Overheating/Cooling Problem
Overheating/Cooling Problem Alright so I just bought a 1996 Z28 that was sitting for a while. I replaced the thermostat after driving home and realized it was overheating, the coolant was spewing out of the reservoir tank. I then flushed out the system and changed the coolant putting dexcool in it.
It still overheats, the fans are running fine, the radiator seems ok, the hoses arent that bad but could be replaced. The only thing that is left is the waterpump. Do you guys think that it can be the water pump or is there something else I am not thinking about?
Also the display on the factory radio was working during the day but now the light is off, what can be causing this? its just the display and also the lights on the shift box
It still overheats, the fans are running fine, the radiator seems ok, the hoses arent that bad but could be replaced. The only thing that is left is the waterpump. Do you guys think that it can be the water pump or is there something else I am not thinking about?
Also the display on the factory radio was working during the day but now the light is off, what can be causing this? its just the display and also the lights on the shift box
12 Second Club
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 815
Likes: 2
From: Chicago, IL
More than likely its your radiator cap... If the caps bad your car wont hold pressure, Which will cause it to overheat... Check this, Im 95% sure this is the problem.... As for the radio ect... Check the fuses.
Man if thats true im gonna be pissed, but wouldnt it be leaking from the cap....
Dude youre the man.. so far so good i took it for a 7 mile ride just now and let it run for like 15 minutes and it was a good chunk under 200... The true test will be tomorrow in the heat of arizona 
ill keep you posted
ill keep you posted Well not so good... as i expected in the heat after work at like 4 pm 110 degrees plus the car overheated in just 6 miles from my work to my house. Took it to a full service shop and the guy mentioned two words I was dreading which were head gasket. I hope it isnt but I had to leave it overnight over there for them to check out.
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I did notice one thing the little air box thing that goes from under the radiator to the intake was not connected to the intake. Would that make a difference in overheating or no?
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 815
Likes: 2
From: Chicago, IL
115* is some serious heat that can take a toll on any car.... Well because your cap was bad, You could have air trapped in your radiator now... Im assuming you replaced the cap, Now you have to get the air out of the radiator then you should be set.... A little trick to help with the overheating for the time being. Disconnect the plug to the A/C Compressor and turn the A/C in the car on, No air is going to come on but its gonna trick the car into thinking its on and it will keep the fans running constantly..... This will keep the engine a alot cooler than letting it reach peak temp then having them kick in.....
It very well could be a Head gasket, But air in the radiator could also be the problem....
It very well could be a Head gasket, But air in the radiator could also be the problem....
Last edited by breze84; Jul 28, 2009 at 03:26 AM.
115* is some serious heat that can take a toll on any car.... Well because your cap was bad, You could have air trapped in your radiator now... Im assuming you replaced the cap, Now you have to get the air out of the radiator then you should be set.... A little trick to help with the overheating for the time being. Disconnect the plug to the A/C Compressor and turn the A/C in the car on, No air is going to come on but its gonna trick the car into thinking its on and it will keep the fans running constantly..... This will keep the engine a alot cooler than letting it reach peak temp then having them kick in.....
It very well could be a Head gasket, But air in the radiator could also be the problem....
It very well could be a Head gasket, But air in the radiator could also be the problem....
doing an overhaul on the motor with forged pistons etc all the internal work and bore to a 383
12 Second Club
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 815
Likes: 2
From: Chicago, IL
Yeah well I will find out tomorrow on what is wrong with it, I was thinking if it is a bad Rad then I might buy a Griffin Radiator... but who knows I released the air from the system and it was still overheating, im hoping for water pump or radiator, if it is the head gasket I might have to do the engine work sooner than I had planned...
doing an overhaul on the motor with forged pistons etc all the internal work and bore to a 383
doing an overhaul on the motor with forged pistons etc all the internal work and bore to a 383
They told me the Radiator is plugged up but when I have the cap off engine running it seems to be taking water in ok... My uncle insist that its air bublles I doubt that, we drained and refilled it twice today and its still overheating, I think im just gonna replace the radiator with the one in my v6 camaro which is a Z28 radiator anyway and see how it works...
The thing that boggles my mind is that all my air sensor codes went off today including TPS and stuff Im not sure if its because it got too hot or what, but also it reached almost 280 and when I turned the Z off it wasnt bubbling or boiling which is weird
The thing that boggles my mind is that all my air sensor codes went off today including TPS and stuff Im not sure if its because it got too hot or what, but also it reached almost 280 and when I turned the Z off it wasnt bubbling or boiling which is weird
12 Second Club
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 815
Likes: 2
From: Chicago, IL
They told me the Radiator is plugged up but when I have the cap off engine running it seems to be taking water in ok... My uncle insist that its air bublles I doubt that, we drained and refilled it twice today and its still overheating, I think im just gonna replace the radiator with the one in my v6 camaro which is a Z28 radiator anyway and see how it works...
The thing that boggles my mind is that all my air sensor codes went off today including TPS and stuff Im not sure if its because it got too hot or what, but also it reached almost 280 and when I turned the Z off it wasnt bubbling or boiling which is weird
The thing that boggles my mind is that all my air sensor codes went off today including TPS and stuff Im not sure if its because it got too hot or what, but also it reached almost 280 and when I turned the Z off it wasnt bubbling or boiling which is weird
Just found my problem guys... SPLIT RADIATOR... the only reason why the coolant level seems good is because of the pressure built up inside of it, its basically been reading steam instead of water, I was really hoping I didnt have to take the front clip off to do this 
Ok so upon taking the radiator out I decided to flush from the heater core line, block inlet and block outlet... and theres was barely any water coming out, I pressured the system and voila water running beautifully through the pipes, but the heater core was different... SO I had to pull out the heater core and unclogged it. So I threw in the new radiator anyway just in case and now temp sits right above 180 which is damn good to me, I am running no thermostat in it until winter.
Problem solved... Now to do Tranny, Suspension and brakes and start the motor rebuild process... 383 here we come
Problem solved... Now to do Tranny, Suspension and brakes and start the motor rebuild process... 383 here we come
You should be fine with a 160 degree thermo... if youre overheating do a pressure test and make sure its not your radiator or radiator cap first
