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Cooling System Overhaul - Stumped and Frustrated

cuervo said:
My old 350 ran hot too. I always had to turn the AC off and put the windows down when towing the X30 up hill.
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Not the end of the world to run the heat a bit to keep it cooler....when i'm alone.

When i'm with friends, or more specifically, a lady friend.....my truck needs to be on better behavior.

I'm all for driving and loving my old truck, but its a lot harder to justify to someone why i like it so much when it misbehaves....
 
British Slave said:
Check RockAuto.com. Lower price even after shipping. You can buy a better radiator for the same money.
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For what? Really don't want to put another brand new radiator in it. Gotta be something else going on.
 
cuervo said:
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Not the answer i wanted to hear :(

Thing runs pretty decent still, has perfect oil pressure, and has been reliable.

I would have swapped a new TBI block in already, but i REALLY want a 6.0L. Its really the downtime that has kept me from doing a swap, rather than the money. I can stomach the cost, just not the downtime on my only 4x4 tow rig.
 
Maybe one of the engine builders will comment, but my experience with corrosion in the cooling system (radiator specifically) is that nothing will take it out that you can get to the corrosion with. But inside a motor, I've never noticed that it was TERRIBLE with rust or corrosion like what happens in the radiator. I'm sure if you ran straight water for years it would be that bad, I just don't have that much experience with a variety of motors to know what is possible. I would think if the thermostat housing was removed, it would give you an idea of what the rest of the block looks like, although aluminum will fare far worse with corrosion.

As big as the front end on the trucks is, air dam is probably pretty inconsequential for cooling, but if cooling is marginal it might make a difference. But if GM didn't see it as a problem I don't think I'd focus on it.

My Dad's got a cheapy Champion 2 row radiator (28" core IIRC) in his truck with a 454, and he towed his travel trailer (~3000lbs) over the pass and it didn't get hot. Manual trans though, I suspect the auto's dump a ton of heat into the radiator when you are towing if using just the stock cooler.
 
I've got a big trans cooler also. But, that gets close to red on the B&M gauge towing up grades too.

REALLY wish i had gotten the cooler with integral fan, but they are SPENDY.

Wonder if throwing an aux trans cooler fan on would help, before going to all electric fans.
 
I wonder what temp the red is on the trans temp gauge? I wouldnt think a stock tbi 350 could be that hard on a4l80. I wonder if the trans cooler is adding quite a bit to the coolant temps? I have seen this happen a few times.
 
black dawg said:
I wonder what temp the red is on the trans temp gauge? I wouldnt think a stock tbi 350 could be that hard on a4l80. I wonder if the trans cooler is adding quite a bit to the coolant temps? I have seen this happen a few times.
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I wouldn't think a stock 350 would be that hard on a radiator! :)

Is the trans cooler someplace it can actually get good airflow and isn't shedding it's heat back into the radiator? (both by being plumbed into the radiator, and by being in front of the condenser and radiator)

Electric fans=no better for towing as far as I've seen, if not worse. Even on here in the past others have commented that the clutch fan worked better than electrics for towing. I do not buy into electrics moving more air, at least not massive amounts more. Properly setup maybe. And that's a big maybe. That of course assumes the clutch fan is working properly.

What speed are you going when you are working it this hard? My truck doesn't even need a fan anywhere above about 20MPH, at 60MPH+ airflow probably exceeds the CFM of any fan you could possibly put on the truck.
 
black dawg said:
I wonder what temp the red is on the trans temp gauge? I wouldnt think a stock tbi 350 could be that hard on a4l80. I wonder if the trans cooler is adding quite a bit to the coolant temps? I have seen this happen a few times.
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130-80212.jpg


Its this gauge. So...260, but i've seen it slightly higher.

The trans cooler is passenger side, right in front of the radiator.
http://coloradok5.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2667583&postcount=47

Truck fairly loaded, towing up Highway 50 to tahoe, with 4-6000lbs of boat in tow, yes, it gets hot.

The issue is it isn't going fast enough to keep itself cool. About 30-40mph at WOT.
 
dyeager535 said:
What speed are you going when you are working it this hard? My truck doesn't even need a fan anywhere above about 20MPH, at 60MPH+ airflow probably exceeds the CFM of any fan you could possibly put on the truck.
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25-40mph. Closer to 30 at WOT.
 
dhcomp said:
130-80212.jpg


Its this gauge. So...260, but i've seen it slightly higher.

The trans cooler is passenger side, right in front of the radiator.
http://coloradok5.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2667583&postcount=47

Truck fairly loaded, towing up Highway 50 to tahoe, with 4-6000lbs of boat in tow, yes, it gets hot.

The issue is it isn't going fast enough to keep itself cool. About 30-40mph at WOT.
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Where is the sender for this temp guage? are you in 2nd gear at 25 and wot?
 
In the Pan. Yes, probably 2nd. It drops into first around 20-25 if it gets bogged down that far.
 
so you are at 2500 or less and WOT? What happens if you just slow down and run 3k plus in first.
 
black dawg said:
so you are at 2500 or less and WOT? What happens if you just slow down and run 3k plus in first.
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Temp wise?

Not really sure. I'm fairly patient towing with this thing, but dropping down to 25mph or below isn't really in the cards for me.

This is a 55mph zone, haha. Its only certain parts that it bogs down this bad. Most is 35-40mph, with issues.
 
Your trans temp seems out of line to me. In my truck at 20k gross, even witn the converter unlocked I can barely get 220 (trans temp in pan). This is with no trans cooler other than in radiator.

Is your converter really loose?
 
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