[cybrslider]

Hello all,

Have 69 Chevelle with an '04 LQ4 engine swapped in. About 2 weeks ago, when I still had the heater core bypassed, the car would run around 190 degrees while running down the road. If stopped at a light for more than just a few moments (say like a couple of minutes), it would heat up and the fan would come on. The fan would cool the engine down and go off.

About 2 weeks ago, the power steering pump puked out the shaft while I was going 70 mph down the highway. I didn't notice it right away and when I noticed the steering feeling different, the car was already at 240 degrees. I pulled over quickly and shut it down. The car puked some anti freeze. I managed to get it home because I happened to have a belt in the car that would drive just the water pump. I drove the car about 10 miles on just battery with the water pump turning at about 3/4 capacity. The temperature never got above about 210.

I haven't driven the car since this happened. I fixed the power steering last week but when I was running the air out of the lines, the car seemed like it was running a bit warm. I had refilled the coolant also.

Fast forward to this morning - I decided to hook up the factory heater core so I can have some heat this winter because my Vintage install won't happen for awhile. I have done everything I can think of to bleed air out of the system. I removed the heater hose from the heater core side of the heater valve and poured coolant in that way until it ran out of the heater valve. I open the radiator and it is full. When the thermostat opens, the level in the radiator barely drops. I do see coolant flow also.

Just idling with the hood open, the temperature will rise up to 206 degrees and the fan comes on. The engine never cools down. It fluctuates between around 206 and 213 degrees and the fan never goes off. Even driving down the road now the car will not go below around 202 degrees or so. I saw temps as high as 218 while sitting at a light. And the fan is always on now.

There are no leaks, no coolant in the oil, no steam coming out of the tail pipes. Did I hurt something or do I still have an air pocket?

Thanks,
David

 

[Blackhawk]

How is your steam vent routed? What do you have for a radiator?
These engines run hotter, my truck runs at 200-210 when warm.

 

[pcguy]

I agree you may still have air in the cooling system, but I wonder if there is some reason you think that, beyond suspecting air as the culprit.

One way to check for air is with a digital spot thermometer. Check both heads on the same relative spots to see if the temps are near identical.

Also, connect a piece of clear hose to an old radiator cap and prop the hose up to bottom of the hood. With the engine warmed up you should see the coolant rise in the tube. While watching the tube, check for air.

BTW, was the swap recent?

Nick

 

[DUTCH MAX HEADWORK]

Did any of the ps fluid end up on the rad?

 

[cybrslider]

How is your steam vent routed? What do you have for a radiator?
These engines run hotter, my truck runs at 200-210 when warm.

The steam vent is factory type set up. Everything that was on the truck from the factory in this sense is on the car. The steam line goes directly to a steam vent on the radiator.

Thanks,
David

 

[Jasons 69 Chevelle]

Factory fan? Or a dorman replacement.
What thermostat.are you running a purge tank.

 

[cybrslider]

I agree you may still have air in the cooling system, but I wonder if there is some reason you think that, beyond suspecting air as the culprit.

One way to check for air is with a digital spot thermometer. Check both heads on the same relative spots to see if the temps are near identical.

Also, connect a piece of clear hose to an old radiator cap and prop the hose up to bottom of the hood. With the engine warmed up you should see the coolant rise in the tube. While watching the tube, check for air.

BTW, was the swap recent?

Nick

Nick,

I am new to the LS scene and don't have much experience. The swap is recent in that I only have about 300 miles on it. The engine has been running for about 3 months. I have had tons of problems with transmission coolant lines, power steering issues, etc. I think they are all finally fixed when the power steering pump pukes the shaft and now here I am.

I only suspect air because it can be a culprit and not sure what else could be causing it?

Thanks,
David

 

[cybrslider]

Did any of the ps fluid end up on the rad?

Not sure. Maybe. There is an electric fan shroud covering most of the radiator, though. Are you suggesting it might gum up the radiator?

