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Car overheating after cam install...

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Old Mar 31, 2006 | 07:25 PM
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Default Car overheating after cam install...

I just got done putting in a Torquer v2 camshaft and now the car overheats. I tried heat cycling twice and it hasn't helped any. All the coolant lines are hooked up properly, the fans come on at 180, coolant hose gets hot, i know the pump was installed properly with new gaskets, there are no leaks. Also the dash gauge reads 250+ but my hptuners reads 199-205*. Obviously its not running at 250 so could my ect sensor be bad? If it is then how can I trust wat hptuners says?....WTF is going on and how should I fix this? I've been dying to get this car back home but I just can't risk taking it on the highway before I fix this. I have all day tomorrow to figure this out...but I can't be driving back and forth all day so what should I get from the parts store? Oh yeah the car stays at 198ish while driving.

The car never overheated before the cam swap...I doubt the water pump or thermostat crapped out in the one week that it was off the car. Should I try another hear cycle before changing anything?

Need help
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Old Mar 31, 2006 | 07:27 PM
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coolant temp sensor? located on the driver side head by #1? Try taking it off and cleaning it...
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Old Mar 31, 2006 | 07:31 PM
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Sounds like you got a lot of air into the cooling system.
Jack the front as high as you can. Let the engine run with the tstat open and try to burp it.
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Old Mar 31, 2006 | 07:35 PM
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only reason I suggested the coolant temp sensor is because my car started running like **** one day, and I turned the car off and the fans stayed on, but the temp showed 185ish... cleaned the coolant temp sensor and no problems since. I would try that, and also do what white2001s10 suggested.
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Old Mar 31, 2006 | 07:35 PM
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I had the same problem when I installed my cam. The radiator had air in it or it was not building up pressure. I let it cool and made sure the radiator was full. With the engine running and the cap off I made sure there was enough coolant. It has been over a year ago and I think that was all I did.
Good luck.
Bill

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Old Mar 31, 2006 | 07:37 PM
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Originally Posted by MattIROC
coolant temp sensor? located on the driver side head by #1? Try taking it off and cleaning it...
Should I take it out of the block? Anyone have a torque spec on this part? Is there any special way to clean it? What are the chances that autozone/napa/pep boys would have this part in stock?
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Old Mar 31, 2006 | 07:41 PM
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I forgot to mention to car is an hour away from me in a garage and there aren't any parts stores nearby...so I need to bring everthying with me the first time I drive out there.

When I jack the front up and run the car should the cap be off the rad? Anyone wanna comment on why the dash says 250* and hptuners says 200?
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Old Mar 31, 2006 | 09:06 PM
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Yeah, cap off.
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Old Mar 31, 2006 | 09:33 PM
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Another vote for air in the coolant system.
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Old Mar 31, 2006 | 11:21 PM
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Air in the sooling system +1
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Old Apr 1, 2006 | 07:06 AM
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mine did the exact same thing, i unpluged the hose on the right side if the TB with the motor off and air started coming out. 2 or 3 times and it was good to go. never had a problem yet
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Old Apr 1, 2006 | 07:47 AM
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Originally Posted by theinstag8r
mine did the exact same thing, i unpluged the hose on the right side if the TB with the motor off and air started coming out. 2 or 3 times and it was good to go. never had a problem yet
I read that in a different post before I started this thread and tried it the other day...didn't hear any air coming out...did get some coolant though

What are the chances that a bunch of crap is cloggin up my radiator? The car ran cool before this but I noticed it had green coolant in it (previous owner) could it have done damage? BTW It's got dexcool in it now. Anyone with more tips or tricks to remove the air please post em up...I'm going out there now to try this again...$20 bucks in gas each time I go to mess with it This thing better work or im gunna go nuts
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Old Apr 1, 2006 | 09:49 AM
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Originally Posted by white2001s10
Sounds like you got a lot of air into the cooling system.
Jack the front as high as you can. Let the engine run with the tstat open and try to burp it.
Thats what I would do first...
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Old Apr 1, 2006 | 03:56 PM
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Well I'm convinced its the ECT Sensor. I jacked it up, ran it and logged some idle data, then let it cool down while I did some tuning and after a while the coolant level dropped a bit. So it must have burped...so I filled it up and took a run to the gas station about 10 minutes away and the whole time the temp read 265 on the dash and 194-202 on the HP Tuners...

So I decide to drive to Autozone (45 minutes away) because they tell me they have one coolant temp sensor left in stock. When I finally get there, they hand me a coolant level sensor !%^@& Son of a bitch...I can't win! Part won't be in till April 5th...so I'm saying F it...gunna drive it home tonight and bring the tools to change the sensor at home...no more driving back and forth for me.

Now my question is...is there anything special I have to do when I install this new sensor? Wrap the threads, torque specs etc?

Thanks for all of your suggestions...I appreciate the help guys
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Old Apr 1, 2006 | 05:15 PM
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good deal, you'll be up and running soon, at least you know it's not running 265
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Old Apr 3, 2006 | 12:23 AM
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Update: I had Adavance Auto order a sensor and guess what....WRONG PART I'm dealing with idiots here.

The one they ordered is a two prong connector, and mine is a three prong. So we'll see if the next one they ordered is right tomorrow.

GOOD NEWS: My cousin happens to own a laser thermometer gun. Max temp at the sensor and the water pump was about 175-180 so everything is working properly.
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