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

Cooling System Help!!!

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Old Dec 22, 2007 | 03:46 PM
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Z28Camaro30Ann's Avatar
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Exclamation Cooling System Help!!!

Ok..what its been doing...
My 97 LT1 Camaro has had the low coolant light popping on and off for a while, I just assumed bad sensor and ignored because I was never low on coolant...Within an hour after doing the distributor cap and SP wires on my car (which required removing the water pump) My car began over heating Extremely fast and I had no heat when I turned on the heater which told me that something is not flowing properly, so I assumed stuck thermostat...after about an hour it suddenly stopped and temp went down...I drove it to the nearest Auto Zone and swapped the thermostat.......no more problems...until last night. I went a whole night with nothing but that stupid low coolant light popping on and off...I stopped at a gas station, topped off the oil and whecked my coolant level and it was actually near empty this time but not yet overheating...so I topped it off as well, started her up and went on my way. Within 5 minutes of leaving the gas station, the temp was almost to 220....it NEVER goes past 210 and the red is at 240, so I IMMEDIATELY shut her down and pulled over. I opened the hood and the water was rushing back into the radiator. I de-pressurized my radiator and opened it, topped it off again and restarted it. I watched for leaks under..nothin...so I squeezed the hoses to see if it was flowing...bottom had coolant, top did not. Then the overflow tank started...well....overflowing. I shut it off and kept messing with it. I started it one time and the temp was fluxing up and down over and over. Finally after about an hour it just went away...all was well and I havent had the problem again at all today. This is starting to sound like the water pump to me, any input?? If it is, do I have to replace the WHOLE pump, or just the electric motor inside???
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Old Dec 22, 2007 | 04:41 PM
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If it's the water pump, buy the meziere electric pump for 199. It uses the old water pump housing, just have to press out the center section and scre in the electric one. Then connect it to a 12v switched source.
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Old Dec 23, 2007 | 01:30 PM
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*bump*
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Old Dec 23, 2007 | 04:38 PM
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There are two bleeder ports located in the cooling system that need to be purged of air when re-filling the cooling system. They need to be opened up as you add coolant to the radiator, once they have purged out the air and start to flow coolant, they can be closed. This seems inconsequential, but plays a major role in the car's cooling system performance. Any air trapped in the system at these two points will definately cause an overheating condition.
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Old Dec 23, 2007 | 05:57 PM
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You must bleed the system of air when you open the radiator. Just crack the bleeders and repeat until you get an even flow of coolant with no air.
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Old Dec 23, 2007 | 11:14 PM
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ok, where are these 2 bleeder points located at? I see one on the top hose at the thermostat housing I believe, but where's the other?
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Old Dec 24, 2007 | 02:13 AM
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Originally Posted by Z28Camaro30Ann
ok, where are these 2 bleeder points located at? I see one on the top hose at the thermostat housing I believe, but where's the other?
underneath your intake tubing that runs to the thottle body.
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