Overheating, plastic scoop missing?
Johnny
I have an 86 Firebird TransAM with 305HO.
When I am crusing down the highway at 60-70 mph my engine will sometimes run
hot (220). It only happens if I have been crusing for more than 30 minutes.
It have also happened once or twice in stop and go traffic but I think that
is normal. If I drive for less than 30 minutes it dont get so hot (~200).
I was looking under my car and there is some plastic scoop underneeth but it
is a little one. I think there should be a bigger also.
I live in ICELAND and the GM dealer cant help me and there is no F-body club
over here. Does anybody have a picture of the scoop or some advise for me?
Thanks in advange
Jon H. Gudjonsson
madmaxx
Johnny <baunat...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:7ktcq5$4...@gremlin.skyrr.is...
> Hi
>
> I have an 86 Firebird TransAM with 305HO.
> Thanks in advange
>
> Jon H. Gudjonsson
3rd gen camaro's and firebirds ran hot strait from the factory. They
averaged about 220 deg. all the time. The plastic part you mean is the
air-dam. It deflects air up into the radiator to help the cooling proccess.
From what you said, it seems to be OK.
One thing you can do is change the thermostat to a colder one (170deg), a
manual fan switch (always nice to have), or a combo of the two combined with
an aftermarket chip (Hypertech's for example will keep the car running
around 160deg all the time insted of 220...).
Hope that helps a bit.
MadMaxx
Debbi and Stephen Melton
factory....
My one owner 3rd gen only ran hot, or over 220 when the water pump kissed
its ass good-bye, and the instructions that came with my mod chip told me to
change the stat...not that it would cause the engine to run
cooler..although, I can see how it could drop the overall temp slightly as
it affects the timing somewhat, and that can make a diff in the overall
temp.
Now...not attempting to start a flame here...seriously...but I put the chip
in only a few months ago, and never ran hot in Southern Cali....even with
the AC on and 120F outside.
I do remember that there were/is two stats for the F-body from factory, and
if the wrong one was mixed with the other, it would run hotter, even though
the ratings were the same.
madmaxx wrote in message <7kto2d$r9r$1...@nntp1.atl.mindspring.net>...
Paul E. Vasquez
Debbi and Stephen Melton <deb...@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
news:7ku1uv$f...@dfw-ixnews11.ix.netcom.com...
> I do remember that there were/is two stats for the F-body from factory,
and
> if the wrong one was mixed with the other, it would run hotter, even
though
> the ratings were the same.
Oh, that's just great! I put a 160 in my '92 350, and now the damn thing
runs HOTTER! What the hell?
Paul
mik...@enter.net
about 2 ft wide by about 4 inches high If i remember correctly. I do not
personally own a 3rd gen. The majority of air for the radiator comes in
through the bottom opening, just look at your front bumper and you see why.
This is why the air dam is so important. If its missing expect your car to
run 20degrees or more than what it would run if you had the dam. You also
might want to try a more powerful fan. Rember this engine runs at the right
operating temp in other vehicles (i think?), so just get the coolant half of
the system up to stock specs (unless you have a chip or some other reason)
and focus more on getting air throught the radiator, air flow is your
problem, all the thermostats and fancy coolant in the world wont help you if
you have poor air flow through the radiator. Ime gonna get flamed for this
one, i can see it already.
mike
Debbi and Stephen Melton
for...the parts guy tossed me what he thought, and I also would have thought
to be the correct stat, and it fit, but when I fired the car up to leave,
and it was a hell of a night to get stuck, as it was sleeting and snowing,
it started to climb, and climb, and climb..once it went to almost 220, with
a 195 stat in it, I knew I had either air, or the wrong stat. Turned out to
be the wrong stat. The only way I can remember to tell the diff, is that the
one I tried first, didn't have an O-ring around the otherside edge, the
correct one did.
Something about clearance on the plunger as well..
Paul E. Vasquez wrote in message ...
Dagon7
>From: "Johnny" <baunat...@hotmail.com>
>Date: Thu, 24 June 1999 09:45 AM EDT
>Message-id: <7ktcq5$4...@gremlin.skyrr.is>
>
>Hi
>
>I have an 86 Firebird TransAM with 305HO.
>
>hot (220). It only happens if I have been crusing for more than 30 minutes.
>It have also happened once or twice in stop and go traffic but I think that
>is normal. If I drive for less than 30 minutes it dont get so hot (~200).
>
>I was looking under my car and there is some plastic scoop underneeth but it
>is a little one. I think there should be a bigger also.
>
>I live in ICELAND and the GM dealer cant help me and there is no F-body club
>over here. Does anybody have a picture of the scoop or some advise for me?
>
>
>Jon H. Gudjonsson
>
Check your radiator,thermostat, hoses, etc.
Thirdgens run hot in traffic (220) but it should settle down to about 200 or so
when cruising.
If you want to see a picture of a Airdamn your best bet would be Thirdgen.org
It's about a 4 foot by 6-7 inches plastic panel. (rough estimate).
They also have a excellent article on the cooling system of Thirdgen's along
with modifications.
I Live in So California and its about 100f here. I've installed a 170
thermostat and soon I'll have a Fan switch installed...works well...
WGibbs8087
if you can idle forever and your fans operate normally, but when you hit the
road esp at hiway speeds and then you overheat.........quit hurting your engine
and repair your air dams. thats the only way to get airflow thru the radiator
over 35 mph as the fans will not operate above that speed. by the way, does
the a/c quit cooling at the same time? if so thats further proof