LT1-LT4 Modifications 1993-97 Gen II Small Block V8

LT1 Overheating, can't find problem?!

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Old Jan 27, 2013 | 10:21 PM
  #21  
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Originally Posted by cprmn14
For how intricately the cooling system is, the procedure is simple. Coolant simply circulates throught the system to keep everything cool. Since the radiator hose is cold, your not getting complete circulation. So if you say your waterpump is working then you definatly have a clog somewhere, or something. Even though the waterpump appears to be working and usually you loose the WP gasket before the pump actually fails, I wouldnt count it out as the culprit.

But I would start with the cold hose and put some time in.
I blew water through all of the hoses when I had the radiator removed to be flushed. None of the hoses are clogged or leaking, and they were replaced a few months ago. The engine still overheats after idling for 15-20 minutes on the driveway and the radiator is still ice cold. The water pump is working just fine, as it was spinning when I took the plate off and started the engine up to check.
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Old Jan 27, 2013 | 10:53 PM
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does your heat work when your doing this?
Also do you have excessive pressure in the cooling system after you start the car cold and shut it off after 1 min.
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Old Jan 28, 2013 | 07:40 AM
  #23  
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Originally Posted by Chevyman5436
I even drained the block 4 times with coolant.
Exactly how much coolant did you drain? If you are sure the pump is working and the entire system has no air and contains approx 16 quarts of coolant then there is a clog somewhere. If I were you I'd drain both the radiator and the block and measure exactly how much coolant is in the system. Also, there is no reason to jack the car up in order to bleed it. The engine is already tilted and the system is designed to bleed at the crucial points.

Last edited by SS RRR; Jan 28, 2013 at 07:45 AM.
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Old Jan 28, 2013 | 10:31 AM
  #24  
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Are you pushing any water out of the overflow tank
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Old Jan 28, 2013 | 06:01 PM
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Originally Posted by Chevyman5436
I blew water through all of the hoses when I had the radiator removed to be flushed. None of the hoses are clogged or leaking, and they were replaced a few months ago. The engine still overheats after idling for 15-20 minutes on the driveway and the radiator is still ice cold. The water pump is working just fine, as it was spinning when I took the plate off and started the engine up to check.
I dont think your hose is clogged, or the hose is the problem. Im just saying, find the direction the coolant flows in through the cold hose, and start moving that direction and find your blockage point.
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Old Jan 30, 2013 | 04:54 PM
  #26  
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Here is my 2 cents.....

When you are bleeding the system you should have the heat on max and and the hottest setting as mentioned above #22.
Another issue I have seen in the past is putting the wrong waterpump on, it needs to spin the right way.
I had a Roadmaster LT1 and the little foot at the bottom of the T-stat broke off and blocked the passage.
I have read on another forum of testing the waterpump by pulling off one of the heater hoses and starting the car to see if it blows enough water out. "Spinning" when cranking or idling doesnt mean good, it may not be keeping up due to worn blades.
I went through this before and found out the guy before me put block sealer in my engine and sold me the car with blown head gaskets, exhaust in the cooling system.
Good luck
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Old Jan 30, 2013 | 05:33 PM
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^^^I don't understand why you say the heat should be on max... There is no shut off valve in the F-body and coolant flows through the heater core whenever the car is running. The only thing the temperature control **** does is open or shut the door that controls air blowing through the heater core.
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Old Jan 30, 2013 | 06:02 PM
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Originally Posted by 97z28K&N
^^^I don't understand why you say the heat should be on max... There is no shut off valve in the F-body and coolant flows through the heater core whenever the car is running. The only thing the temperature control **** does is open or shut the door that controls air blowing through the heater core.
I do it out of habbit since on some cars it does matter.
Here is a link that should help you out, I say go through the steps and see what your missing. The T-stat you should have in the car is this one http://shbox.com/1/tstat.jpg . This is the bleeding proceedure and some trouble shooting ideas http://shbox.com/1/4th_gen_tech2.html#radflush , Did you flush the heater core? http://shbox.com/1/4th_gen_tech2.html#heaterflush
Look around his site, there is a lot of useful info there.
This link shows where the hot hoses are and the cold ones, this should help you find the blockage http://shbox.com/1/95-97_hoses.jpg and for the heater hoses http://shbox.com/1/heater_hoses.jpg

