Predator

Fellas, I had an overheating problem. One day it triggered the check gauges light. I pulled over and opened the hood, then when I got back on the road I turned off the AC and I was okay until I got home. I'm living in Las Vegas now so it's very hot, over 100 degrees everyday, but it didn't seem to me that modern vehicles (if a 2000 TA is considered "modern") should be overheating.

I swapped out my thermostat but the car would still head towards 230 but not as bad as the day it threw the check gauges light, so I decided to clean my air filter and inspect the radiator. The air filter was pretty dirty. I hit it against the pavement and lots of brown dirt fell out. Then I looked under the car at the radiator and I found a potato chip bag stuck against it, just one of those small size bags. I removed it and the car seems to be okay even in 110 degree temperatures.

My question is is it possible that just a small potato chip bag could block enough airflow to cause the car to overheat. I figure that maybe about 10% of the radiator was blocked. I don't know if it works this way but with 10% less cooling it seems that I would have 10% higher temps, so add 21 degrees or so to the normal gauge reading of about 215 and you get around 235 to 240 degrees which is where the temp gauge was at prior to removing the potato chip bag. Does this make any sense and is it possible that just a small chip bag could have been the cause of my overheating? Thanks.

LS6427

iTrader: (2)

Yes......a bag stuck up against the condenser or radiator can and often does cause cars to overheat.

Also....if your engine gets a LOT hotter when you turn the A/C on during a hot day....it's time to either clean the EXTERIOR surfaces if the condenser or just replace it. They get clogged up with every kind of road debris you can imagine and it kills the abilitiy of the airflow to pass through it......which makes it hot as hell....which makes your radiator lose its cooling efficiency.....which makes you overheat.
By turning the A/C off when this happens....the condenser quickly cools off and temps come right down.

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Predator

Thanks LS6427. I think I'm in pretty good shape now after removing that chip bag. Good to hear your reassurance that it's a reason for overheating.

Here in Vegas, I turn the AC on right after I start the car and the car hasn't been overheating since, but I still think I should take your advice and probably replace the radiator/ condenser. I drove the car all the way out here from Massachusetts travelling I10 through dusty Texas, New Mexico and Arizona.

Also, when I did my cam swap I remember accidentally crushing some of the fins pulling the condenser out and putting it back in the car. I bet that's not helping efficiency either.

Thanks again!

LS6427

iTrader: (2)

No need to replace the condenser unless its all clogged up with debris. They're just not worth removing and cleaning them. They're cheap.
Removing and replacing the refrigerant is a pain also, but doable at an a/c shop.

Sounds like you're all set though....so that's cool.

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Predator

Yeah, I should be all set for awhile. I found it hard to believe that a small potato chip bag could cause all that havoc.

I could use some maintenance on my AC (it's original), but I'm getting by.

Thanks again for your help.

kamesama980

Keep in mind there isn't a linear relationship between the radiator and engine temps due to the thermostat. It's more of a case of if you have enough cooling, you won't notice whether it's just right or way oversize OR you don't have enough cooling and you overheat and how far undersize just determines how fast the engine melts down.

Also check the air-dam under the front end. if it's damaged or missing you'll run into problems real quick.

You're right, 'modern' (and like you I count anything in the last 15 years in that category) should be fine in just about any condtions you can find...as long as everything is 100%. in 100+f weather, you're running close to the design limits so the last 10% is important, as you found out.

Lastly, the faster you go the more airflow there is and F-bodies don't have a lot of drag so they aren't working the engine nearly as hard as a 3 box car much less a pickup would at the same speed. therefore less overheating at high speed.

ajwoodtransport

Kamesame980 hit it perfectly. Plus what everybody else said....it's possible that a little bag could cause it to overheat, especially when the cooling system is already being pushed towards it's limits. The cooling system is (for lack of better wording) "exponential" so little things like high elevation, hot day, running a little lean, and or a bag of chips on the radiator can quickly overcome the system. For example, look at semi trucks in the winter...those winter radiator covers make a huge difference in the winter. You can tell a big difference just by partially blocking it...the down side is they cause uneven core temps and thus premature radiator failures. It probably wouldn't hurt to check a spark plug or two to see if they show signs of running lean, plus if you do clean out the radiator with air or water, try to go from the back side if possible and be careful not to bend the fins...it doesn't take much. You'd be amazed how much dirt and junk can come out of one. Hopefully the bag of chips was all it was.....Good luck.

garygnu

what temps are your fans coming on at ? is your cooling system bleed of all air ? dose your cooling system hold pressure ?if not consider a new cap for the overflow tank.