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Xophertony Rodeo Queen

Joined: 13 Oct 2005 Posts: 5306 Location: Portland, Oregon.
1988 Pontiac GTA
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Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2006 4:10 pm Post subject: WOW... i'm hot |
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so my car is runnin pretty hot. i was getting near 250 today.. this was with only one fan on. once i put the other one on it started to cool... but i think i want to get a bigger radiator. have any other crewbies done this? any recomendations? _________________ 86' firebird (Junked in 2015). 88' GTA (sold in 2020).
| aaron_sK wrote: | | Hell, Tony drove his GTA to Cows a few years back with the pickup coil that came out in pieces. |
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aaron_sK Member
Joined: 23 Jan 2006 Posts: 8834 Location: Back in beautiful Tacompton
1987 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z
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Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2006 4:18 pm Post subject: |
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Are you running a stock thermostat? You shouldn't need a larger than stock rad for anything other than forced induction or full track racing.
IIRC the number one problem on birds is a bent or missing duct underneath, since you guys have no frontal air intake. Aside from that, my guess would be a clogged radiator, or a FUBARed thermostat. |
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BigDaddyVu 12sec Club

Joined: 31 Jan 2004 Posts: 1118 Location: Spokane, Wa
1986 Chevrolet Camaro Z/28
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Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2006 5:05 pm Post subject: |
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actually stock f-bodys are made to run about 220 to 250 (hotter) so it could be epa compliant. your stock electric fan turns on at 220 and off at 190 depending on year and size of engine. _________________
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Twilightoptics Hardcore (12sec Club)

Joined: 13 Jan 2004 Posts: 9191 Location: Auburn , WA
1987 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z
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Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2006 5:48 pm Post subject: |
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| Run a 180 T-Stat, and if you have dual fans, replace the inblock temp switch with a hypertech low temp one. |
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aaron_sK Member
Joined: 23 Jan 2006 Posts: 8834 Location: Back in beautiful Tacompton
1987 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z
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Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2006 7:04 pm Post subject: |
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| Isn't the stock second fan programed to not even come on till like 236*? |
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iansane Member

Joined: 16 Jan 2004 Posts: 5742 Location: Bothell
1991 Pontiac Trans Am
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Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2006 9:06 pm Post subject: |
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| Twilightoptics wrote: | | Run a 180 T-Stat, and if you have dual fans, replace the inblock temp switch with a hypertech low temp one. |
Werd. Pop in one of those 180* fan switches. I did that with a 180* thermo and my bird once warm never varies more than a few degrees away from 180* No matter what I'm doing, cruising, idling, stop and go traffic. It'll hit 185, sometimes 190 when I really beat the piss out of it but not very often.
I picked mine up from a buddy after he sold his TPI vette. Got it for $10.  |
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aaron_sK Member
Joined: 23 Jan 2006 Posts: 8834 Location: Back in beautiful Tacompton
1987 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z
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Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2006 10:11 pm Post subject: |
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Do you leave your second fan off all the time?
Right now my primary fan is always on, secondary fan is always off. I'm wanting to at least put the second fan on a manual switch, if not a 200* switch. |
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Xophertony Rodeo Queen

Joined: 13 Oct 2005 Posts: 5306 Location: Portland, Oregon.
1988 Pontiac GTA
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Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2006 11:58 pm Post subject: |
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stock setup on the cooling system with a few exceptions. the second fan is switched (under the dash). i keep it on whenever the weather gets like this or in traffic. i have a 180* therm.. i want to switch it to a 170*. but i also realised that i have no clue what type of coolant mix i am running. when i swapped my core i lost about a quart and i added a quart of all coolant back in. just found out today that just because we call it "coolant" does not mean it is cooler. i will be doing a full flush and replace tomorow before the cruise. might check the thermostat too.
what do you guys think about running 60%water / 40%anti-freeze ? it rarely gets below freezing here.
also my airdam is in great shape _________________ 86' firebird (Junked in 2015). 88' GTA (sold in 2020).
| aaron_sK wrote: | | Hell, Tony drove his GTA to Cows a few years back with the pickup coil that came out in pieces. |
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aaron_sK Member
Joined: 23 Jan 2006 Posts: 8834 Location: Back in beautiful Tacompton
1987 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z
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Posted: Sat Apr 29, 2006 5:34 am Post subject: |
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50/50 or around that will work. When I was younger I would just pull the radiator, stick a garden hose in one outlet, and go eat lunch. It does tend to loosen up clogged radiators, but it's probably not the healthiest thing for it, so I wouldn't recommend it.  |
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Twilightoptics Hardcore (12sec Club)

