sdm1234

iTrader: (8)

Lately, my temp gauge has been reading around 217 degrees and I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas. My water pump's fine, I have sufficient coolant, and my fans are working. Any suggestions? Thanks everyone.

James Montigny

iTrader: (13)

I'd drain some of that coolant and see how dirty it is, it may be time for a flush/fill.
Are you running 60/40? (the wrong % mix can cause heat issues)

Is your airdam still in good shape?
Does it only get hot in traffic and low speeds, or does it get hot in the highway too?
I'm wondering if the thermostat may be the issue.

All inexpesive fixes

Charging TA

My heats past 210 (middle mark) on the gauge when coming off a highway to a stop (traffic) and in traffic jams, the stock fan settings are set to kick in at 220ish and 230 something (and you hear when they go on), Ive been debating of wether or not to install a manual fan switch, but when I think more about it: The middle mark is 210, meaning according to GM its perfectly normal to have the engine at that temp... on the highway my gauge is probally right around 200 (a decent amount below the middle mark).

sdm1234

iTrader: (8)

yea it used to run no higher than the 210 mark. now, it's at a steady 217. i'm thinking it may be the thermostat? i doubt it would be the temp sensor... what do u guys think?

Imports_Suck

i had a problem with my car overheating and replaced pretty much everything except the thermostat. even had my radiator rebuilt with all new internals. i replaced all temp sensors, coolant many times, water pump, and installed a manual fan control switch (which i do recommend). i finally put a new thermonstat in it, and now it dosnt get above 180* no matter what.

my advice, swap a new thermostat in there.

infinitebird

iTrader: (11)

It's porbably just the summer heat. My lt1 got hotter in the summer too. Get a tune to activate the fans earlier and it will stay much cooler.

sdm1234

iTrader: (8)

yes i'm definitely looking into getting a tune. i just bought a 160 t-stat now, too. Hopefully, this will fix the problem.

infinitebird

iTrader: (11)

It won't make it run any cooler without a tune.

sdm1234

iTrader: (8)

yea i'll get one soon

harvickgm

iTrader: (10)

tune and lower thermostat and different coolant and your in there.. mine runs at a steady 185-190... and thats as hot as it gets...

camar0corey

iTrader: (22)

I ran 160 hypertech, it failed closed.
I'm running the 170 from Be Cool and wired up my own fan switch. The gauge never gets higher than around 185.
Forget buying a switch, for like $5-$10 in supplies you can wire up your own. I run the high settings on the fan while racing, and the low settings whenever I'm in town, that temp gauge dosen't think of moving up unless I turn the fans off. Its great turning the fans on and watching that gauge drop.

Imports_Suck

i use a 180* thermostat from advance and keep both fans on all the time....i have yet to see it get over 180 degrees since...

slagger

iTrader: (1)

I did put a B cool 170 stat on but after i installed it it was idling and in about 5mins it got hot into the red?
so I installed a 160 power and no probleme.

James Montigny

iTrader: (13)

Both thermostats were the tall Lt1 styles and installed upside right?

94Sleeper

iTrader: (1)

I had similar problems and found that something had made a nest between my AC Condenser and Radiator during the winter while the car was in storage. I removed radiator, cleaned out the debris and cleaned out my dirty condenser and put it all back together. Problem solved.

In addition I had to replace the radiator in my wifes Saturn due to corrosion caused by salted winter roads (lived in Maine). After moving to Tucson, the corrosion was such that it limited the cars ability to transfer heat in the Arizona Summer and got too hot. Just something to consider

sdm1234

iTrader: (8)

hmmm... well i've been driving it as a daily driver mostly for the entire summer, and it just started acting up now. do you think the t-stat is sticking a little?

slagger

iTrader: (1)

you want the longer part down, right?

z_speedfreak

iTrader: (3)

the middle mark is good for emmisions & economy and such which is why GM made it that way. i run a hypertech 160tstat with an electric water pump and a becool radiator and my engine never goes above 190 on the hottest of days, it usually sits right around 175ish

sdm1234

iTrader: (8)

absolute optimum temperature for the block is 200 degrees, which maximizes combustion efficiency and the air/fuel mixture process, so i don't want to go too far below, like some of you have.

Camaro Fan

iTrader: (1)

If you don't want to go significantly cooler I don't see what the problem is then, you're not even getting up to the point that the fans hit high speed rotation at from the factory. But you can get a tune and still run the 180 degree thermo, and someone like Ion at Madz28 will turn the temps the fans come out at down a little lower, right around 200 instead of 220-230 like stock. I've gone w/ the 160* thermo and his tuning for 180-190 degree fan kickon temps, stays down around 180 degrees in all the hottest weather I've been in so far, about perfect IMO.