After searching for radiators, I was able to find this
http://www.j-body.org/forums/read.php?f=2&i=475388&t=475388#475388 which is the most recent article. But its just for radiators.
My engine over heats at idle or in traffic since installing the s/c. Im even using almost all distilled water and water wetter. its perfectly fine (195 and under) if im on the highway however, or even frontage road speeds. But sub 20 stop and go traffic or idle, it'll redline and the CEL comes on.
I know my radiator is running okay but could probably use a good flush. Its got 182k miles on the stock radiator
Austin (ScrapZ) installed dual 12" radiator fans from NAPA. At $60 a pop, if it works thats money well spent. And a lot cheaper than a performance radiator. But since the h/e helps the blower stay cooler (supposedly, mine still gets stupid hot), there isnt much helping the engine cool down which hurts performance. I notice on cool nights or evenings it runs like a bat out of hell, but when its hot it lags big time.
What Im curious about is, what radiators and dual fan setups do the Ecotec guys use when upgrading? Does anyone have pics and which ones bolt right in without modifications to the chasis or radiator support? What costs are these running people and where are the best places to get them?
04 Cav. 2dr. 5spd. My DD. 'Nuff said.
Your CEL comes on? What code? Is your fan coming on, because it should not get that hot if the fan is working.
FU Tuning
Agreed, sounds like something else is wrong.... At 182K a good flush wont hurt it at all...
You can also get dual fans that fit from a Grand am? Its sone of those style cars...alero, grand am or something........Go to a pick it yard and find those..much cheaper.
But if your getting that hot id say here is something mechanically wrong with your car.
CEL or "Check Gauges" Light?
yeah sorry just a Check Gauges light. My CEL isnt on anymore since the tune. It was throwing codes before the tuning because of the rich/lean issues but thats long fixed.
i thought about a good flush, but didnt think that'd help it getting so hot.
also was wondering if my waterpump was working okay..but it stays under 195 at night or driving on the highway during the day even most of the time. So its more at idle after a few minutes it just gets up into the red making the "CHECK GAUGES" light come on (red one on the left for low gas, high temp, etc).
so possibly a radiator flush - would you guys recommend the home flush kits or should i have a shop do it since they can really get it cleaner than I prob can?
could the waterpump be an issue? My Camaro (LT1) had a waterpump issue and it did the same thing until i replaced it.
dual fans - from certain cars...if it saves money I'd def like to see what models/make were compatible
04 Cav. 2dr. 5spd. My DD. 'Nuff said.
U should drain the fluid and change the thermostat
Before changing out the pump
with 182k on the stock radiator, id say a flush and new thermo are in order. im in arizona and i only run about 200 during the 115 degree days of our summer.
blu04DD wrote:yeah sorry just a Check Gauges light. My CEL isnt on anymore since the tune. It was throwing codes before the tuning because of the rich/lean issues but thats long fixed.
i thought about a good flush, but didnt think that'd help it getting so hot.
also was wondering if my waterpump was working okay..but it stays under 195 at night or driving on the highway during the day even most of the time. So its more at idle after a few minutes it just gets up into the red making the "CHECK GAUGES" light come on (red one on the left for low gas, high temp, etc).
so possibly a radiator flush - would you guys recommend the home flush kits or should i have a shop do it since they can really get it cleaner than I prob can?
could the waterpump be an issue? My Camaro (LT1) had a waterpump issue and it did the same thing until i replaced it.
dual fans - from certain cars...if it saves money I'd def like to see what models/make were compatible
Home flush kits are fine, but I think your biugger issue is your fan not coming on, or is not 100%. Your car should not get in the red if the fan is working. Do you have working ac?
FU Tuning
i bet that rad needs rodded out! that involves removing the tanks and cleaning the buildup out the core with a steel rod. with that being said its cheaper to replace the rad while your at it replace the head gasket.
see ya!
yeah the A/C works fine..though at lower speeds or idle it tends to not be as cold...it never used to do that. but up until i installed the s/c a few months ago, the A/C was on nearly 100% of the time and always ice cold.
Either way Im sure its going to require the removal of the blower/intake manifold which is what i dont want to have to do...but oh well!
whats the lowest thermostat for the eco's..a 180?
04 Cav. 2dr. 5spd. My DD. 'Nuff said.
Is anyone listening here? IS THE FAN COMING ON??? Low-speed overheating issues are almost ALWAYS due to the fan, not the thermo, pump, or radiator. Sure, a flush and a new thermo is easy enough to do and at your mileage, it's worth changing anyway. But you seem to be dead set on ignoring the most likely problem, which is your fan. The ecotec's stock cooling system should be more than adequate for a supercharged motor not to overheat if everything is working properly. When it starts to overheat, get out, pop the hood and see if the fan is running. if it's not, that's your problem.
