Whats the best way to cool off a turbo?
02-14-2006, 02:23 PM
#41
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Originally Posted by Phate
If it is a 3-bar tune in HPT I don't think run of the mill HPT will be able to do anything with the PCM. Was the car tuned with your copy of HPT that is now no longer working?
It currently has the HPT tune on it and I do not have a copy of that bin file.
02-14-2006, 02:42 PM
#42
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I'm going to tell you the one you don't want to hear. You're not overheating. You've probably got a bad head gasket.
You're pushing air into the coolant system and blowing the coolant out which then will get recongized as the overheating condition that you have described. You've got plenty of air flow on the freeway even as you blow coolant out of the system becasue the water pump flow is high enough to get things moved around even as you loose the coolant. Then when you come down to the streets, there just isn't enough coolant in the systems and the pump can no longer circulate what's left fast enough at the lower RPMs. Get stuck at a light and the fans arn't enough flow by themselves and things just go bad quickly.
Check you're radiator cap to see if it's been popped. Get a new 18lbs vented cap and see if it holds. If you can't go more than 15 miles in stop and go traffic, the gasket is gone. Just take a jug of coolant and some towels to open and refill the radiator on the way home.
The GM dealers and Bars Leaks have a 4-6 tablet sealer kits that works well for minor gasket issues. If you can't get it to seal after two applications of this stuff, it's time for gaskets.
Rick
You're pushing air into the coolant system and blowing the coolant out which then will get recongized as the overheating condition that you have described. You've got plenty of air flow on the freeway even as you blow coolant out of the system becasue the water pump flow is high enough to get things moved around even as you loose the coolant. Then when you come down to the streets, there just isn't enough coolant in the systems and the pump can no longer circulate what's left fast enough at the lower RPMs. Get stuck at a light and the fans arn't enough flow by themselves and things just go bad quickly.
Check you're radiator cap to see if it's been popped. Get a new 18lbs vented cap and see if it holds. If you can't go more than 15 miles in stop and go traffic, the gasket is gone. Just take a jug of coolant and some towels to open and refill the radiator on the way home.
The GM dealers and Bars Leaks have a 4-6 tablet sealer kits that works well for minor gasket issues. If you can't get it to seal after two applications of this stuff, it's time for gaskets.
Rick
02-14-2006, 02:47 PM
#43
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thats what I originally thought, but we couldnt find anything seeping from the heads at all.
Occasionally I am low on coolant/water in the radiator and will have to fill it up a small amount, but do not see any leaks at all.
There is only 2k miles on this setup, is it possible to blow up the head gaskets so soon on low boost (12psi)?
I think he used cometic head gaskets, and hear they are pretty tough to destroy.
If I blew a head gasket, which i Fuggin better not have, how could this have happened?
Im sure there are plenty of other people that run more boost/HP and not run into that issue.
Occasionally I am low on coolant/water in the radiator and will have to fill it up a small amount, but do not see any leaks at all.
There is only 2k miles on this setup, is it possible to blow up the head gaskets so soon on low boost (12psi)?
I think he used cometic head gaskets, and hear they are pretty tough to destroy.
If I blew a head gasket, which i Fuggin better not have, how could this have happened?
Im sure there are plenty of other people that run more boost/HP and not run into that issue.
02-14-2006, 02:50 PM
#44
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Originally Posted by 2001-WS6
I'm going to tell you the one you don't want to hear. You're not overheating. You've probably got a bad head gasket.
You're pushing air into the coolant system and blowing the coolant out which then will get recongized as the overheating condition that you have described. You've got plenty of air flow on the freeway even as you blow coolant out of the system becasue the water pump flow is high enough to get things moved around even as you loose the coolant. Then when you come down to the streets, there just isn't enough coolant in the systems and the pump can no longer circulate what's left fast enough at the lower RPMs. Get stuck at a light and the fans arn't enough flow by themselves and things just go bad quickly.
Check you're radiator cap to see if it's been popped. Get a new 18lbs vented cap and see if it holds. If you can't go more than 15 miles in stop and go traffic, the gasket is gone. Just take a jug of coolant and some towels to open and refill the radiator on the way home.
The GM dealers and Bars Leaks have a 4-6 tablet sealer kits that works well for minor gasket issues. If you can't get it to seal after two applications of this stuff, it's time for gaskets.
Rick
You're pushing air into the coolant system and blowing the coolant out which then will get recongized as the overheating condition that you have described. You've got plenty of air flow on the freeway even as you blow coolant out of the system becasue the water pump flow is high enough to get things moved around even as you loose the coolant. Then when you come down to the streets, there just isn't enough coolant in the systems and the pump can no longer circulate what's left fast enough at the lower RPMs. Get stuck at a light and the fans arn't enough flow by themselves and things just go bad quickly.
