[mode101*96gt]

See my signature for combo please... (sorry ahead of time for the length, but I really need help here)

After my #12 P1SC installation, I was producing 14+ lbs. of boost on the road. This obviously created a huge problem since I was floating my heads off of the block due to too much boost, which resulted in me stretching the head bolts and pressurizing the cooling system under the extreme boost. I pulled the motor, pulled the heads off, had them milled 5 thou., valve job, new seals, installed ARP head studs (torqued to 65lbs.) replaced the head gaskets, timing chains/gears, and installed a set of BBK long tube headers while it was out (seemed like a good time to do it).

Everything is back together and now I have a HUGE cooling problem. I realize that there is air in the system and that causes it to do erratic things till it all gets worked out. I have been "working" out the air for quite some time now and it seems to be doing the same exact things.

It heats up normal till about 160, then if you rev it a little (to about 2500 or so), it will jump 5-10 degrees each rev you give it. It does this till about 210 and then the gauge will jump up and down like crazy till it boils over. I have then bled the air out (because it boils lots of coolant, then when you pull the cap, it's bone dry in the coolant jug). After re-filling and going over this numerous times, I would figure that the air would be at least close to being worked out.

I really don't think that the problem comes from something not being put back together correctly. I know the mechanic (and he's a damn good one) and I also helped work on the car quite a bit during the various stages of the project. Everything was very carefully marked and re-installed. The motor runs great and smooth. This cooling problem is the only problem that I am having.

Does anyone have any good ideas or anything to help me out here? I have been without my car for quite some time now and would LOVE to get it back on the road considering the weather is nice out. Can anyone shed some light here?! Thanx in advance guys, I really appreciate it.

 

[mode101*96gt]

It's a GT. I filled up the coolant through the filler cap, not through the housing. Do you think I am on the right path to working the air out or should I drain the whole thing again and start over? That's something I don't think is neccessary, but again, I have no idea what my problem is either.

 

[mode101*96gt]

I checked the hoses going to the heater core and they are fine, they do get hot, and there is heat in the car. As far as letting it idle, that is fine, I finaly got it to the point where I can get the car to idle for quite a while with out anything crazy happening. It gets to about 190 or so (I have a 180 t-stat) and is consistant till I rev it or drive it a little... that's when everything goes nuts. I have never had a problem with the water pump before the re-build and it wasn't pulled off of the motor during the process, so that prety much rules out the water pump. Is it possible that there is an air pocket somewhere else, or am I barking up the wrong tree?...

 

[mode101*96gt]

1. Yes, the upper radiator hose gets hot.

2. Thermostat is not quite a year old and has maybe 5k miles on it.

3. Pulled the A/C (except for the pump for belt routing reasons) during the project, never put the switch to A/C, so I wouldn't know. Yes, the fan DOES come on though, it works fine.

I really don't think that it's an issue with something coincidentally going bad... I really think it's something else. What are the odds of nothing with the cooling system being wrong, the whole project being done, and then something just going bad all of a sudden?

 

[mode101*96gt]

Somebody else has to have an idea?

 

[mode101*96gt]

ttt

 

[mode101*96gt]

Vortech,
I inspected the whole motor when it was apart and the engine looked as if it came off the assembly line 2 weeks ago. No signs of fatigue or stress anywhere (thats what happens you when you change your oil with Royal Purple every 1000 miles). As far as my cooling problem is concerend it is fixed. I decided to have the system flushed, b/c i feared that i put to much air in the system on refill. Once the car reached the stat temp (195 deg.) for ten seconds all it did was blow steam out the system. After it pushed it out the coolent started to flow and the car went from 215 down to 180. I drove the car around for awhile and it stayed cooooool the whole time. So problem solved (TOO MUCH AIR IN SYSTEM).......