Lt1 Cooling Help
 

So my 97 Trans am seems to have a cooling issue somewhere, or maybe something worse.


So basically it blew a hose and puked coolant in the engine bay. I fixed the hose. Now it holds coolant but it doesn't seem to cycle it though the engine. I'll drive the car round the block for a bit and it holds temp fine. After I park and idle for a bit it will slowly increase temp until I shut it off and steam will rise out of the radiator. Pull the cap off and coolant with start to boil. It won't do this on initial startup. Only after it has run a bit.

Waterpump is new.

So I am thinking either a bad radiator or blown headgasket. I haven't had the chance to pull the oil or block test it but there isn't any white smoke coming out the exhaust and it idles and runs fine. No bogging or anything. Oil I checked on the dip stick looks clean, just changed it 200 miles ago.

So I am thinking bad radiator, from what I can see on the inside it seems gunked up and when I compress the upper hose it feels like there is no pressure it, but the radiator is holding pressure.


What do. :P

Thermostat could be sticking or stuck closed.

FYI -

To test the thermostat, Pull it out and place it in pot of boiling water, if it opens, it's good.

I had one that would not open - replaced it, problem solved.

Don't LT1s have a goofy procedure for adding coolant because of the reverse flow?

Make sure to bleed the air out of the system. Also, read here:

http://shbox.com/1/4th_gen_tech2.html#radflush

I was going to work on the car tomorrow and do all the checks yall mentioned.

I went out today and pulled off the radiator cap. The radiator was bone dry with maybe 1/3 sitting in the bottom, same with the reservoir. Idk where it went, since I haven't seen any leaks from it.

Will check again in the morning with better light.