Newbie with an LS7 Cooling system question...
03-12-2009, 10:15 AM
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Newbie with an LS7 Cooling system question... Hi all, new to the LS series engines and to late model muscle for that matter.
2006 ZO6, cam, ported tb, intake and varam, full exhaust. Tuned by Jeremy Formato, unknown t-stat.
I did add one bottle of Purple Ice to the cooling system.
I have had the car for about 2 months without any problems.
Problem/concern:
I took her out for a spin and then parked her in the garage. 2 hours later I noticed fluid leaking out of my garage door onto the driveway. I found out that it was coolant. It was dripping out of the overflow tube--not puking but a steady drip. I popped the cap and relieved a lot of pressure and some more coolant came out. I started the car up with the cap removed in an attempt to burp the system in case of an air pocket. I also squeezed the upper hose. I drove it again a few days later and no problem. I removed the cap from the recovery tank just in case there was any additional air in the system.
NOW: I come home from work, I haven't driven the car in a few days, and there is fluid running under the car again. Coolant was dripping out of the overflow tube again. What is happening here? The car was STONE DEAD COLD! I am completely baffled.
Regardless, I am going to put in a new t-stat and drain/fill the system with new dexcool this weekend.
Any ideas/help would really be appreciated.
Thanks,
Scott
2006 ZO6, cam, ported tb, intake and varam, full exhaust. Tuned by Jeremy Formato, unknown t-stat.
I did add one bottle of Purple Ice to the cooling system.
I have had the car for about 2 months without any problems.
Problem/concern:
I took her out for a spin and then parked her in the garage. 2 hours later I noticed fluid leaking out of my garage door onto the driveway. I found out that it was coolant. It was dripping out of the overflow tube--not puking but a steady drip. I popped the cap and relieved a lot of pressure and some more coolant came out. I started the car up with the cap removed in an attempt to burp the system in case of an air pocket. I also squeezed the upper hose. I drove it again a few days later and no problem. I removed the cap from the recovery tank just in case there was any additional air in the system.
NOW: I come home from work, I haven't driven the car in a few days, and there is fluid running under the car again. Coolant was dripping out of the overflow tube again. What is happening here? The car was STONE DEAD COLD! I am completely baffled.
Regardless, I am going to put in a new t-stat and drain/fill the system with new dexcool this weekend.
Any ideas/help would really be appreciated.
Thanks,
Scott
03-12-2009, 11:03 AM
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As you know the coolant expands as it gets hotter. When the engine is cold the level of the coolant recovery tank should be on the lower line. As the engine warms up and the coolnt expands it will rise to the line higher in the tank.
As the engine cools the level will drop as the coolant is drawn into the radiator and cooling system.
If there is an air leak in the hose or the cap seal it can draw air instead of coolant as it cools. Be sure not to have the coolant at the top line when the engine is cold. It will overflow the tanks as the coolant expands.
Yours happens when it is cold as you said. I would check the hose as well as the cap to determne if either are leaking air.
I would also install a pressure tester to the radiatior. Then start the engine to see if it builds excessive pressure. Romp the throttle several times to load it a bit.
With that tune you may be over the edge a bit and have a head gasket that allows pressure to escape but isn't blown. In some cases of knock they can "lift" the head just enough to pressurize the system. I would look at the timing tables and be sure that it doesn't have too much timing. Also a cheap fuel could contribute to knock also. If someone replaced the low octane table with a high octane map then the knock sensors would not be as effective at pulling timing.
My bet is the cap or the hose to the coonat tank are drawing air.
Let us know what you find.
Robin
As the engine cools the level will drop as the coolant is drawn into the radiator and cooling system.
If there is an air leak in the hose or the cap seal it can draw air instead of coolant as it cools. Be sure not to have the coolant at the top line when the engine is cold. It will overflow the tanks as the coolant expands.
Yours happens when it is cold as you said. I would check the hose as well as the cap to determne if either are leaking air.
