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Topic: hot car, maybe???

in Forum: C3 Cooling and Heating Systems

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hot car, maybe??? (1/27)
8/7/07 9:56pm

white heat
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sand springs, OK - USA

Vette(s):
1978 white w/blue interior it has 80-82 front & rear clips on it

Joined: 5/15/2007
Posts: 97

Cool

guys, i need a little assistance. my '78 seems to run a little warm. temp gauge goes up to about 200 while i am driving it, even on the interstate. now, this car has 80-82 front and rear bumpers and also the hood. there are no holes in the hood for ventilation. do i need to purchase a new hood for it or ???????

i am so confused

thanks

karen

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hot car, maybe??? (2/27)
8/7/07 10:22pm

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Irving, TX - USA

Vette(s):
#1 -1969 Corvette Coupe Riverside Gold, black interior,MN,A/C,350/350,PS,PB,window cranks. #2 -2000 C5, black/black, 6 sp, Bose system & lots of buttons.

Joined: 8/21/2004
Posts: 4273

Is that "in traffic temp" or what? Confused

Confused

What temp were you getting previously? Need more info.

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hot car, maybe??? (3/27)
8/7/07 10:24pm

Gunslinger
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Frederick, MD - USA

Vette(s):
1969 convertible L71 427/435 4-speed black interior

Joined: 9/8/2003
Posts: 3398

200 degrees is about normal. When I had my '78 it would stay anywhere between 190-210 degrees.

Just to make sure you don't have a problem, make sure the belts are tight, the hoses are good, the coolant level is at the proper level and the proper ratio of water to coolant, the radiator cap is good and the system holds pressure.

It wouldn't hurt to add a bottle of Water Wetter to the system as well.

hot car, maybe??? (4/27)
8/7/07 10:25pm

white heat
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sand springs, OK - USA

Vette(s):
1978 white w/blue interior it has 80-82 front & rear clips on it

Joined: 5/15/2007
Posts: 97

that temp is in traffic or on the interstate. since i have had the car, it will get up to that temp as i drive it

karen

hot car, maybe??? (5/27)
8/7/07 10:26pm

white heat
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sand springs, OK - USA

Vette(s):
1978 white w/blue interior it has 80-82 front & rear clips on it

Joined: 5/15/2007
Posts: 97

ok, cool what is water wetter? also, if i sit in traffic or a drive thru, the car

wants to die on me

karen

hot car, maybe??? (6/27)
8/7/07 10:35pm

Gunslinger
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Frederick, MD - USA

Vette(s):
1969 convertible L71 427/435 4-speed black interior

Joined: 9/8/2003
Posts: 3398

Water Wetter is a coolant additive you can buy at Pep Boys, Auto Zone, Advance Auto, etc. It chemically coats the metals in the system to transfer heat faster to the coolant.

Is your problem recent...like since the weather has been so hot and humid? If so, your car may be suffering from vapor lock and fuel percolation, boiling off before it gets down into the carburetor. Since you're saying it occurs when sitting, there's little airflow going through the radiator.

If it's vapor lock or percolation, I'm not sure of what your answer may be. Maybe someone else here can be of more help on that.

hot car, maybe??? (7/27)
8/7/07 10:37pm

white heat
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sand springs, OK - USA

Vette(s):
1978 white w/blue interior it has 80-82 front & rear clips on it

Joined: 5/15/2007
Posts: 97

ok, thank you very much for the info. i will purchase some of that. why would they produce a hood with no ventilation? sounds kind of silly.

karen

hot car, maybe??? (8/27)
8/7/07 11:11pm

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Irving, TX - USA

Vette(s):
#1 -1969 Corvette Coupe Riverside Gold, black interior,MN,A/C,350/350,PS,PB,window cranks. #2 -2000 C5, black/black, 6 sp, Bose system & lots of buttons.

Joined: 8/21/2004
Posts: 4273

Gunslinger's right. 200 is fine, heck it's darn good in traffic! That's what mine runs in traffic, but I've never had an overheating issue with it. I just wondered if there were temp changes. Your car gets enough air through the air filter if it's hooked up correctly. You don't need to put holes in your hood.

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hot car, maybe??? (9/27)
8/7/07 11:15pm

white heat
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sand springs, OK - USA

Vette(s):
1978 white w/blue interior it has 80-82 front & rear clips on it

Joined: 5/15/2007
Posts: 97

it is an aftermarket air cleaner. i do not have the original. will that make a

difference???

hot car, maybe??? (10/27)
8/7/07 11:18pm

BKVETTE
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Calhoun City, MS - USA

Vette(s):
1977 Black T-Top

Joined: 9/24/2005
Posts: 121

Mine was running a high temperature until I replaced the heads. Also, adding an electric fan to pull some outside air into the radiator will help when sitting in traffic and not getting the airflo .

hot car, maybe??? (11/27)
8/7/07 11:21pm

white heat
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sand springs, OK - USA

