pantz28

I just need to know if that's normal. Yesterday, it was almost 90 degrees outside and I had a ton of running around to do. It seems like anytime the tempurature is above 80, and I run my AC, my car wants to overheat. I have an aftermarket coolant temp gauge, and even without the AC on, it was reading consistantly above 210. I have a 160 stat in there, and it just doesn't seem like it should be running that hot. I understand it's hot outside, but this seems kind of rediculous. I'm going to get a manual fan switch soon. Does anybody else have this problem? I would like to be able to drive my car more than 15 minutes and have the AC on this summer without having it overheat. Thanks in advance.

Quickin

No, its not normal. It doesn't matter if you have stock factory 346ci or big 436co stroker like I have, the stock factory cooling system is all you need to keep everything cool under any condition (other than all out racing in hot weather or heavy stop and go racing with the A/C on)

You should never go more than a needle width or maybe two neelde widths past the 210 mark.....during normal driving in any wether with the A/C on. If it can't...something is wrong.

I wish my thread from long ago was still available, but when I search for it its gone. Your car is almost as old as mine and you probably have the same problem I did. A clogged condensor. Its a free fix if it is but it takes some time, a couple hours.

You need to remove your radiator and then clean your condensor. If you can run around all day in traffci ...with the A/C "OFF" and the engine runs at a good temp.................but then you turn the A/C "ON" and it immediately starts to overheat.............you almost positively have a clogged condensor.

This is post from a thread where I explained it to someone esle. Check this out. Tell me if its your symptoms.

Here's something everyone should do as maintenance:

After my car was about 6 years old it started overheating BIG TIME and fast as soon as I turned the A/C on. It would go all the way into the red if I let it keep going. But would run cool with the A/C off, no matter how I drove it.

I cracked my radiator while changing the heads (leaning on it). While I was putting the new radiator in I noticed the A/C condensor (in front of the radiator and basically covers the entire main cooling area of the radiator) was almost 100% completely clogged up with ****. Dead grass, little sticks, tiny pebbles, pieces of wood chips....you name it. 85% of the surface was completely clogged. I couldn't see through it and my hose set on stream could not even blast through it at all.

I took it and banged it up against the frame of the car about 50 times and literally had a pile of **** on the ground underneath. It was amazing. It was like it was brand new and I could see light through the entire surface.

The overheating problem was 100% fixed. I can run my A/C with my 436 stroker all day in hot South Florida weather and my temp will never reach the 210 mark. I would have to race around with the A/C "on" for it to reach 210.

And this is not a guage thing. When my engine was getting hot I could open my hood and you couldn't touch ANYTHING without getting burned. The lid, the intake, my strut tower brace, the struts, the fuse boxes, etc..... Now I can open my hood anytime and touch all that stuff.

You have a 1998 too, do this as maintenance and see if it fixes your problem.

Starion

iTrader: (5)

My car will creep up past the 210 mark sometimes until the fan kicks in and then it'll drop back down. Have you adjusted the temp in which your fans come on? If not, the fans won't start until like 226 and then high fans at 234!The only advantage of the 160 stat over the 180 is that it'll buy you a little extra time before it gets to operating temp. If it keeps going higher and higher and never stops then it's definitely something to be worried about.

9299camaro

I'll attest to that. I have a 92 which one summer was overheating every time I had it out. I had it in to two different places, they each ran an AC diag. on it - charged me for it! - and found nothing wrong. I took it to a local guy who after putting it on the lift found that the space between the radiator and the compressor was packed with crap - leaves, sticks, all kinds of junk. Cleaned it out, problem solved. Then I got to rant and rave and get my diag. money back from the other 2 guys. Anyway, every year I would get in that space and clean it out, it just seems to suck up the road crap.

jimmyblue

iTrader: (11)

It is "normal" (or commonplace, if you live in the South).

The radiator is too damn small with a skinny core and it's
stuck behind the condenser sucking preheated air that's
wafting off the already hot blacktop due to the bottom
breather airflow scheme.

I bought a LT1 radiator to improve on this but it got wet
in flood water and rusted the tranny cooler ports so it's
useless to install The LT1 rads have a substantially
thicker core.

Had the rad off for cam swap and there sure was a bunch
of crap stuck in the condenser and radiator fins. Only a
garden hose or shop air will do for that, nuisance but a
good idea for "spring cleaning". And maybe a screen over
the inlet area?

taintedmeat

iTrader: (1)

LT1 radiator keeps my temps pretty solid.

pantz28

Next weekend I'll have to take a look at the condensor. I have to do a whole bunch of other **** to it anyway. Thanks guys for your suggestions. Quicken, I think this may solve my problem. Any jimmyblue, this car is a FL car. It's up in NY now, but this would happen in FL as well. I'll let you know what I find, and post pics if that is the problem for anybody else that has this problem. Thanks again.

Quickin

If its clogged and you clean it out you will run cooler. Just think, everyone, including me, sets their fans to come on earlier, but if the condensor is clogged, 10 fans trying to suck air through the condensor and radiator will do absolutely NOTHING. Fans are useless if the airflow is blocked.

