I have been trying to diagnose a cooling problem for about a month now, and I have (finally) decided to take it to a shop. Just out of curiousity, though, I have one more question.

My fans are running all the time. I have tried two new thermostats, new cap, back flushed the system, replaced hoses, pretty much everything. My car will sometimes overheat going down the road or other times once I stop, and decides (all of a sudden) to go back to normal. Sometimes it will cool down after I stop, and sometimes it will cool down once I start moving (see how this is different than most overheating problems, it is not consistent AT ALL). And on top of all of this, other times I can drive it for 30 plus miles and not ever get it to overheat in 90 degree weather......my guage seems to be working properly since when it overheats and I pull over, turn it off and the temp. will gradually go down.




Now, for my "tpi related" questions. I have been thinking about what could have happened to cause this, and while talking to my Dad about it, he asked if it started overheating right after I put on that "stupid aftermarket intake". I said no, but later realized that he was right. It didn't overheat right after, but I started noticing it about a week after. SO......what could I have screwed up while installing a new base and runners? Could I have blocked a coolant passage? I figure if that would have happened I would notice a cooling problem immediately and always?????

Please help me out, so I can at least know what to tell my mechanic.

Thanks-
Jonathan

 

no one?????

 

That's a tough one...What about your radiator and water pump? I am just throwing ideas out there. What about any restrictions in front of the radiator? Also you fans should not run all the time unless your air is on...

As for any areas that could be upset during an intake swap...I think about the only you could do would be to install the gasket incorrectly, which I think you would know about by now...

I hope your mechanic is good...

 

I know my fans aren't supposed to run all the time. I bought it that way and haven't figured it out, yet. I don't think this should cause a problem, though.
But a bad water pump could do this? I have only had leaking pumps never a malfunctioning one. I might be willing to swap that out before I take it to him.....what do you think?

 

I had overheatng issues before.. it ended up being a number of things.. I started as you did with thermostat and radiator flush.. i put in a 170* thermostat and drilled 4 ver small holes in it to keep a little coolant moving through before it even opens..

Still had issue.. a couple times it was the fans.. i have replaced both fan motors now.. $40 from a dealer.. probably cheaper at gmpartsdirect.com and my water pump did go out on me.. without leaking.. I put in a stewart high flow water pump, the 170* thermostat, flushed the radiator.. which at one time had to be fixed.. and i haven't had any overheating problems since.. unless of course i am in 100* weather sitting in traffic.. which is just unstoppable..

Oh yea.. MAKE SURE THE AIR DAMN is still there.. if not.. you will have issues..

 

Thanks for the reply, Shaun. My air dam is still intact. I guess I will change out the water pump since it is not THAT hard or expensive.

 

What kind of intake did you install?

 

It is in my sig above, but it is an Edelbrock base, Accel Runners and a plenum ported by Lingenfelter.....