan motors are blown. How long can you run or drive this car before it overheats? Im planning on driving this car 15 miles to my house, if I buy it.

Heres a picture of the car.

 

You will be fine as long as you are driving, the air dam will keep the car cool. When you are stopped is when you will start heating up. Make sure to take a route that requires minimal stopping.

 

Thanks for the speedy reply! I got the route all planned out now.

Since your a mod, how do I get a custom avatar? I dont see the box where I can use an offsite Avatar.

Thanks, Sam

 

You could also drive it with the heat set on high, it will help it stay cool as well.

 

Years ago, at a former garage, we had an old Vauxhall VX490 to go to the scrapyard.
It was driveable, barring it had no radiator. Bearing in mind the scrapyard was about 5 miles away i offered to drive it there for a laugh, while Rob followed me in case.
Well it only just got there through town traffic, we were lucky with traffic lights etc, but it goes to show, even if you have a slow leak, if your careful, you can go a long way, never mind no radiator.
This probably wouldnt work in California\Florida etc etc....

 

Just make sure you have the windows down, we dont want you to get heat stroke and pass out!

As for the avitar, go to edit options in your CP and click change avitar, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the use custom avitar. Then you can either choose to upload a pic or use a hosted one.

 

I used to have a 4 cylinder Corsica. The serpentine belt popped off and I drove it 15 miles @ about 65 MPH. When I shut it off, it was making ticking & hissing noises. That drive killed it, over the next week or so, it got worse & worse until MELTDOWN!

Now, if your water pump is good & you go > 35 MPH, you should be fine. My problem was effectively no water pump because the belt wasn't there to spin it. The no radiator idea would be fun, hehehe...

 

car looks like it's beat to hell, but she's got potential. I wish could've found one like that.

 

My first thoughts were a job for "Overhaulin", is'nt that a hidden camera in the 4x4? Its impossible to find anything thats inexpensive 3rd gen over here.
I would have bought it anyway.

 

If you run the heat on high it will help cool the engine.

 

Hey TurbomanKnight, you're in Brooklyn? Oh man are you gonna have a fun time trying to get through traffic. Might I suggest picking it up on a VERY early morning on a weekend? I usually take my GTA errr ummm.... "recreational" driving down the Belt Parkway around 5AM or 6AM on Sunday mornings since it's so empty. But the funny part is, by 10 o'clock on Saturday OR Sunday, all the highways around Brooklyn are packed just as bad as weekday afternoons.

What part of Brooklyn you from? I'm in Flatbush.

 

Im from Cypress Hills. East New York. I'll give you a hint, dont go too fast on the Belt Parkway. Too Much Pot Holes and speed bumps.

The GTA is located in Bayside, New York. There is 2 main Parkways I can take. But if traffic pops up, its gonna suck.

Thanks Guys for all the tips.

 

Yeah, I know about the potholes... lol

The area from Exit 15 all the way to the Cross Island is pretty clear for recreational driving though... I've done many a fun blast through there when it's clear without ever running into "one."

Good luck getting her home.

 

My new LT1 heads and custom cooling setup runs so cool that my fan never even turns on. I can beat on it as hard as i want and it never gets hot. I have a 195* thermostat a Weiand shorty water pump and an electric fan. But of course i have the fan turn on around 190* just to be safe.

 

You should be perfectly fine with the suggestions above. If you are really that worried about hurtinf something and it is guaranteed that the motor itself is bad, you could easily change it right there in no time flat. One of them anyway, unless you wanted to do both. Just a few screw/bolts holding it on. Can't see it taking more than 15 minutes or thereabouts. But not really necessary if you cruise straight home and if it gets near that redline, park immediately.

 

Hi,

I drove my wife's Corsica V6 for 30 - 35 minutes in the morning with fan not working, previous to redline, then you have about 30 minutes for your travel without problems.

Only a question:

Are you sure about overheating cause????...

Denis V.

 

thats cool you guys are from brooklyn, i used to hope on the belt toward brooklyn alot when i used to go to sheapshed. Im from ozone park, closer to you turbomanknight. how much you getting her for?

 

About a good $500-$700. The guy needs the money ASAP so helping the guy out wont be a crime.

 

Good price, considering the condition. Have you tried to hotwire the fans?

I drove my TTA eight miles with no serpentine belt - it broke on the freeway and I simply drove home QUICKLY and shut it off as SOON as I got into the parking stall, crooked and everything. Almost redlined the temperture gauge, but the car didn't seem to care once I replaced the belt THE VERY NEXT DAY and started it up. Still runs good.

 

ya you kinda need your water pump in the operational status because without it the coolant isjust sitting in the engine and parts like the cylinder head will heat up way hotter than the rest of the engine parts which will cause them to warp or crack which is bad.