What is the coolant temp on your car today?

[timothydog]

Is there a product you can buy that will help unclog the radiator?
I'm not up on my radiator additives.

 

[Butch]

Something I didn't see mentioned...

Is there any evidence that standard bore engines run cooler than engines that have been bored 30 over?

Just thinking out loud.

Butch

 

[Steve Wood]

I think there is a slightly cooler performance out of the standard bore, but I run a 30 over, 9-1 compression, frontmount, etc., and run cooler in hotter temps.

 

[Nick Micale]

Originally posted by Butch
Something I didn't see mentioned...

Is there any evidence that standard bore engines run cooler than engines that have been bored 30 over? Butch

Just the contrary, have done many bored turbo motors and NO difference in cooling.

Here is some my experience for 15 years keeping turbo Buicks cool here in the desert:

Thermostats - never seen one go bad yet?

Stock fan - does excellent job, lots of them are now getting lazy because of their age and use. Running slower and intermitant "pauses".

Aluminum radiators - some cool slightly better than a 3 row HE, some no better.

Additives - RMI-25 is the BEST. This is based upon using it for about 8 years in various vehicles, and trying every other similar product I could find. For best cooling, RMI and water, NO antifreeze. Winter temps, RMI and antifreeze to keep system clean.

Stock radiator - any original radiator still in use is WAY beyond its useful life. Just checked one sent from North Carolina, was flowing only 30%. None in recent years have flowed more than 50%. They WILL clog up just sitting.

Bad radiators account for 90% of the cooling problems on cars I service! Rodding a stock core is useless and a waste of money.

High Effiency 3-row radiator - this core was first developed for the desert southwest and has slightly larger tubes. A couple other Buick suppliers are now using a similar core and all of them do an excellent job. By using the exsisting tanks from an '86-7, it is a direct drop-in. The stock replacement, complete radiator is does NOT cool as well as this core.

Airflow - it is necessary to maintain good flow to, and through, the radiator. this means bugs, grass and and debris must be cleared. Also, the baffles must be in place to direct flow through the radiator and not below or out the sides for max airflow.

Just a note, our local temps have not been been below 105+ degrees for the past month. With July and August on the way, it will be getting hot! We deal with temps in excess of 100 degrees for 5 months or so, not a few days!

One more comment, not making sure you car have proper cooling is the opposite of smart, the engine and trans have a limited life and running too hot will shorten it. Proper cooling system maintance is not expensive, BUT, it is very important

 

[FlyinGN]

Im kinda in the same boat as you Lee. My GN had no stat in it when I got it 5 years too.
I have the same rad as you do now and with the ac on and in Philly traffic in mid 80's I get to about 184 and in mid 90's under same conditions I get 195 or so.. I can get to 200 or so sitting for a prolonged time in traffic with ac on in very hot ambient temps but it cools about 10 degrees once moving. I have rmi 20/distilled, fan on all the time after 170 or so and a rubber seal around the where the fan schroud meets the rad face (which actually helps a lil) and the rear hood gasket removed and all the grill to rad baffles nice and tight..

 

[Turbojorge]

Today in Miami.....

Apro. 8:00 A.M. 85* out.

Caught up in traffic due to freaken train SM never went over 156*. (A/C off)

I have stock Radiator from 86, 140* t-stat, Oil line bypass, Tranny cooler with Fan. Chip turns on fan at 154* and doesn't turn off till speed exceeds 40mph.

I love how cool this car runs. While driving around, I've never seen the temp go above 162. In traffic, it will never see 170* with AC off. With AC on, it never passes 178*.

AND THIS IS FREAKEN MIAMI WEATHER!!

 

[stickybones]

...and what are these baffles Nick and others have talked about? Any pictures? Not sure if I have them or not. Are they removable? And if so, why would someone remove them?

 

[TURBOV6]

Originally posted by stickybones
...and what are these baffles Nick and others have talked about? Any pictures? Not sure if I have them or not. Are they removable? And if so, why would someone remove them?

The baffles Nick are talking is the original plastic/rubber one's around the sides of radiator and also one attached to the back of the grill. Its on by pressed on clips, they get cracked by old age.

Well in Hawaii it get hot here and humid, I use to see 200+ in traffic with the A/C blasting, could never figure it out WHY so hot? I removed the stock radiator baffles a while ago and that what caused my car to run temps over 200 degrees. So since I threw it away I bought a set from ATR its called their radiator pressureization kit, its comes in 4 pieces. THIS KIT WORKS!!!!!! Now I see around 180-190 in a very HOT day with the A/C blasting in traffic.

 

[OldGrayII]

Frank and Lee, I'll bet my last dollar that 1, if not BOTH of you guys simply have a SLIGHTLY blown HG (Just enough to let a VERY small weep trail of exhaust into the coolant), but I would have thought that at least YOU Frank, have checked for this.

Things to try in order of Importance:

1. Bubbles in Coolant (if not at hot idle, make a quick 15/16 or so
PSI run, and check that overflow immediatly thereafter)!!!
>>Almost Foolproof way of knowing!!!!!<<

2. Exhaust Sniffer in Rad. (This won't always pick-up Small Traces)

3. Complete Leakdown.

At LEAST try No. 1 and get back to us!!

