Am I cool to be this cool?
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 755
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From: Los Angeles, CA (Burbank)
Am I cool to be this cool? Posting this in the Texas section because I've talked to a lot of you and trust your advice and plus no one would know how to cool their cars better than Texans.
I put an LS1/TH400 in my v6 Camaro. It has no overdrive and 3:1 gears. I had much lower gears in it before and I was cruising at 4000 RPM on the highway. This caused the car to slowly overheat.
My cooling system consists of an LMP water pump, a stock replacement LS1 O'Reilly's radiator, a 160° thermostat, distilled water, half a gallon of dex cool, and a bottle of Water Wetter.
My air dam pieces were on, and with the 3.70 gears I had in it before, at 4000 RPM, I felt that maybe the stock thin radiator wasn't designed for an engine that runs at 4 grand for long distances, and it just couldn't keep up.
I put in the 3:1 highway gears, ran the gears through the heat cycles, drove the car on 59 for about 45 minutes, and it never overheated. The temperature outside wasn't too hot - it was at sunset.
It never overheated, BUT the temps on the highway stayed just under 220°, even when I went WOT for a few seconds at a time (no longer than 10 seconds). In fact, this is EXACTLY what my gauge (Classic Instruments) looked like cruising on the highway:
My coolant temp sensor is on the back of the passenger side head (in case that makes a difference in gauge readings).
My question is...am I ok to drive the car around on the highway at this temperature? I've heard that 210° is about normal for LS1s, and that the vettes run a little hotter. I think I'm ok; I'm not overheating (knock on wood), and the cooling system seems to stabilize the temperature, BUT I wanted to get y'all's opinions, because these were the temps at sunset. I'm not sure if she'll do the same thing during a hot day in Texas summer heat.
I put an LS1/TH400 in my v6 Camaro. It has no overdrive and 3:1 gears. I had much lower gears in it before and I was cruising at 4000 RPM on the highway. This caused the car to slowly overheat.
My cooling system consists of an LMP water pump, a stock replacement LS1 O'Reilly's radiator, a 160° thermostat, distilled water, half a gallon of dex cool, and a bottle of Water Wetter.
My air dam pieces were on, and with the 3.70 gears I had in it before, at 4000 RPM, I felt that maybe the stock thin radiator wasn't designed for an engine that runs at 4 grand for long distances, and it just couldn't keep up.
I put in the 3:1 highway gears, ran the gears through the heat cycles, drove the car on 59 for about 45 minutes, and it never overheated. The temperature outside wasn't too hot - it was at sunset.
It never overheated, BUT the temps on the highway stayed just under 220°, even when I went WOT for a few seconds at a time (no longer than 10 seconds). In fact, this is EXACTLY what my gauge (Classic Instruments) looked like cruising on the highway:
My coolant temp sensor is on the back of the passenger side head (in case that makes a difference in gauge readings).
My question is...am I ok to drive the car around on the highway at this temperature? I've heard that 210° is about normal for LS1s, and that the vettes run a little hotter. I think I'm ok; I'm not overheating (knock on wood), and the cooling system seems to stabilize the temperature, BUT I wanted to get y'all's opinions, because these were the temps at sunset. I'm not sure if she'll do the same thing during a hot day in Texas summer heat.
I cruise at about 180* unless I'm sitting at a stop light.
50/50 coolant/water mix, 160 tstat, new waterpump, and I cut out the stock hood vents for heat extractors... but it is just an LT1 lol.
Everyone who drives it is amazed at how cool it runs.
Wish I would have wrapped my headers, thats probably most of the heat right there.
50/50 coolant/water mix, 160 tstat, new waterpump, and I cut out the stock hood vents for heat extractors... but it is just an LT1 lol.
Everyone who drives it is amazed at how cool it runs.
Wish I would have wrapped my headers, thats probably most of the heat right there.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 755
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From: Los Angeles, CA (Burbank)
Ok thanks guys. I do have a 233/239 cam and long tube headers, so I'm sure that contributes to more heat too. I'm also running LS1 stock dual fans.
I think the gauge is a little on the warm side, but the cooling seems to be doing it's job too. Is Purple Ice the same **** as Redline Water Wetter?
I think the gauge is a little on the warm side, but the cooling seems to be doing it's job too. Is Purple Ice the same **** as Redline Water Wetter?
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If it's 99+ and the stock gauge, you really have no idea how warm/cool it is. The spot where the needle likes to settle, has ranged anywhere between 195 and 225 on my car, this was read from a scan gauge II hooked up to the OBD and the needle settled at the exact same spot every time.
For a mostly stock LS1, yes, but in my case, my gauge is reading just under 210, as "normal" and I know it is warmer than that which then the oil cannot keep up and it gets even hotter bring my OP down to 25 HOT idle. I do not want to add an oil cooler as normal driving, say 70 MPH on the highway w/ 3.42s and the cooler, I would see oil temps in the range of 150F and it needs 185+F to properly lubricate. I would need a thermostat and if I am spending that much money for a braided line quality cooler with a thermostat, I might as well just switch to a dry sump setup...cost wise...
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 755
Likes: 0
From: Los Angeles, CA (Burbank)
I think so too. Thanks!
I've been using Redline Water Wetter but I'm wondering about the Purple Ice stuff too. Is it the same ****? Any of you guys use one or the other?
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 755
Likes: 0
From: Los Angeles, CA (Burbank)
Well, went to work on the car today for some totally unrelated to the cooling system, and noticed that I'm leaking coolant. I think it's leaking out of the driver's side coolant crossover gasket, because the sealant is wet around there.
When I brought my car to the shop the last time, I KNOW I had gaskets on there for the crossover tube, NOT sealant. I think they're $60 at the dealership. So I know that shop put this orange sealant **** on there when they replaced my head gaskets (I have tabbed 853 heads with the wrong gaskets so I had them put on the right ones).
Anyway, would a small leak make the temps 10° higher or so? Sorry for all the newb questions; this is my first time dealing with these kinds of issues.
When I brought my car to the shop the last time, I KNOW I had gaskets on there for the crossover tube, NOT sealant. I think they're $60 at the dealership. So I know that shop put this orange sealant **** on there when they replaced my head gaskets (I have tabbed 853 heads with the wrong gaskets so I had them put on the right ones).
Anyway, would a small leak make the temps 10° higher or so? Sorry for all the newb questions; this is my first time dealing with these kinds of issues.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 755
Likes: 0
From: Los Angeles, CA (Burbank)
Stupid me. It wasn't the shop's fault at all. The upper radiator hose was making contact with the water pump pulley, and it was gouging out a hole bigger and bigger. Got a new hose, put some Purple Ice in it, and it actually ran even cooler than it did before.
I'm not sure if it was stopping the leak or the Purple Ice or both but I'm glad it's even further to the left of the 220 mark on my gauge (needle points to the left of the 5 now).
I'm not sure if it was stopping the leak or the Purple Ice or both but I'm glad it's even further to the left of the 220 mark on my gauge (needle points to the left of the 5 now).