Check you're radiator cap to see if it's been popped. Get a new 18lbs vented cap and see if it holds. If you can't go more than 15 miles in stop and go traffic, the gasket is gone. Just take a jug of coolant and some towels to open and refill the radiator on the way home.
The GM dealers and Bars Leaks have a 4-6 tablet sealer kits that works well for minor gasket issues. If you can't get it to seal after two applications of this stuff, it's time for gaskets.
Rick
If I try that sealer stuff and its not the issue, will it damage anything? or can I just try it and see if it helps?
02-14-2006, 03:06 PM
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Originally Posted by A DEE O
Do you monitor you A/F while womping on that thing. How is that? Welcome to the wonderful would of FI. Sometimes it can make you 
ya, a/f was fine, at WOT it started at like 13.5 in low RPMS, then jumped to low 11's and maxed out at low/mid 12's
PSI of boost only seemed to go to 11/11.5 or so though, not the 12.5 that he said it was tuned on.
Does that also sound wierd?
We also seemed to be able to pick up some knock on the whole WOT third gear run. We dont know if its fake or not.
02-14-2006, 03:07 PM
#47
With a headgasket leak like the one described above you won't see any seepage externally except for the coolant being pushed out of the jug. It is combustion gases passing into the coolant system through a small gasket failure which then superheats the coolant and sometimes makes it boil which then causes it to push out the overflow jug. Like was stated above, while driving the water pump and air across the rad is enough to compensate. They make special testers that test for the presense of Co2 in the coolant system. If you have Co2 gases in the coolant it is definitely a head gasket.
02-14-2006, 03:12 PM
#48
Check the level in the overflow.... if the car is pushing air into the system, I'd think that something would show up on the level in there.
Another thing to think about doing is that if the fans are working in the proper direction ( on front of radiator, pushing air thru it ) and it's only giving you toruble at slow speeds/ city driving, maybe get a mez. electric water pump, they have a constant flow rate, wether the car is sitting at idle or at 6000 rpm, this could solve the issue, it would make alot more coolant get moved around in the slow city traffic situation, a low t-stat at the same time would only make sense as well.
Can the factory air dam be put back on, or is some of the tubing in the way? Might help, as it is supposed to force air up to the radiator.
I wonder if a compression check would show a bad head gasket? This might be worth doing, not sure if the motor would have to be up to temp, cold, or what to have it tell you anything... but something to try.
Another thing to think about doing is that if the fans are working in the proper direction ( on front of radiator, pushing air thru it ) and it's only giving you toruble at slow speeds/ city driving, maybe get a mez. electric water pump, they have a constant flow rate, wether the car is sitting at idle or at 6000 rpm, this could solve the issue, it would make alot more coolant get moved around in the slow city traffic situation, a low t-stat at the same time would only make sense as well.
Can the factory air dam be put back on, or is some of the tubing in the way? Might help, as it is supposed to force air up to the radiator.
I wonder if a compression check would show a bad head gasket? This might be worth doing, not sure if the motor would have to be up to temp, cold, or what to have it tell you anything... but something to try.
02-14-2006, 03:15 PM
#49
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Originally Posted by 2000 Tran Zam
ya, a/f was fine, at WOT it started at like 13.5 in low RPMS, then jumped to low 11's and maxed out at low/mid 12's
PSI of boost only seemed to go to 11/11.5 or so though, not the 12.5 that he said it was tuned on.
Does that also sound wierd?
We also seemed to be able to pick up some knock on the whole WOT third gear run. We dont know if its fake or not.
PSI of boost only seemed to go to 11/11.5 or so though, not the 12.5 that he said it was tuned on.
Does that also sound wierd?
We also seemed to be able to pick up some knock on the whole WOT third gear run. We dont know if its fake or not.
Boost will vary from street to dyno no surprise there.
What percent knock, and where would you be getting false knock..
Don't beat on the car until you get it figured out. Someone needs to check your tune.
02-14-2006, 03:18 PM
#50
If the factory air dam is gone that might lead to problems. My buddy removed his air dam because it was "scrapping my driveway" and it annoyed him so he removed it. A few days later he popped the head gaskets from overheating. This was on a stock 95 LT1.
02-14-2006, 03:18 PM
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Seems like that A/F is a little high...personally I like to be between 11.2-11.5 on the street.
The amount of miles on the motor really has nothing to do with how long the head gaskets will last, it is all in the tune. I forget from the other posts, but was the motor tuned on 91 octane? That is as high as you can get in AZ, correct?
There is a tool that shops have that can tell you if the head gasket is gone or not...basically they take a sample of the coolant and use a chemical on it...if it turns a cetain color then it is the gasket.
One of the things that comes with FI or high HP applications is that things will only last so long. This is your first problem, but I can guarantee that there will be a lot more bumps along the road.
