Cooling

[try2pas]

My 80 is running hot with 95 degree outside temps and the a/c running. If the 350 trany isn't locking up in high gear could that make the water run hot? And or I had the air dam piece replaced and the guy didn't put the black rubbers that hang down back onto the air dam. Could that too make it run hotter as the rubbers look to me like they'd force air up into the radiator area.

 

[bill81vette]

I don't know about the tranny locking up but the rubber running acoss the bottom of the air dam does need to be there to help push the air up thru the radiator also how are you seals around the radiator??? and are they all there???
how hot is hot on your vette???mine runs around 200

 

[jdp6000]

Your talking about the black rubber (like the one in the picture above) that hangs down from the spoiler....right? The rubber piece isn't for show. Its functional. It directs the air up at speeds. It does nothing at idle. Basically you need that piece.

Jim

 

[TMPJoe]

X2 on the black rubber piece. You need a fully functioning front spoiler on these cars!

Also 210-220 won't hurt the motor.. it can get up there on really hot days. like that

is the coolant fresh? try red line water wetter and a lower thermostat also

those help....

 

[SIXFOOTER]

To your original post, yes the tranny not locking up will cause more heat, so make sure it is working correctly

 

[LVMYVT76]

What rpm you running at 70 mph, that might help to determine if trans is in high gear or not.

 

[Evolution1980]

To your original post, yes the tranny not locking up will cause more heat, so make sure it is working correctly

How you figure that the trans not locking is going to induce significant temps into the water? The trans fluid will get hotter but that's about it. Unless you are figuring because the hot trans fluid goes through the same physical radiator as the coolant. When the tq converter locks up, you're only lowering engine rpms a couple of hundred...not really significant in the grand scheme of things. (As I understand things...but I'm still learning too...)

 

[Evolution1980]

What rpm you running at 70 mph, that might help to determine if trans is in high gear or not.

More specifically, we/you/he would need to know what rear end he has.

 

[try2pas]

I wouldn't know a radiator seal if I saw one. At 85 mph and about 95 degrees with the a/c on I was running about 240 degrees. 75 mph was 230. With ambient temp about 75 I run about 190 with no A/c going.

At 70 mph I am running about 2900 rpm. But when I depress the throttle the r's climb and then drop and then start climbing again and when I left off the throttle they jump up more.

 

[Evolution1980]

Easy way to tell if your torque converter lock-up solenoid is working...
Be driving on the highway, cruising. Not taking your foot off the gas, barely press on the brake pedal. If you see the tach jump a couple hundred RPM, your lock up is working just fine. Releasing the brake you see the RPMs drop a couple hundred back to where it was.

 

[XRayOne]

Hot running engine.

My 80 is running hot with 95 degree outside temps and the a/c running. If the 350 trany isn't locking up in high gear could that make the water run hot? And or I had the air dam piece replaced and the guy didn't put the black rubbers that hang down back onto the air dam. Could that too make it run hotter as the rubbers look to me like they'd force air up into the radiator area.

My 79 ran hot, ran really hot with the air on during the summer, high 80's and up with high humidity. I put in a 180 deg thermostat. Works for me. Additional info. The temp gauge made me very uncomfortable on a hot day. The car came with a new radiator which leaked @ joints, after fixing several times I replaced it. So I had a leak after the engine reached operating temp AND the engine was shut off. The stock thermostat was a 195. Poor airflow @ slower speeds and A/c condenser in front of radiator. Car ran hotter with A/C on. I replaced the radiator (exact replacement), hoses and swapped the thermostat for a 180 deg. It now runs in a cooler range even with the air on, I feel better, she runs great.

 

[TimAT]

There's a long jump between my 69 and your 80, I know. I was getting warm over 70 MPH too- not killer hot, just more than I wanted to see. Started looking at how to get more air thru the radiator, pulled the front license plate and bracket. No more hot.