Overheating 85 gt

[jcnunez85gt]

I just an 85 gt, its V8 carburated and when im driving on the freeway the temp gauge stays in the middle but when im driving on the street it starts to overheat. i check the thermostat and it didnt have one. i believe its the water pump. Any suggestions.

 

[HISSIN50]

If it cools fine at speed but not while going slow or stationary, check the fan and fan clutch.

 

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

Fan or fan clutch as mentioned, and you really should have a thermostat. Flowing the coolant through faster will actually take away from the time the coolant spends in the radiator getting cooled and will cool the engine less. They even make a flow restrictor to put in place of the thermostat for race cars.

 

[jcnunez85gt]

sorry i took long to response and thank you for the advice. well i got around to check the fan and the clutch. I put the thermostat on checked everything wasnt leaking but know it overheats on the freeway. I think that the water pump is not pumping enough water or maybe the gauge is bad.

 

[HISSIN50]

Stock gauge is no good for diagnostics.

If it all of a sudden reads hot on the highway (when it was cool before), you might have air in the system or it will run even hotter while stationary (the lack of a stat was a band-aid).

BE sure you have adequate air flow over the radiator while at speed (air dams present, etc). Then if you cool back down at speed but run hot while slow/stopped, check the fan blade and clutch.

 

[jcnunez85gt]

air in the system so you mean i would have to bleed the air out of the cooling system

 

[HISSIN50]

It's always a good idea to bleed them. In theory they will self-purge, but it can take FOREVER for it to happen, and leave one with some weird stuff occurring in the meanwhile.....

 

[jcnunez85gt]

how do i rid the system of the air

 

[deftsound]

how do i rid the system of the air

I think you have to flush the system unless im mistaken...