You can leave the A/C lines all hooked up. Just smack it real hard against the frame in front of the condensor. If you don't want to hit it right against the paint on the frame, which you can['t see anyway once you put it all back together, put a towel over it first.

Give it a shot.


.

pantz28

Ok, I did this over the weekend. I had SOME crap in there, but not that much at all. And just as I thought, I have the same problem. Do you think I should check to make sure my fans are coming on at the right time and at the correct speed? I know they are both coming on, if they weren't, I'd be overheating all the time. The car does seem to run a little hotter even without the A/C on though. If I'm driving it for a while (it's 80+ degrees outside), the needle will start to peek past 210. Is there anyway the tune that I originally had somehow went back to defaut fan settings? I'm just not sure what's gonig on, but I have quite a bit of travel for work this summer and this is my DD, so I need to get this fixed ASAP.

pantz28

Gotta TTT

Desert Rat

iTrader: (1)

It's not normal. It's been consistently around 110+ degrees here all week on my commute home. The temp guage isn't budging from its normal spot at just under the 210 mark. If you're overheating, something is wrong. Mine is a 2000.

Quickin

Check the fans for both speeds.

Start the engine while cold with the A/C "off" and wait for it to warm up until the fans come on "low". CAREFULLY reach your hand behind each fan and feel the power level of each fan. Than immediately go turn on the A/C and come right back to the fans. MINE will go onto "high" when I turn the A/C on. See if yours go into "high".

If they do. You now need to check your T-Stat to see if its working. I put mine in a pot of water on the stove to see if mine worked at the proper temp. Or just buy a new 160 degree t-stat and put it in.

Is your front "air dam" ok, or did it get hammered backwards on a parking block.

Do you get real hot if you just let it sit in the parking spot and run for 20 minutes........or ONLY when you go for a drive?


.

pantz28

It will stay at pretty much normal temps with the A/C off. Yesterday after some extensive driving for work, by the time I got to the office it was creeping up to 215 degrees. If I let it sit for 20 minutes, it won't get hot. It's got to be the stat or the fans. The only reason I can't rule out the stat is because I have it tuned for the 160 degree, it will still reach just over 210 degrees if I drive long enough, but the fact that it will quickly overheat with the A/C on tells me it might be the fans. Maybe both are screwed. I'll check them both and post the results. Thanks for the suggestions.

JR HAWK 9

iTrader: (3)

I ran around with mine in hot and humid ambient temps with the A/C on and mine will hover between 200-209. I had to idle for a good 10 minutes to wait for a train and the temp never went above 208 or 209 (I have a ScanGauge that lets me monitor my temp as reported by the PCM). I also have a 160 stat (fans adjusted accordingly) and also have the "ram air" plate installed on my Fast Toys Ram Air system that blocks quit a bit of the frontal area of the radiator.

nickls1

iTrader: (2)

Hey man I had this problem last week too. Its around 110 daily here now and my car usually runs just over 210 maybe 215. The gauge was staying around 230 or more with my a/c on. I got a new thermostat ($47 at the stealership, but I wouldnt use any other parts), and some Redline Water Wetter at Autozone($10). Now my car is running right around 200 at all times. Never goes above that even when I beat the hell out of it in 110 degrees. So if you have never changed the stat go ahead and do that. Also, you may want to change your mix of dexcool to distilled water. Its better for cooling if you have more water in the mix. Mine is about 25% dexcool, with the rest distilled water and a bottle of redline. If you are willing to wait a week you might as well get a 180 deg stat from a sponsor too. Hope this helps.

pantz28

Ok guys, well I just went out to check what was going on. I bought a 160 stat by Mr. Gasket from Summit just in case it was the stat, but I don't think it is. I just went out and turned the car on until it got to operating temps and when it reached that point, the fans didn't come on. I then turn the A/C on high, the fans still didn't come on. Finally I took it for a spin around the neighborhood, when I got back, only one fan was on (the left fan when standing in front of the car). The right fan was still off. So I'm strongly assuming that this is my problem. If I was tuned for a 160 degree stat, and it's not coming on until 210, we have a problem. Anybody have the best way to fix this?

Quickin

That is DEFINITELY your over heating problem. Check all fuses first, than check to see if any wires for the fans are split, worn through, burnt or whatever...If everything looks good you need new fans. Just get them both from the dealer. Install them, plug'em in and you're done.

But make sure the fans THEMSELVES are bad.

.

slmdLS1

iTrader: (8)

im having the same symptoms, but my fans are working, manual switch is usually on when im driving.

pantz28

How can I tell if the fuses are bad? I know where they are, but how can you tell from looking at them that they are bad?

pantz28

Good lookin' guys! Switched out the relay and we're in business. I wish I had thought of it sooner before ripping everything apart buy hey, you live and learn. I almost got pissed because at first I switched the wrong relay, so it started to overheat again. Then I switched them when I got back to work. Both fans are up and running. It's gonna be nice to be able to use A/C in the summer. Thanks again.