The amount of miles on the motor really has nothing to do with how long the head gaskets will last, it is all in the tune. I forget from the other posts, but was the motor tuned on 91 octane? That is as high as you can get in AZ, correct?
There is a tool that shops have that can tell you if the head gasket is gone or not...basically they take a sample of the coolant and use a chemical on it...if it turns a cetain color then it is the gasket.
One of the things that comes with FI or high HP applications is that things will only last so long. This is your first problem, but I can guarantee that there will be a lot more bumps along the road.
02-14-2006, 03:36 PM
#54
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If the motor got overheated really badly the first time that you got it back you could have popped that gasket or cracked a head. How hot did it actually get?
02-14-2006, 03:55 PM
#55
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Without the stock air dam underneath even a a stock car will run hot and potentially overheat. You need to put one back one, cut it if you have to fit any pipes, but you need it for sure.
Now top up the radiator.
Turn on car.
Top off as level goes down.
Put cap on.
Verify BOTH fans work.
You need more cooling than STOCK now. Stop thinking STOCK.
My fans come on like at 170, and they are on a lot. That's how it works.
If you have to top up coolant day after day, and you have no leaks, you are burning it. A few pints every other day is a gasket IMO.
IMO you have a radical car, and you probably need a local guy to work with you, and Alan, to maintain it. Does not sound like you know much about cars and are in deep waters.
Now top up the radiator.
Turn on car.
Top off as level goes down.
Put cap on.
Verify BOTH fans work.
You need more cooling than STOCK now. Stop thinking STOCK.
My fans come on like at 170, and they are on a lot. That's how it works.
If you have to top up coolant day after day, and you have no leaks, you are burning it. A few pints every other day is a gasket IMO.
IMO you have a radical car, and you probably need a local guy to work with you, and Alan, to maintain it. Does not sound like you know much about cars and are in deep waters.
02-14-2006, 04:00 PM
#56
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Originally Posted by Pro Stock John
Does not sound like you know much about cars and are in deep waters.
Well, I guess the only way Ive ever learned is by breaking ****.
But this is something I definately dont want to learn the hard way on.
02-14-2006, 04:05 PM
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Originally Posted by Pro Stock John
Without the stock air dam underneath even a a stock car will run hot and potentially overheat. You need to put one back one, cut it if you have to fit any pipes, but you need it for sure.
Now top up the radiator.
Turn on car.
Top off as level goes down.
Put cap on.
Verify BOTH fans work.
You need more cooling than STOCK now. Stop thinking STOCK.
My fans come on like at 170, and they are on a lot. That's how it works.
If you have to top up coolant day after day, and you have no leaks, you are burning it. A few pints every other day is a gasket IMO.
IMO you have a radical car, and you probably need a local guy to work with you, and Alan, to maintain it. Does not sound like you know much about cars and are in deep waters.
Now top up the radiator.
Turn on car.
Top off as level goes down.
Put cap on.
Verify BOTH fans work.
You need more cooling than STOCK now. Stop thinking STOCK.
My fans come on like at 170, and they are on a lot. That's how it works.
If you have to top up coolant day after day, and you have no leaks, you are burning it. A few pints every other day is a gasket IMO.
IMO you have a radical car, and you probably need a local guy to work with you, and Alan, to maintain it. Does not sound like you know much about cars and are in deep waters.
I have verified that both fans work now, as I had replaced the relay.
I just got a PM from allan and it does have a 160 T stat in there.
Both fans are 12" pushers, apparently the biggest and low profile setup I can get while keeping a/c on there.
He mentioned that I can try running evans coolant. What exactly is that?
Occasionally I do get some white smoke coming from the exhuast. however I only notice it when im driving around town, and it only comes in under partial boost.
doesnt happen all the time, only occasionally.
02-14-2006, 04:06 PM
#58
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Originally Posted by JL ws-6
That's a good point, what gas was the car tuned with, and what are you running?
02-14-2006, 04:11 PM
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Originally Posted by Phate
If the motor got overheated really badly the first time that you got it back you could have popped that gasket or cracked a head. How hot did it actually get?
Soon as it hit red line the car was parked and the overflow started spewing out coolant/hot air/steam and I turned it off right away.
02-14-2006, 04:27 PM
#60
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After a blast my car can get to 200-210F. That's after a full track pass. It will cool down as I drive back to the pits.
You have to monitor coolant use, but if you drove without an airdam for a while, you might have overheated the car. Maybe try the pellets like Rick suggested, I think Allen knows of them, does Lunati make them?
You have to monitor coolant use, but if you drove without an airdam for a while, you might have overheated the car. Maybe try the pellets like Rick suggested, I think Allen knows of them, does Lunati make them?