Sooo.....with the stock Iroc CAI, my car was running mid to high 180s in the dead of summer. Nice. .....took it in for paint this winter, and since ultimately my goal is a custom CAI, I didn't want to scratch paint on the radiator support with the stock airbox. I put on a K&N universal cone filter as a temporary fix. Now, temps THIS summer are about 10 degrees hotter across the board. On the highway I'm around 193-195, idles with fans at around the same, maybe a tick higher, and around town I'm at about 200.

If the intake alone is cause for this, I'm fine. 200 isn't really that bad, and I have my custom CAI coming soon. Still, that seems like a lot hotter temps for just a "hot air" intake set up. Again, not talking intake air temps, actual operating temps. ...wondering if there's another issue somewhere.

 

Well you have a completely different fuel injection system now with much more control over AFR. Maybe you're just running leaner.

 

Nah, last summer I had the 383/Holley too. ...literally NOTHING changed except the filter. ...and of course father time. Not sure what coulda gone wrong in 4th months at the painter

 

How's your baffling in front of the radiator? Got foam or something on both sides of the radiator core between the core and rad support? Got all the plastic baffles and ducting under the front bumper? There's quite a bit of thought from GM engineers to channel airflow through the radiator, and some people (the bonehead that had my Iroc before me, for example) like to rip all that "extra garbage" out, then don't understand why they have overheating problems.

 

I can't speak for the foam on the sides, although i don't think I've EVER had it in there. ...everything else is as it should be. Running in the low 200's isn't really BAD....and it's been painfully hot out, so I'm not really sweatin (no pun intended) too badly.

 

I doubt the air intake had that much effect on the operating temp. Something else has changed; could even just be the gauge or sending unit. Or even, Bondo dust on the radiator or condenser. Try the quarter car wash vigorously on the radiator.

Still, the temps you quote, are just fine.

 

Agreed. That's what I kinda thought too.

 

I'm assuming you checked your coolant level and are not low on coolant....

 

Thermostat sticking

 

Ya know I thought that too. I'm gonna flush everything anyhow, and had planned on replacing the stat while I'm in there. Yes, coolant level is good.