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Attn: all 90-92 camaro owners - over-heating problems?


fictionwriter

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A lot of people with these cars (like me) report stubborn over-heating problems. I was just wondering what you guys have tried and how it's worked out.

 

I've tried:

Leaving the AC on so the fan always runs

180* thermo

higher CFM cooling fan.

New coolant temp sensor

New coolant temp switch

 

None of that shit worked out very well

 

Further plans:

New water pump

160* thermo

Hypertech Thermomaster chip (turns the fan on at 180 instead of GM's retarded programming of 230)

Bigger Radiator.

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You need to make sure the lower intake isn't leaking, and I know you said the car wasn't leaking you still need to check it. If you have replaced the t-stat and made sure there is no air in the system, the intake and heads need to be checked carefully as they are a problem on any 60*V6. Kind of sounds like your radiator is partially blocked, it's not all that uncommon on a car that hasn't had much use and is older. Easily check with an infared thermometer to see the temp difference in, out, and around the radiator. Throwing aftermarket parts at it isn't going to fix it.
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make sure the plastic shit under the nose that ducts air onto the radiator is all intact...

 

the fan should kick on around 220 in your car you can buy an aftermarket switch that turns it on around 190 from jegs

 

if the fan will not run without the ac on the temp switch that controls the fan is bad

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how much water is in the rad? are your running 70% water and 30% antifreeze?

you should deff be doing this in the summer hotter months. water is your coolant. the antifreeze is only their to keep it from boling or freezing. 50 50 is not a good summer mis for these cars.

or put a v8 in it. and use a universal alum rad two row. jegs 31x19 fits perfect use two fans.

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Guest James62888
Get a toggle switch and run it into the car, it's what I did and is far cheaper then buying new fans etc..

 

agreed with him My buddy has a 355 5speed 91 and no problems at all on summer months

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make sure the plastic shit under the nose that ducts air onto the radiator is all intact...

 

the fan should kick on around 220 in your car you can buy an aftermarket switch that turns it on around 190 from jegs

 

if the fan will not run without the ac on the temp switch that controls the fan is bad

plus 1...

 

gm kicked the fan on in the 2.8/3.1's so they could meet emission standards.

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Like Dave already said, MAKE sure the air dam and air deflectors are all installed. I was out driving mine after I painted it without the air dam installed (too impatient I guess) and it ran almost 40 degrees hotter than normal. I reinstalled the air dam and problem was gone. It's very important on a car like ours with no grille, as the majority of the cooling air is directed to the radiator from below the bumper.
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make sure the plastic shit under the nose that ducts air onto the radiator is all intact...

 

the fan should kick on around 220 in your car you can buy an aftermarket switch that turns it on around 190 from jegs

 

if the fan will not run without the ac on the temp switch that controls the fan is bad

Thanks, but on the 90-92 the fan is ecm controlled. I actually have the switch, there's just nowhere to put it on my car lol. It's normally in the passenger side head. The fan comes on at 220-230 but by then it's too late. With the ac on the fan is on if I run under 40mph.

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how much water is in the rad? are your running 70% water and 30% antifreeze?

you should deff be doing this in the summer hotter months. water is your coolant. the antifreeze is only their to keep it from boling or freezing. 50 50 is not a good summer mis for these cars.

or put a v8 in it. and use a universal alum rad two row. jegs 31x19 fits perfect use two fans.

 

Thanks for the tip, that's probably gonna be cheaper than the griffen radiators people buy on thirdgen, and a two-row radiator would be better.

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Like Dave already said, MAKE sure the air dam and air deflectors are all installed. I was out driving mine after I painted it without the air dam installed (too impatient I guess) and it ran almost 40 degrees hotter than normal. I reinstalled the air dam and problem was gone. It's very important on a car like ours with no grille, as the majority of the cooling air is directed to the radiator from below the bumper.

 

My '86 Firebird nearly overheated on me when I curbed the air dam underneath and ripped it off. I pulled what was left off and didn't think much of it until 20 minutes later my temp gauge was climbing and that was the only thing that changed. I went to Dave Gill and bought a new one, and that fixed the issue.

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Like Dave already said, MAKE sure the air dam and air deflectors are all installed. I was out driving mine after I painted it without the air dam installed (too impatient I guess) and it ran almost 40 degrees hotter than normal. I reinstalled the air dam and problem was gone. It's very important on a car like ours with no grille, as the majority of the cooling air is directed to the radiator from below the bumper.

 

All air dams are in place. I think the partially blocked radiator is the likely culprit of my running slightly hot on the highway, but the in-town driving without the ac on over-heating is definatly GM's fault. When the fan comes on with the ac everything is peachy, when it comes on at 230 it's not enough to get the car cool again,

 

P.S. - Jack - 180* thermo wasn't for the over-heating problem, though it did help slightly. I was just hoping to make my engine last longer with that one.

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car should cool fine if the fan works even if it comes on at 230 it should cool down

 

I would try a good chemical coolant flush first and then a new radiator if the problem is not improved

 

 

 

+1 a 5.0 that my buddy and I had had a similar problem and we did the good flush then a good new radiator that fixed the problem had same problem on a taurus same method fixed it

 

OR....take those hot rims off your car I could see those adding to underhood temps

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Guest Removed
All air dams are in place. I think the partially blocked radiator is the likely culprit of my running slightly hot on the highway, but the in-town driving without the ac on over-heating is definatly GM's fault. When the fan comes on with the ac everything is peachy, when it comes on at 230 it's not enough to get the car cool again,

then why did you come and ask for advise? :confused:

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then why did you come and ask for advise? :confused:

 

I was curious what other people have done to solve this - for instance, I learned that the air dams are indeed needed - I was wondering about that - also I hadn't thought of the dual fan thing. Another good idea I didn't know about.

 

Additionally, I was hoping to start a thread that would help others who were having this prob.

 

:)

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