I noticed the temperature has been higher than normal and i replaced the thermostat and sensor. Any recommendations as to what i can do....can i use the red radiator fluid? Will that keep the temperature down and is it safe to use in an 82 trans am 305 carb?

 

Just a few questions:

1. Define "higher than normal". Is the dash guage indicating above 3/4 scale? Does the pressure cap vent off coolant?

2. Does the heatign occur at any particular time? While driving at freeway speed? While sitting in traffic? Idling?

3. Have you cleaned/flushed the cooling system within the last three years or 36,000 miles?

4. What is the coolant concentration? Mixtures at over 30-35% tend to move less heat energy than lower concentrations.

5. Is the cooling system completely clean, leak-free, and maintaining pressure? If so, you should be able to safely use DexCool. I've had it in my '86 for about eight years with no problems.

6. Are all the necessary air deflectors and baffles installed under the nose of the vehicle?

 

1. The gauge goes past 220 sometime.
2. the heating can occur at anytime expecially with the a/c on
3. I just flushed the system no more than 3000 miles ago
4. the coolant came already mixed
5. So your saying i should be able to use the red antifreeze?
6. i do have the knight rider nose on there...but i didnt notice anything till i had the trans changed to a 700r4 and with the trans cooler

 

when my rs started running hot, i installed a high flow water pump, new thermastat, the works. eventually my radiator went out (it was just old). so i replaced with aluminum. but what really helped was installing a fan switch, so i could keep the fan on at all times. that drastically reduced my temp and helped a lot! just remember to turn it on!

 

I think it's pretty typical for a stock cooling setup to creep over the 220 mark when sitting in traffic on a hot day or after running hard for a while.

If it is heating up to that temperature while sitting still consider getting a thermostat that opens earlier, perhaps at 180 F, and a new fan switch (they sell them at jegs.com or summitracing.com) that will allow your fans to come on a lower temperature. You could also do what the previous poster and I did, and get a manual fan switch or two so that you control when the fans come on.

If your temp is creeping up on you while driving down the highway, then you most likely have a damaged or missing air dam underneath the car...make sure that is in place and in good shape.

Oh yeah, and listen to Vader. He
usually knows what he's talking about.

 

What temperature thermostat did you use? If you used a stock temp.....you could go down a bit. Seeing as you're carbureted, and I dont think youre a computer-controlled-carb car......you could go quite a bit lower on the t-stat. I usually recommend 180....but I know a lot of carb guys that go 160.

 

Right. With a stock (195°) thermostat, 220° is not abnormal.

 

i appreciate all your help in this situation...im gonna try the new water pump it only cost me 14 bucks and ill see what happens after that...it could also be the trans cooler taking some away from the radiator but ill see what happens with this water pump...it might be the gauge inside the car who knows.

 

could be a clogged rad
best way to check is to see what temp the water is going into the rad and what it is coming out using an infered thermometer

I belive 82's use a thermostatic clutch
if it doesn't overheat at freeway speeds that could be your problem

if you go to red make sure you completely flush the green stuff out