Is she overheating????

[DDLS3]

Tony,

In case you can't find what you want in oz, here are a couple of links that will have it. www.jegs.com www.summitracing.com Both have toll free numbers as well and would be happy to answer any questions.

I have bought from both and have no complaints.

 

[78SilvAnniv]

Heidi, Do you have a pic you could post or send us?

Hi Tony, I did try to post a pic of my flex fan in my above post, but it didn't take for some reason. :confused
It was my first picture attempt since the new forum software change, so maybe I did something wrong. I will try again, and if it does not post with this message, please send me a PM with your email address and I will email you pics directly.

billyvette...just you WAIT until you get the chambered exhaust and headers installed! You will L-O-V-E it!
I haven't been able to drive my 78 since late October when I slapped #4 piston the intake valve, bending the valve and pushrod. Kenny pulled the engine to replace the heads (better ones) and #4 piston (had some valve dents). Block is all put together and ready to drop right in...but now we have to do the front bushings...Kenny pressure washed away some of the originals.
Heidi

 

[ness5353]

i have a simple question (i think), does water wetter really work? on a hot day my 72 will just about peg the thermo gauge....i hate it!

 

[Bob Chadwick]

Rod,

There is a split camp on this with people coming in on both sides of the fence. I personally don't use it.

Post your situation. People will ask some questions and maybe they can help you figure out your problem.

Bob

 

[JohnZ]

Step #1 is to verify that you really have a problem; shoot your thermostat housing and upper hose with an I.R. gun and compare that reading with what your temp gauge says at the same time so you know what the gauge is really telling you. Most Corvette temp gauges read high, especially if the sender has been replaced.

 

[MoeJr]

220-230 for a Vette in traffic is not bad. My 84 will go too 228 then the fan kicks on and cools it right down. It does this no matter whether it is 90F or 0F. Also try a 180 TStat. I changed my 160 Tstat in my old Pontiac to a 180 and found the temp control was better.

 

[AUSSIEVETTEMAN]

Tony,
In case you can't find what you want in oz, here are a couple of links that will have it. www.jegs.com www.summitracing.com Both have toll free numbers as well and would be happy to answer any questions.
I have bought from both and have no complaints.

Thanks Dale. I will look around, but I will source outside Oz if I can't get something here. The Aussie dollar is pretty good at the moment, but it is the 15% duty plus 10% GST that hurts a little. By the time you factor in shipping, the cost is usually around 2.5 times the US amount. (Ouch)

Cheers

Tony

 

[AUSSIEVETTEMAN]

Pic

Hi Tony, I did try to post a pic of my flex fan in my above post, but it didn't take for some reason....Heidi

Thanks Heidi, the pic was OK. Two inch spacer hey.
I have a spacer about that thick as the last fan was a fixed 6 blade Holden fan by the look of it. I'll just use that and the longer bolts.

I spoke to the local speed shop near home and he said he has a flex fan in which Warner Bros Movie World uses on their stunt cars. He said these cars do some serious stuff at low speeds, but these fans keep them cool.
Sounds like a plan!

Thanks

Tony

 

[AUSSIEVETTEMAN]

OK, dull the lights and break out the drinks!

Problem solved!

Thanks guys for all your help.

My personal opinion was the airflow or lack of it through my cooling system was the problem. We needed to increase this flow. First thing I did when the Vette came home was to install the new Air Dam and the rubber skirts/ extensions. Then came the flex fan idea suggested by Heidi. ;worship

We took her for a 'highway drive' and an 'in traffic drive' and noticed differences in the system straight away.

Highway driving we maintain temps of 160 degrees (71.68 degrees celcius) as apposed to the old 170 degrees (77.28 degrees celcius) and traffic driving sees temps not even tip 200. She sits on around 190 degrees (88.48 degrees celcius).
Mind you the outside temp was not as high as it was the other day, it was around 32.

What I wanted is for the cooling system to maintain lower temps just incase the coolant level or the pressurisation was not working.
Coolant can only be of benefit if the system is pressurised. It's job is to raise the boiling temp from the same as water alone to around 250 degrees (125 degrees celcius)
For example, if the cap was not pressurising the system, then the coolant would not effectively disperse through the water in the system, it relies on being pushed through the water. This would result in the boiling temperature reducing to normal water boiling temps, which are around 212 degrees (100 degrees celcius). You can now see the problem if the temps are 210!
Same could be said about the lack of coolant in the system. Lets say the system lets you down out in the middle of nowhere and you have to fill the system with water only because you would not have enough coolant to bring her up to a 50/50 glycol mix. Then this would also reduce your boiling temp to the same as water. Most of us would not know if we have an overheating problem until major damage was done and the mechanic told us that the coolant levels were not maintained or the cap was not pressurising the system causing it to boil until it finally cooked the engine.
We rely on a lot from this system to keep our Vettes cool on the inside, they are way too cool on the outside!
At least my old girl can keep her cool now, with or without coolant.

My airflow sucked or maybe it didn't!!

Cheers

Tony

 

[g046678]

overheating

Thought I'd throw my two cents in.

I have a 1978 Vette, and have had terrible overheating problems. I tried everything to no avail. The only problem I had was in stop-and-go traffic. Living in Atlanta, that is a daily occurence.
Over the winter I rebuilt the engine and in the process got rid of the shroud and replaced the clutch fan with a pair of spal fans. I'd already replaced the radiator with a beCool Aluminum. The fans turn on at around 200 degrees.

Now when I run the car I see the temp gauge slowly climb, but when the fans kick in it drops down 10 degrees. Simply amazing. I've moved to Florida, and I have yet to run it in heavy traffic. Still feeling out the engine and making sure there are no problems. But so far so good.

 

[brusso]

It's a little noisey but I love it!! If you've read my "say it ain't so" thread, you know that I was in the proccess of replacing my radiator. After reading this thread, I decided to go with a flex fan also. Nothing special, just a $30 17 inch fan and a $10 2 and change inch spacer from CAR QUEST. What a differrence in air flow!! Running a 180 stat, my temps never get close to the 200 mark, on the gauge. Whether it be a 80 mph 30 min blast or stop and go traffic, the temp stays between the mark, below 200 deg, and 200 deg. Before the changeover I was running temps steady at 200, on the gauge, with the same stat.

 

[wishuwerehere82]

Now that the problem is solved, I thought it would be a good time to mention one of the most heinous and sinister causes of overheating problems. LEAVES. They are not visible at first glance, but can really pile up in between the A/C condensor and the radiator. I was amazed at how many fell out when I removed my radiator. I guess that the Fall rides scooped them up every year since the car was new.

Sounds stupid, doesn't it?