Well, first, this is my first post here, looks like a great forum. You guys have been recemended to me not only from other forums, but from locals.

Alright, so heres my cars details

1996 LT1 powerd T/a
BBK headers/ORY
Flowmaster Cat back * I know I know... *
Homemade 1le Elbow, kinda ghetto, don't blame me, first owner did it.
!Air
Six Speed
138,xxx miles - Stock tune as far as I know

Alright. I bought the car in November. I started driving it in March. Two days after I started driving it I noticed a Low coolant light, and the car overheated on me. I was early for work, so I walked and got some Coolant ( pre mix 50/50 Peak ) from Menard's. I filled up the over flow, bled off the bleeder valve, and she was good for the rest of the day ( 15 mins drive back home after work, all interstate ) The next day it did the same thing. I replaced the stat ( had a 195 ) with a 160, and don't remember ever having a problem with it till recently. It was getting so bad that I was having to have my heat on all the time to keep it at 210-220 degrees. My friend said its my rad, but I don't think that's bad at all. I stopped by a local speed shop and they told me I had air in the block. They told me to Jack the front of the car up about a foot or so, and take the cap off the rad when its cold, start the car, and let it warm up, ad fluid until you can't ad any more.. So this morning I jacked the car up, took the cap off, only to see coolant 1/2 inch below the cap. I started the car, and let it warm up, coolant started pouring out of the radiator, so I goosed it a few times, blew some coolant out, just to try and get some air out if possible, and then capped it. The car has a BRAND new over flow tank as well. I never added any Coolant, there wasn't room. I drove the car and she was running great, ~170 then turned around and came back on a city road, with stop and go traffic. I noticed at stop lights, I could actually see the needle move, that's how fast it was overheating. It would get to 210, then the light would go green and it would cool back down. It never got so bad that I needed to turn the heat on though, so It did get better at least.

I want to wire up some manual fan switches soon I think, do you guys think that I have a more serious problem?

 

210* is not overheating. Does the needle ever go into the red? I don't think the fans even come on until after 210* on a stock tune.

If you put a 160* thermostat in, I would recommend getting the PCM tuned for it. A 160* tune will have your fans coming on a lot sooner, and should keep the temp around 180* or so. A 160* stat with a stock tune can actually cause the car to run hotter.

Thomas.

PS) If you have !AIR, and no SES light, then the tune can't be stock.

 

um...sounds somewhat like a bad thermostat...have you changed that at all? Is your radiator fins in the front clogged or bent over to restrict aiflow, is your air damn on there so it scoops up some air? Are your fans working?

 

no. do manual fan switch ,run 80% water 20% coolant also use a bottle of water wetter.

 

I do have a SES light, forgot to tell you guys that, Autozone has scanned it and said that its just the AIR system.

I just jumpered pins 5 and 6 on the OBDII port with a paper clip, and the fans did NOT come on. I checked all the relays under the hood, and inspected all the fuses, everything checked out fine. I also started the car and felt the two big hoses coming off the rad, one on each side. At first they felt limp, but as the car warmed up, they got stiffer, IDK if my WP is bad or not... If I left the car idleing I would have to guess it would over heat bad...

 

BTW, I am in no way a car expert. I am 16 years old, this is my first car. I have mechanical ablilty, but no knowledge, so don't assume I know much lol.

 

I would make sure the fans are coming on, then check the temp sensor the computer reads Vs the gauge. You could also flush your radiator and pressure test it. Also make sure your thermostat is good and you bleed it. Cant forget about the water pump. Make sure its well also. That's what I'd do.

 

I took pictures of the sensors SB said the check.


This one looks like it should have two wires coming out of it, possibly one went bye bye b/c headers?



This one looks good to me.

 

Nope, it only has one and it goes to the dash gauge. The one in the WP has two.

 

Alright. I think I might have just been getting over excited. I drove the car in HEAVY traffic, pretty hard actually. I then went to radio shack to look for some switches to wire my manual fan switches ( which I want to do anyways ) and then drove threw the same traffic, and went into a movie theater parking lot. I dude a HUGE, 100ft or so burn out, then tooled around and went home, and let the car idle for like 5-10 mins. I got under the car, and felt the fans, yep they are BOTH running, the heat, and AC are both off btw, AC doesn't even blow cold, so who cares Then I watched the gauge, it was at the mark between 210 and the 260, so I think the mark it was at represents 235. Is that too hot?

 

Did it ever get into the red zone on the gauge? I don't think you are overheating, I think you expect it to run colder than designed; especially with a 160* t-stat in there.

Your best bet is to get your PCM tuned! Have the AIR system codes deleted and the fans programmed for a 160* thermostat. Check out http://www.madz28.com for programming services.

Thomas.

 

Alright. Right now I do not want to get a mail order tune, with a exhaust only car. I think I am going to do some manual fan switches. Anyone have a how too? And pictures of were you have mounted your switches?

 

There's a lot of good reading here:
http://www.bfranker.badz28.com/fbody/guides.htm

 

For the time being put back in the stock level thermostat until you are ready to get a tune.

 

My car runs around 210 to 220 in stop and go and under 200 while running.

Chas