 

[Pats-GN]

90degrees and above, mine runs between around 185, creeps up near 195 in traffic. Stocker radiator with a recore.

pat

 

[GNVAIR]

Nick..........What are the temps most of the guys average down in Arizona? I know it gets pretty hot and humid here in the summer.
I really havent spared any expense on the cooling system. I have the engine oil cooler. I am going to try to install that next week while I am on vacation. I have not tried the RMI stuff yet.
But what is the real secret?
My fans are working (they come on at about 170° and never shut off) They are sealed tightly to the radiator as well.
I have all of the baffles in place AND the ATR pressurization/baffle kit.
I have the 160° stat
I have the proper mix of antifreeze to water
I never lose antifreeze and I never have bubbles OR perculation in my overflow. I honestly have not done a leak down in awhile, but even if the head gaskets were blown, the leak would be so minute that it wouldnt be detectible with a compression/leak down test AND it most certainly isnt blown into a water jacket.
I am just starting to believe that these cars just run very hot!
As for Turbojorge..........you must have a freak if your car honestly runs that cool in Florida.

 

[Steve Wood]

unfortunately, these cars don't run hot when all is right.

One of my cars has Nick's core in it, and it will creep into the low 190s on a 100 deg with AC on and parked in traffic for awhile. It runs about 170 going down the freeway. It is all stock except for the ATR baffles I installed because it was missing the factory pieces.

My GN has a front mount, dual fans, and a CAS three pass. It runs 163 at 70 mph with the AC on and it did get to 193 once last summer in traffic with the ac on when the outside temp was 101.

It took some time and money to keep it from getting hot with the front mount. It hardly ever got over 190 before the front mount went on. Simply a question of air flow in its case.

 

[Nick Micale]

Originally posted by GNVAIR
Nick..........What are the temps most of the guys average down in Arizona? I know it gets pretty hot and humid here in the summer.
..........I have the proper mix of antifreeze to water
............

Am driving a customer's low 11 sec GN in current 105-110 degree temp with A/C and the car is 180-190 degrees. This had a fan problem and just installed a used one.

First, get rid of the antifreeze [it is NOT coolant!] and just use filtered water and RMI-25. This should drop your normal temps about 15 degrees.

It is my guess that your rad is NOT a high effiency core and somewhat plugged after 2 years of antifreeze.

Run the RMI for 4-500 miles and see how it does? It may clean enough crud so you will see normal temps in your climate, and will not need to bother with the rad. Continuing use of RMI will clean the entire system over the miles.

Also use RMI when you add antifreeze for the winter. Dump it in the spring, and use water/RMI again. This simple routine will give you a trouble-free cooling system.

Let us know how it does after you flush the antifreeze and install the oil cooler.

 

[OldGrayII]

After ALL THESE YEARS of us discussing RMI on the List and the Board, its Baffling that some folks STILL use Anti-Freeze in Hot weather!

 

[turbojimmy]

Originally posted by Nick Micale


Airflow - it is necessary to maintain good flow to, and through, the radiator. this means bugs, grass and and debris must be cleared. Also, the baffles must be in place to direct flow through the radiator and not below or out the sides for max airflow.

I don't have any baffles on the sides - just a "flap" beneath the radiator. What's supposed to be on the sides?

Would a trans cooler (8x11) in front of the radiator (one of your HE 3-rows) cause a substantial increase in temps? If so, would putting a fan on the cooler help?

Will a new motor run hotter because it's "tight"? If so, at what mileage would I see "normal" temps?

Thanks,
Jim

 

[Ormand]

RMI

It's baffling that when you go to a dealer, ANY dealer, any brand of automobile, any country in the world, and buy a car with a gasoline engine, it comes with anti-freeze. It's amazing that all those high paid automotive engineers, with all their expensive test equipment, have NOT discovered that glycol won't cool an engine. Even a car like a Lexus, or a Mercedes, which costs even more than a good GNX, will come with glycol based coolant. Kind of makes you wonder, doesn't it? Guess it is something like the carburetor which will get 200 mpg- the auto makers just don't want us to have the good stuff.

 

[turboaddict2]

on a 92 degree day in Central Jersey I had 194 degrees in traffic with no A/C. 180's during highway cruising at 70-75 mph. Thats with a 15 yr. crudded radiator. Also have 160 stat and a B&M trans cooler in front of the left side of radiator. Definitely will plan for a 3 row HE radiator and dual fans in the future.

 

[FlyinGN]

checked already brian. NO coolant usage at all. Same level in over a year.. NO bubbles in the coolant and it stays perfectly clear so its prety safe to assume that my hg's are ok.

Originally posted by OldGrayII
Frank and Lee, I'll bet my last dollar that 1, if not BOTH of you guys simply have a SLIGHTLY blown HG (Just enough to let a VERY small weep trail of exhaust into the coolant), but I would have thought that at least YOU Frank, have checked for this.

Things to try in order of Importance:

1. Bubbles in Coolant (if not at hot idle, make a quick 15/16 or so
PSI run, and check that overflow immediatly thereafter)!!!
>>Almost Foolproof way of knowing!!!!!<<

2. Exhaust Sniffer in Rad. (This won't always pick-up Small Traces)

3. Complete Leakdown.

At LEAST try No. 1 and get back to us!!

 

[FlyinGN]

hmmm. You *SHOULD* have the grill to rad path completely 'tunneled' with plastic baffles on all 4 sides.. Get the missing ones.. This will really help with cooling..

Originally posted by turbojimmy


I don't have any baffles on the sides - just a "flap" beneath the radiator. What's supposed to be on the sides?



Thanks,
Jim

 

[jojo]

Was a 105 out in Vegas car ran 187 w/o air, and that is with a high flow rad and 160 stat.

jojo