Arrival Blue 04 LS Sport
Eco
Turbo
Megasquirt
'Nuff said
JerseyJayL61T wrote:Is anyone listening here? IS THE FAN COMING ON??? Low-speed overheating issues are almost ALWAYS due to the fan, not the thermo, pump, or radiator. Sure, a flush and a new thermo is easy enough to do and at your mileage, it's worth changing anyway. But you seem to be dead set on ignoring the most likely problem, which is your fan. The ecotec's stock cooling system should be more than adequate for a supercharged motor not to overheat if everything is working properly. When it starts to overheat, get out, pop the hood and see if the fan is running. if it's not, that's your problem.
I'm beting the fan is coming on, but not turned as fast, or as well as it use to. When you get warmer air at a stop this is a big sign of that.
FU Tuning
yeah sorry Jay...havent checked the performance section in a while....im narrowing it down to the fan, i think you're right.
one, i had the tuner adjust when the fan comes on, he set it to 205, i guess stock its 215 or 225. I THINK it was doing this before..i cant remember since i installed this just as it started to get warmer. two, its not even that bad its not like it just jumps to 260 immediately...it does take a few minutes at idle in hot weather to get that hot. this was happening on another sc cavalier, and he installed dual fans and his is colder than a witches tit now!
so Im going to try to check the fan. worse case scenario, ill look into manually running the fan via switch and upgrading to dual fans with a switch later on down the road.
you guys are mentioning that the fan should be on...and that it could be on lower rather than faster and just faster isnt working...i know if i turn on the 'defroster', set it to hot, and put it on 2 or 3 level, it helps keep the heat down and holds a few notches below the last big mark before the red (though I roast my ASS off). so that would basically be 'manually' running the fan then right?
04 Cav. 2dr. 5spd. My DD. 'Nuff said.
JerseyJayL61T, ding ding ding!!! what do we have for him, Johnny??!
lol...Jay's right. I finally spent some time yesterday after work on this.
I let the car sit running at idle, 10minutes goes by and it finally gets up nearly into the red. Id check the fan throughout the increase in temp and it never budged. so the fan is not coming on, period.
my tuner said he programmed it to come on at 205 at my request since i wanted it coming on sooner because it gets triple digits here quite a bit here in TX.
now i have to troubleshoot the fan. it could be that the tuner actually thought he programmed it to come on at 205 like he said he would, but accidentally turned off the fan coming on at all at certain temps. it could be a bad connector. it could be a connector thats disconnected while i was messing with the i/c pump routing and stuff. ill start to ts it this weekend, maybe some today after work. either way, i think im going to get a 2nd fan or replace the fans anyways at some point to have more efficient cooling. a cool motor is a very happy motor!
04 Cav. 2dr. 5spd. My DD. 'Nuff said.
this comes to my next project...anyone know of any good double fan setups that dont require modifications to fit? i know you can get universal fans at auto stores (and the same ones on eBay for much cheaper!) and wire two together. Id like to have something that can come on automatically, but Im also not opposed to modify them to come on with a switch so i can run them anytime i want. not sure yet.
anyone have pics of their custom fan/cooling mod setup?
04 Cav. 2dr. 5spd. My DD. 'Nuff said.
Why not replace the fan motor ($25) and be done. It is not uncommon for our stock fan motors to die out. Before doing this if you run a jumper wire on the relay and force the fan on this will tell you it if is the fan motor, or wiring, or programming issue. I bet fan motor died.
FU Tuning
thats what im thinking...the temperature sensor on the back of the motor is the least likely culprit im sure, the relay doesnt 'appear' to be bad as another relay from another cav didnt make a difference...
if its the motor..i guess it wont be that bad...im assuming i can drop the fan down from below without having to remove the blower/IM? i saw a diagram somewhere...just need to find that again to be sure..
anyone have a part number for the cooling fan motor before i try to remove it? ill remove my fan maybe tomorrow and test it, see if thats it. try the relay thing like you said too... thanks for the help!
04 Cav. 2dr. 5spd. My DD. 'Nuff said.
well the coolant temp sensor and the coolant fan motor are almost the exact same price, brand new at Auto Zone ($21.99/$23.99).
I started the car and disconnected the ECT sensor, nothing. So on Wednesday Im going to pick up the sensor and pop it in since it takes all of about 5minutes or less. I feel like its a good idea to put a new one in anyways since its got so many miles on this motor.
if the fan doesnt work with the new sensor, then ill go back to the store and buy a brand new motor like AtM suggested.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edited Monday, May 28, 2012 5:14 PM
04 Cav. 2dr. 5spd. My DD. 'Nuff said.