Hope this helps....
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Old Feb 5, 2013 | 12:14 PM
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Well. I have had the car sitting for 3 weeks now untouched out of fustration. Just yesterday I put a new thermostat in. 3 batteries worth of cranking later she finally started in 5 degree weather. I let her idle on the driveway for no more than 8 minutes and she was already at 220 degrees so I shut her off knowing this wasn't going anywhere fun. The coolant in it is fresh. The fans work. There are no leaks anywhere. The engine feels hot yet the radiator and hoses are still cold. I have used a hand pump to bleed out any air pockets that would be in there. The pressure stays around 14psi so there isn't a blown head gasket or anything otherwise the pressure would go sky high. I'm getting really fustrated with this. I took the front plate off the water pump and it turns when the engine is running. I'm going to remove the thermostat and run the engine without it and see if the radiator will heat up at all and hopefully I can get coolant flowing. Any help?!?
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Old Feb 20, 2013 | 10:12 PM
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I've concluded I may have a cracked head or blown head gasket. Sending heads out to get magnafluxed and cnc'd.
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Old Feb 21, 2013 | 07:49 AM
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Aluminum heads cannot be magnafluxed. They can however be pressure tested. Don't understand what you mean about using a hand pump to bleed air pockets. You're not answering questions either so there's really no way to help you. Good luck.
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Old Feb 21, 2013 | 07:55 AM
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Why don't you remove the t stat and run it? Your heads are fine, as stated there IS NO COOLANT GOING THROUGH YOUR RADIATOR. Fix that issue first, if running without a stat won't get water moving through the radiator, then change the water pump. Put a garden hose on the top hose of the radiator and verify it comes out the bottom too.
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Old Feb 21, 2013 | 08:36 PM
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I had the same problem a bit ago with mine. It ended up being a very slight head gasket blow. Replaced it and its been great since. Keep posting if your problems occur after
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Old Feb 22, 2013 | 09:34 AM
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Originally Posted by SS RRR
Aluminum heads cannot be magnafluxed. They can however be pressure tested. Don't understand what you mean about using a hand pump to bleed air pockets. You're not answering questions either so there's really no way to help you. Good luck.
Radiator pressure tester, has a psi gauge and a hand pump.
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Old Feb 22, 2013 | 09:37 AM
  #35  
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Originally Posted by Domn8r88
I had the same problem a bit ago with mine. It ended up being a very slight head gasket blow. Replaced it and its been great since. Keep posting if your problems occur after
I will. I replaced the pass head gasket in November and the whole gasket actually shifted towards the rear of the engine. I'm afraid that might've happend again, if not I either cracked the head or the other usuals.
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Old Feb 22, 2013 | 09:38 AM
  #36  
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Originally Posted by bufmatmuslepants
Why don't you remove the t stat and run it? Your heads are fine, as stated there IS NO COOLANT GOING THROUGH YOUR RADIATOR. Fix that issue first, if running without a stat won't get water moving through the radiator, then change the water pump. Put a garden hose on the top hose of the radiator and verify it comes out the bottom too.
I ran it without the t stat and same thing happend. Water pump works just fine.
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Old Feb 22, 2013 | 09:41 AM
  #37  
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In the middle of pulling both heads off. Before I did, I ran the car around the block for a bit and there's a good amount of blue smoke coming out the tail and you can smell the coolant. The radiator loses coolant after every run, and I pull the dip stick and the oil is a milky caramel, so water is getting in somehow, so one of my head gaskets blew or cracked a head
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Old Feb 22, 2013 | 10:02 AM
  #38  
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Originally Posted by Chevyman5436
Radiator pressure tester, has a psi gauge and a hand pump.
How does that bleed air pockets?
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Old Feb 22, 2013 | 10:08 AM
  #39  
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I had a freeze plug goes year's ago. The crack was small enough to were it would boil off before hitting the ground. So leaks were hard to find. Plus just because you have new hoses, doesn't mean the restriction cant be more internal. Have you done a coolant pressure test?
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Old Feb 22, 2013 | 11:12 AM
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So you only replaced one head gasket? To me that's a big no no. If you do head gaskets always do both. Sure you can get away with it but in most cases if one is bad they both are. That and you never now if someone else before you didn't put a stock one back in or put a perf in.
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