Cooling issue
Cooling issue Car is 98 Z. Has 383 stroker. MWC front bumper support and Chris 1313 ram air. So the front bumper is open and huge amounts of air going through. Here is the issue. When I get on the highway and drive down the interstate the car gets HOTTER instead of getting cooler. So as the airflow increases its going up in temperature around 8-10 degrees rather than down. When I get off the highway and drive around town it gets cooler. Makes no sense to me. It was around 85 degrees today, Running down the interstate coolant was around 223. That is without AC on. Would most likely overheat with AC on. Car does the opposite of how it should. Any ideas?
Running Mezeire EWP with 180 thermostat
Anti-freeze distilled mix
Has new air dam on it,.
Fans are running on high. I have a switch.
Stock fan/shroud
Running Mezeire EWP with 180 thermostat
Anti-freeze distilled mix
Has new air dam on it,.
Fans are running on high. I have a switch.
Stock fan/shroud
On The Tree
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 105
Likes: 9
From: Orange County, NY
Car is 98 Z. Has 383 stroker. MWC front bumper support and Chris 1313 ram air. So the front bumper is open and huge amounts of air going through. Here is the issue. When I get on the highway and drive down the interstate the car gets HOTTER instead of getting cooler. So as the airflow increases its going up in temperature around 8-10 degrees rather than down. When I get off the highway and drive around town it gets cooler. Makes no sense to me. It was around 85 degrees today, Running down the interstate coolant was around 223. That is without AC on. Would most likely overheat with AC on. Car does the opposite of how it should. Any ideas?
Running Mezeire EWP with 180 thermostat
Anti-freeze distilled mix
Has new air dam on it,.
Fans are running on high. I have a switch.
Stock fan/shroud
Running Mezeire EWP with 180 thermostat
Anti-freeze distilled mix
Has new air dam on it,.
Fans are running on high. I have a switch.
Stock fan/shroud
1. Electric water pumps generally don’t do as well at higher sustained rpm than stock belt driven pumps from my experience
2. Try turning the fans off on the highway and see if that improves your highway temps.
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TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 503
Likes: 54
From: TX
First two things I would check. One, make sure the coolant level is good and the radiator cap is holding pressure.
Second, I would turn the fans off at highway speeds. I forget the speed, but if you look at the factory calibration, they're set to shut off at around 40~ mph. I think at some point, them spinning becomes more of a restriction than the incoming air.
Second, I would turn the fans off at highway speeds. I forget the speed, but if you look at the factory calibration, they're set to shut off at around 40~ mph. I think at some point, them spinning becomes more of a restriction than the incoming air.
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On The Tree
Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 196
Likes: 72
From: Grand Rapids, MI
Were are any shrouding or plastic pieces removed that direct air towards/thru the rad? The way these cars work is the air dam creates a high pressure area in front of the radiator, which relative to the engine bay(low pressure) makes the air go thru the rad. This only works if the air cannot get past the radiator though. Make sure to seal up all of this area including above the radiator as well.
I learned my lesson with this when I had to chop up the front of my third gen trans am for the intercooler, external trans cooler and stood up radiator. Would overheat on the highway until I made pieces that blocked air from getting around radiator.
I learned my lesson with this when I had to chop up the front of my third gen trans am for the intercooler, external trans cooler and stood up radiator. Would overheat on the highway until I made pieces that blocked air from getting around radiator.
Were are any shrouding or plastic pieces removed that direct air towards/thru the rad? The way these cars work is the air dam creates a high pressure area in front of the radiator, which relative to the engine bay(low pressure) makes the air go thru the rad. This only works if the air cannot get past the radiator though. Make sure to seal up all of this area including above the radiator as well.
I learned my lesson with this when I had to chop up the front of my third gen trans am for the intercooler, external trans cooler and stood up radiator. Would overheat on the highway until I made pieces that blocked air from getting around radiator.
I learned my lesson with this when I had to chop up the front of my third gen trans am for the intercooler, external trans cooler and stood up radiator. Would overheat on the highway until I made pieces that blocked air from getting around radiator.
On The Tree
Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 196
Likes: 72
From: Grand Rapids, MI
You're missing a cover in this area. You must seal the entire engine bay from the area in front of the radiator, and make the only path for air to get into the engine bay thru the radiator.
The lack of radiator ducting is hurting you. There may be air entering through the holes in the bumper, but it’s not enough and it certainly isn’t flowing through the radiator efficiently.
If you put the factory ducting back in, your issues would be solved. If you want to ditch the factory bottom feeding air dam and ducting, you’ll need a larger opening in the front bumper and create ducting to seal the bumper opening to the radiator inlet.
If you put the factory ducting back in, your issues would be solved. If you want to ditch the factory bottom feeding air dam and ducting, you’ll need a larger opening in the front bumper and create ducting to seal the bumper opening to the radiator inlet.
The lack of radiator ducting is hurting you. There may be air entering through the holes in the bumper, but it’s not enough and it certainly isn’t flowing through the radiator efficiently.
If you put the factory ducting back in, your issues would be solved. If you want to ditch the factory bottom feeding air dam and ducting, you’ll need a larger opening in the front bumper and create ducting to seal the bumper opening to the radiator inlet.
If you put the factory ducting back in, your issues would be solved. If you want to ditch the factory bottom feeding air dam and ducting, you’ll need a larger opening in the front bumper and create ducting to seal the bumper opening to the radiator inlet.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Jan 2022
Posts: 1,369
Likes: 256
I know the piece you are pointing out. I mentioned it in an earlier response. It sits on top of the AC condenser and then snaps in somewhere under the hood latch area. The problem is that piece won't work with my ram air. It would be behind the pipe. Therefore no way to seal it. At least not with that stock piece.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Jan 2022
Posts: 1,369
Likes: 256
I know the piece you are pointing out. I mentioned it in an earlier response. It sits on top of the AC condenser and then snaps in somewhere under the hood latch area. The problem is that piece won't work with my ram air. It would be behind the pipe. Therefore no way to seal it. At least not with that stock piece.
Originally Posted by 98LS1auto
Photos of what its supposed to look like would really help. I just did a search for "4th gen camaro stock engine bay photos" and every single picture I saw was modified. Lol. One pic was stock but couldn't tell anything from it.”
What if you get the plastic shrouds and cut a circular hole for the intake pipe to go through? Or maybe forget the “ram air” all together?
Last edited by Y2K_Frenzy; May 10, 2024 at 06:28 AM.
Take that damn electric water pump off LOL, (just my opinion) With those two huge holes up front, your car is getting more air than my trans am does and it didn't have any issues. my car still has the stock front supports and Styrofoam bumper crap. i just took a 4 1/4 "Hole saw and made a hole thru the center of it all LOL