Vette(s):
1978 white w/blue interior it has 80-82 front & rear clips on it

Joined: 5/15/2007
Posts: 97

is it hard to add electric fans? and also is there a certain place to put them? i will be doing the work myself with my sister's help.

thanks

karen

hot car, maybe??? (12/27)
8/7/07 11:54pm

BKVETTE
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Calhoun City, MS - USA

Vette(s):
1977 Black T-Top

Joined: 9/24/2005
Posts: 121

It's not hard to install. I purchased , I think is a 10" fan from AutoZone and slid it between the radiator and evaporator and they come with some universal installation hardware that just slide through your radiator vents and ties. I use it with the factory fan still in. Have a toggle switch and just flips it on as I need it. Leaves it on awhile after I stop to cool it down under the hood as we all know those Bad Boys get very hot under there.(think I meant between radiator and condenser)

BKVETTE2007-08-07 21:12:26

hot car, maybe??? (13/27)
8/8/07 11:59am

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Eastern Oklahoma County, OK - USA

Vette(s):
1980 Black L48 T-Tops

Joined: 1/3/2006
Posts: 1560

Karen;

A couple of more thoughts. Have you had the radiator out to have it professionally flushed and checked for blockages? Mine had a ton of stuff in it that was blocking a large part of the rad. Once flushed and reworked, it started leaking so I changed it out to a 4 core radiator.

I was running 210 to 230 before. I changed thermostats and everything else but couldn't get the heat down. The 4 core rad made a huge difference. It now runs between 190 and 200 no matter the conditions.

I also found that there was a gaping hole in the bottom of the radiator shroud. With the 80-82 front nose, you have ducted air coming up from the lower chin piece over the condensor for the a/c and the radiator behind it. You lose all that airflow if the shroud isn't complete all the way around the fan. I formed a piece of 18 gauge steel to fit the hole and riveted it into place. That also helped.

You can also check your bottom hose to see if it has a spring in it. If it doesn't, you definitely want to change it out for one that does. Press on it when it is cold and see if you can squeeze the hose together. If you can, you don't have a spring in it. This will make the lower hose subject to collapse under pressure.

You also may need to change your water pump for a higher flow rate pump.

Bottom line though, I would recommend you find someone who can check the temp of the hoses with a temp gun. The gauges on these cars are notoriously inaccurate. If you don't get over 200 this week with the temps they are saying you guys are going to get over the weekend, then I wouldn't worry too much about it. If you start approaching 220 on the gauge, then it can become an issue.

BTW, my wife is a Sandite. She graduated from Sand Springs HS in 78. Are you a long timer there?

Sorry about the length. Hope this helps.

hot car, maybe??? (14/27)
8/8/07 2:54pm

SFVette
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Joined: 3/27/2006
Posts: 380

One of the constant pieces of advice I've read about the cooling system in our cars is that the rubber seal strips on the top of the radiator must be intact to achieve good air flow into the radiator (they form a seal between the bottom side of the hood and the top of the radiator, and act to 'force' air through the radiator instead of allowing the air simply to pass over it instead.)

So in addition to all the great advice posted above, you might want to give these seals a close look. My '78's are still functioning, but they're worthy of replacement before too much longer...

hot car, maybe??? (15/27)
8/8/07 2:57pm

white heat
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sand springs, OK - USA

Vette(s):
1978 white w/blue interior it has 80-82 front & rear clips on it

Joined: 5/15/2007
Posts: 97

Cool

i hope i can do all of that myself. yes, i graduated from sand springs in 1977. my maiden name was boggs. born and raised a sandite.

thanks

karen

hot car, maybe??? (16/27)
8/8/07 3:01pm

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Eastern Oklahoma County, OK - USA

Vette(s):
1980 Black L48 T-Tops

Joined: 1/3/2006
Posts: 1560

Karen;

Vicki Smith is my wife's maiden name and current married name. (yes, we checked but since we both have roots in Arkansas, we figured what the heck!)

hot car, maybe??? (17/27)
8/8/07 3:02pm

white heat
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sand springs, OK - USA

Vette(s):
1978 white w/blue interior it has 80-82 front & rear clips on it

Joined: 5/15/2007
Posts: 97

Cool

thank you guys for all of your great help. i will start looking at all of this stuff this weekend. thank goodness my shop is air conditioned.

thanks again,

karen

hot car, maybe??? (18/27)
8/8/07 3:13pm

white heat
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sand springs, OK - USA

Vette(s):
1978 white w/blue interior it has 80-82 front & rear clips on it

Joined: 5/15/2007
Posts: 97

Rolling%20On%20The%20Floor%20Laughing

that's pretty good. i will have to get my yearbook out and look.

hot car, maybe??? (19/27)
8/8/07 3:21pm

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Gloucester, VA - USA

Vette(s):
1979 T-Top, Metallic Green ZZ4 350/355 hp 405 ft/lbs torque Dual Spal Fans 700R4 4 Spd O/D Transmission 2004 Z06 Commemorative Edition

Joined: 1/29/2005
Posts: 1453

You have received lots of good advice above. All of it valid.