Joined: 13 Jan 2004 Posts: 9191 Location: Auburn , WA
1987 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z
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Posted: Sat Apr 29, 2006 8:49 am Post subject: |
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I've got the stock size Radiator, Dual Fans, and when I had the 3000stall my RPMs would be consistantly higher than all yours making more heat.
I never got above 210 on the hottest of hot days.
50/50 Prestone/Water
I have both my fans controlled through the CPU to come on at 190degrees. 180 T-stat.
I have a piggybacked switch to turn the fans on earlier if need be, but since I have them come on at 190, I never need it.
You can wire both fan relays to the 180 in block switch and you'd be set. |
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alloy T56 Elitist

Joined: 25 Jan 2004 Posts: 1716 Location: Vancouver, WA
1987 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z
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Posted: Sat Apr 29, 2006 10:32 am Post subject: |
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I just ordered this kit to turn both my fans on at 185. 40 am relay should be able to control both fans. I've also had a 160 stat in my car for over 15 years now. Got 173k on the clock and still running pretty well. Uses a quart of oil in 2500 miles, but I'm running 0-30 mobil 1, so I'm not too disapointed in that. Rarely does my car get over 200. Only when one of my fan motors burned out did that happen.
http://www.centechwire.com/catalog/cooling/fc3.shtml
By the way.......I didn't order this kit directly from Centec. Ordered it from another source for 5% less and only $5 shipping. Al from Autowire is very helpfull. I discussed my 55 project with him at great length. Any wiring projects you have I'd give him first shot at it.
http://www.autorewire.com/ |
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Quasi-Traction "I have petals"

Joined: 24 Oct 2005 Posts: 3873 Location: stumptown
1986 Chevrolet Camaro Berlinetta
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Posted: Sat Apr 29, 2006 10:40 am Post subject: |
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Tony, would doing the Throttle Body Coolent bypass you did have anything to do with your higher temperature?....just a thought... _________________
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Twilightoptics Hardcore (12sec Club)

Joined: 13 Jan 2004 Posts: 9191 Location: Auburn , WA
1987 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z
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Posted: Sat Apr 29, 2006 10:56 am Post subject: |
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| Quasi-Traction wrote: | | Tony, would doing the Throttle Body Coolent bypass you did have anything to do with your higher temperature?....just a thought... |
It shouldn't. If he rerouted the hoses right it should be fine and the intake temp should be lower.
Dan, I thought the individual fans were on 40amp relays each from the get go?
I left both my relays in there, and just wired the relays on/off wires together on the ECM's leads (since I can control it in there) but could be swapped to a block switch just as easily. |
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chevymad Master B
Joined: 11 Jan 2004 Posts: 5476
1987 Pontiac Formula
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Posted: Sat Apr 29, 2006 11:50 am Post subject: |
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My formula was originally carbed so it only has a single fan. In the dozen years we ran it with the 305 it was all stock and it only got hot enough to turn the fan on twice. Once idling for over an hour at the drive in. Stock fan comes on at 235*. When I put the 327 in I noticed it running warmer then the 305. Turns out the fan motor was froze and now with more hp I needed it. Replaced the fan motor, and while I was at it, I replaced the fan switch with one that comes on at 200*. Installed a 180* thermostat. No problems at all, once the temp hits 200* the fan comes on and drops the temp to 180.
Talking about EPA craziness. I once worked on a citation, and the original fan switch was set for 248* |
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alloy T56 Elitist

Joined: 25 Jan 2004 Posts: 1716 Location: Vancouver, WA
1987 Chevrolet Camaro IROC-Z
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Posted: Sat Apr 29, 2006 9:20 pm Post subject: |
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| I'm not sure what the stock relays were Paul, my ECM stopped controlling my fans long ago, so they are on a switch now with two 30 amp relays. Hopefully one 40 amp relay will handle them both. |
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