Terninator

Okay people check this out. Yesterday I just encountered a problem. Overheat. For the first time, my car has a problem, I was sitting still waiting at a light, took off like normal and by 3rd gear, my A/C turned off, then I thought something was wrong with the A/C. But noticed that my temp gauge was slightly higher than normal range. I pulled over, my fan was working like it should, I turn off the engine, open the hood, and it was gurggling. There was antifreeze in the system, but some has escaped from the cap. I let it cool off, drove down the highway and it still got very very hot. I also removed the Thermostat, put it in careful into a pan with water on the stove, and let it come to a boil at 212 degrees.. My Diablo showed close to 240 degrees when I had pluged it in the system to check the stats of the temp. I ordered a "Fail Safe" 180 Degree T-Stat from AutoZone. I just wonder if anybody out there ever had a problem with this. Help!!! Thanks.. Rich

35thAnni99GT

I had a problem just like this. Time to do a complete coolant flush. If you just recently had it done, you can increase the cooling efficiency of your car by burping the system. Air typically gets caught up in a head passage somewhere and causes the whole system to become inefficient.

Click here for coolant flush how-to

Click here for how to burp the system

These motors by design run very hot with the eaton, so its always a good practice to run a different mix during the summer than during the winter. Summer I usually run 75% distilled water with 25% antifreeze. I will run 50/50 during the winter when freeze protection is more important. Another thing you can do to help the cooling efficiency is to install a head cooling mod. Very hot coolant gets trapped in the back of the driver side head near cylinder #8 and has the hardest time getting back into the system. A cooling mod will help create a direct passage out of this hot spot.

35thAnni99GT

On another note, once the system overheats, it will actually boil off coolant in the motor leaving many, many air bubbles. At that point you're basically forced to burp the system ASAP because you can't just top it off and expect to go down the road and not have any more problems. This is one of those things you want to get right the first time, because you risk detonating your motor or warping heads.

Terninator

Okay, I changed the T-Stat with a OEM style for now. The coolant was clean and green. I installed more water than antifreeze for now due to Im gonna change the T-Stat again with a lower temp. Anyhow, after I installed the new T-Stat, I made sure I burp the system, But wait.... I can remove the Cap from the top tube assy,,, and don't you think it should have pressure? I mean with the water pump? I also topped off the radiator resivor and closed the cap, but after I removed the Air Bleeder cap, it was empty of course, but I installed over a gallon of water though the little hole to get it full. I thought there would be some type of water movement due to the car was running and with the A/C on to create heat faster. The oil is still nice and clean. The thing I am wondering is maybe the water pump let go. Like the impellers or something. The reason is,,,, it still overheated again right now after changing the T-Stat and making sure everything was clean and tight. I am doing a reading with the Diablo Sport checking out the Temp as it was rising higher and higher up to 230 and the cap was spewing out the coolant... and the bleder valve, I opened up again and there is nothing but coolant. Help again... Thanks....

35thAnni99GT

Did you bleed your car just like the instructions on the How-to said to do it? I had a problem JUST like yours and it was seriously just air in the system. If you let the car run with the air bleeder cap on the top crossover tube you will see lots of bubbles coming out.

What I did was jam a funnel in the top cross over tube and fill the system full with water until some of it sits in the funnel. Then start the car and let it run all the way into operating temp. If you water pump works you'll see bubbles coming up in the funnel. Im not knocking your mechanical ability or anything, but this is just a common issue that happens with an improperly bled system. You said fans are coming on so I suppose its a possibility that the water pump is gone, but you wouldn't be able to make it a block, much less drive it down the highway with no waterpump.

Terninator

Ya I guess you can be right about the air in the system... But what I don't get is that I didn't even have a problem to begin with nor have I ever messed with the cooling system. It's just so weird that yesterday I was just doing the same o same o and Bam!! It over heated... Just blew my mine.. It would be hard to trust the car leaving out of town again thinking that some how it might get air into the system.. Freaky!!! So back out side I go for now to figure out what the Hell is going on with this Cobra...

35thAnni99GT

Good luck man. I hope you find your issue.

pitmitch910

i had the same problem with my 97 SVT, so i did a coolant flush and new t-stat it solved it for the most part but i think it may need to be burped to completely clear it up. 35thAnni99GT
gav excellent advice +1

Terninator

Okay fellas!!! I figured it out!!! It's the DAM RADIATOR CAP!! Yup, if you noticed that your cobrais getting hot or overheated, and after you change the Thermostat and flush and burp the system and you still running hot. Change the Radiator cap. I bought one from your local AutoZone store and fixed the problem..[sm=bounceybounce.gif]

35thAnni99GT

Haha, these cars do some weird things sometimes. Good to see you figured it out. Now go put some miles on that snake.