Car Running Hot
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mikestang63
SN Certified Technician
I thought everybody had a black deflector?
Them white ones just don't work right.
Them white ones just don't work right.
5.0specialist
Active Member
The Deflector usually works when the car is rolling since it directs air up into the radiator as far as I know. Not sure if it does anything while the car is fully stopped during idle.
5.0specialist
Active Member
Are you using the stock fan shroud? Reason why I'm asking is that I've seen a handful of people running aftermarket radiators with the clutch fan and no fan shroud. The shroud is their to help the fan pull the air through the radiator. Without it, it won't be nearly as efficient.
Hi all, sorry, I've been busy patching and painting rust holes in the floor. I'm taking it to a mechanic tomorrow to see if he can check my radiator while he's working on it.
Yes to the fan shroud, and yes to the black deflector under the radiator.
The system hasn't been burped yet, but I'm going to see if the mechanic can help with that. It's been worked on so much lately that I wouldn't be surprised if there was air in it. Hoses have been taken off and put back on several times.
I don't have the stock thermostat anymore; the guy helping me threw it away for some dumbass reason; I can't find it. I may order another 195 and do it myself this time. When the guy helped me install it, he gobbed it with gasket sealer; not sure if that could have caused an issue.
Yes to the fan shroud, and yes to the black deflector under the radiator.
The system hasn't been burped yet, but I'm going to see if the mechanic can help with that. It's been worked on so much lately that I wouldn't be surprised if there was air in it. Hoses have been taken off and put back on several times.
I don't have the stock thermostat anymore; the guy helping me threw it away for some dumbass reason; I can't find it. I may order another 195 and do it myself this time. When the guy helped me install it, he gobbed it with gasket sealer; not sure if that could have caused an issue.
No kidding. I bought rubber gaskets for my valve covers and he argued with me every step of the way, saying that I should have bought the cork ones because they were "better".
At idle, it stays about the same as when I'm driving it. Only difference is it heats up a little more temporarily when I ouch the gas, but drops down after I let it off. Seems to even drop a little when I come to a red light or something. Still runs around 210-230 though.
I looked it over the other day for leaks and the fins seemed okay. The condenser is pretty dinged up though.
Supposedly the water pump was replaced within the past 6 months, but I dunno about the handiwork in installing it.
Can you explain what you mean about the fan shroud? I know when it's running, I can put my hand in front (the side facing the engine) and slightly above it and feel air really strong.
I looked it over the other day for leaks and the fins seemed okay. The condenser is pretty dinged up though.
Supposedly the water pump was replaced within the past 6 months, but I dunno about the handiwork in installing it.
Can you explain what you mean about the fan shroud? I know when it's running, I can put my hand in front (the side facing the engine) and slightly above it and feel air really strong.
I'm taking this as that it stays coolest when sitting at idle, but while driving and under load, it heats up. If you cruise on the highway at 2000RPM, how hot is it?
Do you have any pics of the radiator front/backside and the fan shroud? Just want to see what's going on there
Yes, it seems to hold steady at idle and then heat up as I'm driving it.
At highway speeds, same 210-230 temperature. But honestly, it rarely ever stays above 2000rpms. My gauge always reads about 1500 max.
At 60mph, my gauge reads ~1300rpms, and is the usual temperature.
I don't have any really good shots. I'll take them later and upload, but I do have one that shows the top of the fan shroud:
Yes, it seems to hold steady at idle and then heat up as I'm driving it.
At highway speeds, same 210-230 temperature. But honestly, it rarely ever stays above 2000rpms. My gauge always reads about 1500 max.
At 60mph, my gauge reads ~1300rpms, and is the usual temperature.
I don't have any really good shots. I'll take them later and upload, but I do have one that shows the top of the fan shroud:
Yea, it was doing that originally until I started doing replacements and tweaks that this thread has mentioned. Now it doesn't seem to be overheating when it's idling.
I think he did a little work and then updated in post #12
Ok, so stock fan shroud. I assume stock fan? When the car is hot, shut the engine off, then grab the fan and spin it. It should have a lot of resistance and stop immediately when you let go.
As for condition of the radiator and condenser, if the fins are bent and folded over, air doesn't pass through. I'd spend some time straightening out all the fins on the condenser and radiator. You may need to remove the fan and shroud, and tint the radiator in towards the engine to access the front side and straighten them all out. That assumes, of course, they are all bent badly.
As for condition of the radiator and condenser, if the fins are bent and folded over, air doesn't pass through. I'd spend some time straightening out all the fins on the condenser and radiator. You may need to remove the fan and shroud, and tint the radiator in towards the engine to access the front side and straighten them all out. That assumes, of course, they are all bent badly.
Here are pictures of the radiator and the condenser. The condenser is in far rougher shape.
Condenser, worst part in top left corner:
As an added update, as I was taking my car in to have the AC done, I punched the gas when pulling out, after having driven it about 3 miles. It got up to speed, and the temp immediately soared up to 270, and just a hair from the red. It sat there for about 19 seconds and then went down slowly in the next minute or so, back to half. It stayed there, then came back up to its usual 230ish running temperature. When I came to a stop, it went up a little, then hung back at 230, but didn't seem to be trying to overheat as I sat there.
I turned the car off and spun the fan, and it had a lot of resistance to it.
Here are pictures of the radiator and the condenser. The condenser is in far rougher shape.
Condenser, worst part in top left corner:
As an added update, as I was taking my car in to have the AC done, I punched the gas when pulling out, after having driven it about 3 miles. It got up to speed, and the temp immediately soared up to 270, and just a hair from the red. It sat there for about 10 seconds and then went down slowly in the next minute or so, back to half. It stayed there, then came back up to its usual 230ish running temperature. When I came to a stop, it went up a little, then hung back at 230, but didn't seem to be trying to overheat as I sat there.
I turned the car off and spun the fan, and it had a lot of resistance to it.
I drive an automatic :/
But load does seem to affect it more I think. So, water pump or possibly bad radiator right?
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