I would also suggest checking the timing as, believe it or not, it could affect the temperature of your engine. It may also help with your stall problem. If the timing chain has never been checked, it may be time also.

JMHO !

Jim

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hot car, maybe??? (20/27)
8/8/07 3:26pm

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Eastern Oklahoma County, OK - USA

Vette(s):
1980 Black L48 T-Tops

Joined: 1/3/2006
Posts: 1560

Jim is correct. I forgot about that. I ended up going with an MSD Streetfire distributor due to mine being shot but once the timing corrected it did help some.

hot car, maybe??? (21/27)
8/8/07 3:29pm

white heat
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sand springs, OK - USA

Vette(s):
1978 white w/blue interior it has 80-82 front & rear clips on it

Joined: 5/15/2007
Posts: 97

Cool

thank you for some more advice. i am so glad i belong to this bunch. you all are just like a big family.

thanks

karen

hot car, maybe??? (22/27)
8/8/07 3:36pm

white heat
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sand springs, OK - USA

Vette(s):
1978 white w/blue interior it has 80-82 front & rear clips on it

Joined: 5/15/2007
Posts: 97

Cool

the gentleman i got it from is a friend of mine and he had the car mechanically sound. he did a whole bunch of work to it and was getting ready to start the cosmetic end of it when i bought it from him. i am not

afraid to drive it anywhere, but when it is this hot and the a/c don't work, it pretty much stays in its shop. does that make me a wuss????

karen

hot car, maybe??? (23/27)
8/8/07 3:58pm

SFVette
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Joined: 3/27/2006
Posts: 380

Nope. "Wuss" and "C3 owner/driver" are mutually exclusive terms, never to be mixed together. Anybody that loves these cars--and is interested in learning about them/working on them/bringing them back to their prime-- is certified 'good people', by our standards around this joint.

So rest assured that you're just a regular (well, Gold!) member now of this great big ol' Shark-lovin' family of ours. And it's great to have you here.

Be sure to keep us posted on your progress battling the heat. I just went out and bought a roll of Reflectix to combat mine! (I don't have working A/C either!)

hot car, maybe??? (24/27)
8/8/07 4:45pm

white heat
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sand springs, OK - USA

Vette(s):
1978 white w/blue interior it has 80-82 front & rear clips on it

Joined: 5/15/2007
Posts: 97

Cool

Cool

thank you very much. my husband taught me a lot before he passed and i have been able to apply a lot of his teachings so far, but i still have a lot to learn. but i will get there

thank you

karen

hot car, maybe??? (25/27)
8/8/07 10:04pm

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, - Canada

Vette(s):
Coupe 74 - 454 Drive it like you stole it!

Joined: 8/6/2004
Posts: 533

By the number of read/replies, you can see that cooling is a very familiar topic to most C3 owners.

Re-read the thread and follow all the advises (they were all excellent) especially concerning little things at first (coolant level & mix, bottom hose spring, top seal, thermostat, radiator cap, visual inspection of inside radiator, timing,...) Once all those "cheap" inspections are done (and/or fixed) see if you still have the problem (and 200 is not that bad, so don't rush into huge expenses; find all the small stuff first).

If you still do have a heat problem after all that, then you can start thinking about bigger things (more expensive...) like the radiator (aluminun rad. and a new bottom hose made a world of difference for me, but maybe your rad. is still very good; a collapsing bottom hose can cause a lot of problems and it's only 20$..) or even a dual electric fan like a lot of people are suggesting.

Anyway, all this to say that; if you start with an electric fan, you're just putting a band-aid on; the problem is still there.

btw; if you don't already have them, I recommend starting your Vette library with the followings:

-service manual

-assembly manual

-Chilton 68-82 Vette repairs (not many stores have Chilton; they have the other one; Haynes I think it's called. That works too if you can't find Chilton)

hot car, maybe??? (26/27)
8/8/07 10:16pm

white heat
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sand springs, OK - USA

Vette(s):
1978 white w/blue interior it has 80-82 front & rear clips on it

Joined: 5/15/2007
Posts: 97

Cool

thank you very much. i have a service manual, but i do not have the other books. i will need to get those.

thanks a lot

karen

hot car, maybe??? (27/27)
8/12/07 11:40am

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Gloucester, VA - USA

Vette(s):
1979 T-Top, Metallic Green ZZ4 350/355 hp 405 ft/lbs torque Dual Spal Fans 700R4 4 Spd O/D Transmission 2004 Z06 Commemorative Edition

Joined: 1/29/2005
Posts: 1453

Have you had a chance to look into any of this yet? We're interested in the outcome !

Jim

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