I would also install a pressure tester to the radiatior. Then start the engine to see if it builds excessive pressure. Romp the throttle several times to load it a bit.
With that tune you may be over the edge a bit and have a head gasket that allows pressure to escape but isn't blown. In some cases of knock they can "lift" the head just enough to pressurize the system. I would look at the timing tables and be sure that it doesn't have too much timing. Also a cheap fuel could contribute to knock also. If someone replaced the low octane table with a high octane map then the knock sensors would not be as effective at pulling timing.
My bet is the cap or the hose to the coonat tank are drawing air.
Let us know what you find.
Robin
03-12-2009, 12:24 PM
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As you know the coolant expands as it gets hotter. When the engine is cold the level of the coolant recovery tank should be on the lower line. As the engine warms up and the coolnt expands it will rise to the line higher in the tank.
As the engine cools the level will drop as the coolant is drawn into the radiator and cooling system.
If there is an air leak in the hose or the cap seal it can draw air instead of coolant as it cools. Be sure not to have the coolant at the top line when the engine is cold. It will overflow the tanks as the coolant expands.
Yours happens when it is cold as you said. I would check the hose as well as the cap to determne if either are leaking air.
I would also install a pressure tester to the radiatior. Then start the engine to see if it builds excessive pressure. Romp the throttle several times to load it a bit.
With that tune you may be over the edge a bit and have a head gasket that allows pressure to escape but isn't blown. In some cases of knock they can "lift" the head just enough to pressurize the system. I would look at the timing tables and be sure that it doesn't have too much timing. Also a cheap fuel could contribute to knock also. If someone replaced the low octane table with a high octane map then the knock sensors would not be as effective at pulling timing.
My bet is the cap or the hose to the coonat tank are drawing air.
Let us know what you find.
Robin
As the engine cools the level will drop as the coolant is drawn into the radiator and cooling system.
If there is an air leak in the hose or the cap seal it can draw air instead of coolant as it cools. Be sure not to have the coolant at the top line when the engine is cold. It will overflow the tanks as the coolant expands.
Yours happens when it is cold as you said. I would check the hose as well as the cap to determne if either are leaking air.
I would also install a pressure tester to the radiatior. Then start the engine to see if it builds excessive pressure. Romp the throttle several times to load it a bit.
With that tune you may be over the edge a bit and have a head gasket that allows pressure to escape but isn't blown. In some cases of knock they can "lift" the head just enough to pressurize the system. I would look at the timing tables and be sure that it doesn't have too much timing. Also a cheap fuel could contribute to knock also. If someone replaced the low octane table with a high octane map then the knock sensors would not be as effective at pulling timing.
My bet is the cap or the hose to the coonat tank are drawing air.
Let us know what you find.
Robin
Robin, thank you very much for this info! I have been going crazy trying to figure out what was happening. I will replace the cap this weekend along with the drain/flush/fill and new t-stat.
Thanks again!
BTW, this is the most informative response I have received---I have posted this on a 'vette forum to no avail!!!
Thanks,
Scott
03-16-2009, 08:09 PM
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I got a new cap and pulled some coolant out of the overflow. It has not puked any fluid since.
I just got my new t-stat today and will drain/fill and install new t-stat next weekend.
I'll keep ya updated.
Scott
I just got my new t-stat today and will drain/fill and install new t-stat next weekend.
I'll keep ya updated.
Scott
05-01-2009, 09:45 PM
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Well I drained/flushed/filled my cooling system. I have not had a problem since. I think that it was some chemical reaction the water wetter/purple ice was having with the coolant or something.
Car does not puke coolant anymore, no more pressure build up, and it looses pressure after cooling down. (it was holding psi in the system for weeks or until I opened the cap)
Thanks for everyone's help. No more coolant additives for me in this ride...
Scott
Car does not puke coolant anymore, no more pressure build up, and it looses pressure after cooling down. (it was holding psi in the system for weeks or until I opened the cap)
Thanks for everyone's help. No more coolant additives for me in this ride...
Scott
