Hello,

I have a simple question for you Z28 experts – are the movements in my engine temperature what you can say is "normal" engine temperature (please see picture below)?

http://www.tkrath.dk/forum/z28/udsving-temp.jpg


Is it possible that there could be any link to my P1870 error code on the car (please see link below):

http://web.camaross.com/forums/showthread.php?t=404039

Car is a 1997 Camaro Z28 5.7L V8.


Thanks
Thomas Krath
Copenhagen, Denmark

 

no, thats pretty strange. normally,highway driving will net you the lowest temps and city and parked temps should be closer to the same. is the airdam that goes down below the radiator in place?

 

It seems normal to me. While cruising I'll stay anywhere from 160-180 and at a stop it will slowly creep up to 210 before my fans kick on. That is, unless I flip a switch and do it myself

 

ditto - dont think factory fans kick on till 220 anyway - and while driving ur air dam is scooping cool air onto the radiator - hence the 170 or so temps

edit* just read that ur temps are 220 on highway...that is not normal - i could see around town being over 200 if you have traffic or lot of stops- but never on highway unless as stated your air dam is obstructed

 

Check if your fans are always on due to a fault somewhere. if your fans are stuck on then your temps will increase on the freeway. I know it sounds weird but a running fan will impede flow over the radiator at freeway speeds.

also check to see if the air dam is still in place. that could also be your prob.

 

Airdam - help me guys, could you please explain or show me what that is (I’m from Denmark you see)??

We will take off the front bumper during next month as it needs a respray. Meanwhile the bumper is off we will take a closer look at the cooling system.

The fans are working fine - no problem. The fans kicks on around 210.

I noticed today that the temperature moves from 180 to 200 on the highway. In the morning it mainly stayed at 180. On my way back to my house around town and in traffic with a lot of stops it stayed around 200.

Btw. it does not hit 220 – not higher than around 210-215.

/Thomas Krath

 

The airdam is that big plastic thing that sticks down in the front of the car. Its basically just about directly under the core support.

 

Okay - I thought so I will take a closer look at it

You guys don't believe that the engine temp. (+ the movements in temp.) has anything to do with my transmission problems?

Thanks
Thomas Krath

 

If your transmission problem causes lack of overdrive or converter lockup, you would be running a little higher rpm than normal. This might make your temps a little higher on the highway. Other than the little higher highway temps, your indications seem normal to me.

 

Okay - nice to know

/TK

 

The stock oil cooler uses the antifreeze to heat/regulate engine oil temperture. For some reason I feel that they had some kind of retarded set up like this on the A4's as well? If your running hot, the tranny fluid could overheat, and the clutchs wont slip properly and stuff. Granted, the chances of this are like 1,000,000 to 1. But anyways, check and see if the A4's had an tranny cooler set up like that? I keep thinking that they did for some reason.

 

Factory trans coolers have always used a coil inside one of the radiator tanks for cooling.

 

Thanks Shoebox

So does that mean it would be possible then if there was a overheat condition for it to overheat the tranny fluid as well to the point where it could make it slip and stuff?

In a way I want to say yes? But I keep thinking that many cars dont even have a tranny cooler on them so the extra heat from that would not nearly be enough to cause the transmission fluid to rise high enough to produce any kind of negitive affect.

 

After cruising, when the temps climb to 210 and you stop, do the temps go back down? If so, it sounds like an airflow problem. Bleed the system to be sure no air is in it and while you are at it, check between the ac heat exchanger and radiator for leaves or a blockage of any kind.

 

I once had a quirky overheating problems ONLY on the highway at higher speeds. If i slowed down the temps would go back to normal.. weird huh? What it was was infront of the radiator towards the lights there is a plastic panel that is attached to another plastic panel by two plastic push-in tacks. The tacks had fallen off or not been replaced by my mechanic after my engine rebuild a while back. When i was driving fast enough the plastic flap (which would normally be held back by being attached to the other panel) would get sucked onto the surface of the radiator blocking maybe 1/3 of its airflow.

just an idea....