What the fuck!!!!

General Fiero Maintenance including oil changes, air filters, suspension refreshes, restorations, painting, etc.

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VF1SkullAngel
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Joined: Wed Mar 25, 2009 3:28 am
Location: Southern California

What the fuck!!!!

Post by VF1SkullAngel »

Ok so I had issues with Radator fluid because the previous owner I guess I didn't put a clamp on the return line to the overflow tank. Thats fine, I went out to Auto zone, got more rad fluid along with some clamps and slapped it all together and topped it off with fluid went to work and it was driving fine, When I was about 3 blocks from work to my house I noticed the cars over heat light was on and all the sudden it was well within the red zone! I had to run 3 stop signs and get it into the garage and when i parked I noticed once again Rad fluid all over the damn place. I looked and nothing seemed to be broken,

Did I put to much fluid in the rad? should I put water in there? Whats the deal to fix? is it gonna cost me a **** ton to fix? I started it up and the engine started sounding a little funny after this whole deal.

This really angers me because it seems like all of my GM cars had cooling issues. I'm starting to hate GM cars overall.
Sometimes you only need six cylinders to get the job done.
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Shaun41178(2)
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Re: What the fuck!!!!

Post by Shaun41178(2) »

use a 50/50 mix of coolant and water.

Jack up the rear about 6 inches. Open the thermostat cap at the rear. Open the rad cap at the front. poor coolant in at the thermostat cap, untill the coolant is at the top of the radiator. Reinstall rad cap. Fill untill coolant is at the top of the thermo housing. Put some coolant in overflow tank. You are pretty much done.

Now I usually let the engine run for 20 seconds without the thermostat in it. Then I reopen the thermo housing, and put more coolant in if necessary as there still might have been some air pockets. Your car should not overheat now.
FieroPhrek working on that ls4 swap for 18 years and counting now. 18 years!!!!! LOL

530 whp is greater than 312
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Series8217
1988 Fiero Track Car
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Re: What the fuck!!!!

Post by Series8217 »

You shouldn't be able to open the radiator to put coolant in it without coolant spilling all over, unless there is a huge air pocket sitting around the engine. The thermostat housing on the engine is at a higher point than the radiator. This is why you have to fill from the thermostat housing (with the radiator cap off) until the radiator is full, then cap it and finish filling at the thermostat housing.

If the coolant level is just a little bit low in the reservoir, but your system is otherwise free of air pockets, then you can just top off the overflow tank. Don't open the radiator unless you are going to refill and burp the system the right way.
The Dark Side of Will
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Re: What the fuck!!!!

Post by The Dark Side of Will »

Shaun41178(2) wrote: Jack up the rear about 6 inches. Open the thermostat cap at the rear. Open the rad cap at the front. poor coolant in at the thermostat cap, untill the coolant is at the top of the radiator. Reinstall rad cap. Fill untill coolant is at the top of the thermo housing. Put some coolant in overflow tank. You are pretty much done.
This works for me, but I've never had to jack up the rear.

If you want to be *really* anal about it, disconnect the upper heater core hose as well as taking the cap off the radiator.
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