Well, finally inspected, titled, and registered......

[Sparty95]

oh and leaking and out of commission in my garage :W

I don't want to bore anyone with the details besides the story would be much better over beer(s). The entire brake system has been redone and upgraded except two calipers which we rebuilt. Of course, they both leaked.....small leaks and decent enough brakes to get it inspected and legal.

So, I was pulling into the parts store to pick up the new calipers and the car overheated. I changed out the thermostat in the parking lot and added coolant. Life seemed pretty good, so I drove it to the house (about 5 blocks). As I was pulling into the driveway, the water temp gauge dropped to "zippo". I turned it off and the car began to spew coolant from the reservoir....and I means lots of coolant! And no, I didn't overfill it at the parts store.

This is what I'm thinking......reflush the system, recheck the new thermostat, and install a new water pump. About the temp gauge.....no thoughts really......the plastic housing seems pretty worn, but the actual connector seems to be fitting ok.

Oh and this car has been sitting for the past 15 years......I must also add that the first 20 minutes of being able to drive it (before the adventure began) was sheer bliss!! The cool thing was that my Mom was here for her yearly visit too, so she was able to see her "baby Vette" finally on the road again.....albeit briefly!

So, what do you guys think? Thanks in advance......Patti

 

[rascal_rascal_99]

What I think...the little headaches you go through getting it back in good running order again will all seem more than worth it once you're driving it worry free of anything going wrong!

 

[JohnZ]

What kind of radiator is in it, and how old is it?

 

[Tom Bryant]

It could be the new thermostat. I never install a new one without warming it up first in a pan of water with a thermometer to check when it opens, if at all. The fact that the temp guage dropped to zero makes me wonder if it had an air pocket in the engine.

Tom

 

[LittleRedFlatBack]

This is what I'm thinking......reflush the system, recheck the new thermostat, and install a new water pump.

So, what do you guys think? Thanks in advance......Patti

Patty, don't forget to look at the fan clutch operation. Without it, you will definately overheat, especially at lower speeds.

Good luck.

Dennis

 

[Sparty95]

The radiator does not appear to be original.....I am planning on pulling it out tomorrow on my day off and bring it to the shop for testing.....I'm sure a DeWitts is in my future

 

[Sparty95]

Well, I pulled it out yesterday and tested it.......it's working fine. I didn't drill a hole in the tstat yet.....think I should? Thanks, Patti

 

[Sparty95]

Checked the fan clutch out also and it is working properly.....so one more idea off my list. I have been spending alot of time reading the FAQ's and getting great information. So, I definitely appreciate that!

Good news........the brakes bled *finally* I'm a happy girl about that!

Oh and I'm checking the timing tomorrow also.....plan on doing that prior to the radiator check out. Maybe if I'm lucky that is the issue. So, I'm busy studying my Chilton's and making a reservation at the Holiday Inn Express lol

 

[67HEAVEN]

Oh and I'm checking the timing tomorrow also.....plan on doing that prior to the radiator check out. Maybe if I'm lucky that is the issue. So, I'm busy studying my Chilton's and making a reservation at the Holiday Inn Express lol

You go, girl.

 

[JohnZ]

Well, I pulled it out yesterday and tested it.......it's working fine. I didn't drill a hole in the tstat yet.....think I should? Thanks, Patti

No need to drill any holes in the thermostat - that's only required when using a Stewart Stage 2-3-4 aftermarket water pump - they don't have a bypass hole in the passenger side leg like the stock pumps do.

Is the radiator aluminum with no end tanks, or copper/brass with stamped end tanks?

 

[IH2LOSE]

Well first and foremost welcome to the forum. Congradulations on your maiden voyage with the car. Most of my first ride almost allways envolved a minor problem. Best of luck with the car

So no one has asked this yet so I will. how is the engine tune. I have had allot of folks tell me all of the things they have done to try and correct an over heating car and one of the most important and also one of the easyest is the timing, John Z has written some great articles on car timing and any one with a collectable car should have a copy and read it very informative and educational. Barry k has them in pdf form on his web site.

The next thing is the radiator. I know if you can find a radiator shop they can flow test them, We can actually do the same thing in your driveway with a hose and some fittings, but just because it flows it doesnt mean it will cool. 80% of the radiator can be blocked and still flow.

I would suggest checking the simple stuff ,making sure the lower suction hose still has its slinky in it so the hose isnt crushed and then using an infared thermometer to check temp across the radiator. if its warm/hot across the top and cooler on the bottom replace it because its glogged.

Best of luck