Thanks,
David

 

[cybrslider]

Factory fan? Or a dorman replacement.
What thermostat.are you running a purge tank.

The fan is a Windstar type fan. Aftermarket, not sure of the brand name. Thermostat is 195. Purge tank? I have the overflow from the radiator hooked up to the bottom input of a plastic reservoir. The top vent on the reservoir is vented to atmosphere. The plastic reservoir is about half full and it never changes level that I can tell. It did when the car overheated but has not since then.

Thanks,
David

 

[Jasons 69 Chevelle]

Sorry surge tank. These two pictures the upper one has a radiator vent. I used the lower because my radiator only had a overflow in the cap cavity.

 

[B52bombardier1]

I think your temperatures are fine. Are you reading this temp from a dash gage or is this the number that the PCM reports in the OBD2 data stream of parameter ID's? My dash gage is always warmer than what the PCM sees for a temperature.

Rick

 

[pcguy]

When the swap was first complete you were daily driving it, were you conscious of the engine temps. Were they lower than they are now.

If they are higher now, my guess is there is air from the heater core introduction. I had that issue on a 350/Vega swap and I had to add a purge tank on the heater hose; IIRC, it was the return hose.

 

[pcguy]

BTW, assume that your tranny coolant lines connect to the bottom of the radiator. Does the tranny have a dipstick (most newer ones don't), if so, have you looked at the dipstick and is the tranny oil clear?

 

[DUTCH MAX HEADWORK]

Not sure. Maybe. There is an electric fan shroud covering most of the radiator, though. Are you suggesting it might gum up the radiator?

Thanks,
David

If oil gets onto the radiator it will decrease the heat transfer. If left there it will get worse as the oil pickup dirt/debris.
Dawn dish soap and a hose would probably be enough to get it clean. You can step up that game with a degreaser and pressure washer as long as you don't damage the fins or the chemical you use doesn't destroy the radiator or sealing method used on the core. I just mention it because all was "fine" before the leak. I think your temps are fine, these engines run much higher temps than you are currently registering in their stock applications.

 

[cybrslider]

Sorry surge tank. These two pictures the upper one has a radiator vent. I used the lower because my radiator only had a overflow in the cap cavity.

Oh, Ok. No, no surge tank.

Thanks,
David

 

[cybrslider]

I think your temperatures are fine. Are you reading this temp from a dash gage or is this the number that the PCM reports in the OBD2 data stream of parameter ID's? My dash gage is always warmer than what the PCM sees for a temperature.

Rick

Rick,

This is the temp reported by the PCM from the OBD2 stream. My dash gauge is actually cooler than this.

Thanks,
David

 

[cybrslider]

When the swap was first complete you were daily driving it, were you conscious of the engine temps. Were they lower than they are now.

If they are higher now, my guess is there is air from the heater core introduction. I had that issue on a 350/Vega swap and I had to add a purge tank on the heater hose; IIRC, it was the return hose.

Yes. The "rolling" temp was around 190. Sitting and idling would cause the engine to heat up to about 206 but the fan would always cool it back down to 195 and shut off.

Thanks,
David

 

[cybrslider]

BTW, assume that your tranny coolant lines connect to the bottom of the radiator. Does the tranny have a dipstick (most newer ones don't), if so, have you looked at the dipstick and is the tranny oil clear?

Yes, the tranny has a dip stick. I hadn't checked before I saw you comment. It checked out - it is pink and not overfilled.

Thanks,
David

 

[LevonH]

Head over to camaro5.com
Great info on heating and cooling. There's a bell going ding ding in my head as I read something about cooling and the heater core and overheating or no heat?????

 

[cybrslider]

Head over to camaro5.com
Great info on heating and cooling. There's a bell going ding ding in my head as I read something about cooling and the heater core and overheating or no heat?????

Thanks Levon. I do have heat. It works. The vacuum heater valve shuts it off also.

Thanks,
David