Need help on overheating TPI 350, please!

[vettekilr]

My friend just bought an 87 iroc with the tpi 350,we took it for a ride and after driving it maybe 10 mins it got to like 250*.We replaced the thermostat,water pump,and radiator.It still gets to 245*.Sitting in the driveway its running around 190*then we take it for a ride it steadly climbs to 250*.The car has a lot of power and does not blow white smoke.Could this be the head gasket or maybe something else?

 

[zam70]

have you verified that the fans are kicking on? Those typically run around 220.

 

[vettekilr]

Yes we wired the fans to come on when the car starts.Also, there is no water in the oil.

 

[mgmshar]

My friend had an '84 Trans Am. The car always ran hot while he was driving it, until he replaced the missing plastic air dam that goes under the radiator. That dam acts like a scoop - any air that goes under the nose of the fascia gets deflected up into the radiator instead of going under the car.

Something to check, anyway...

 

[vettekilr]

He doesnt have a air dam,we were talking about that but didnt know if there should be something there,theres 2 air filters that dont seem to get air,theres nowhere for the air to get in.BTW,we took out the new thermostat,should that be in there?

 

[TURBOV6]

You have the exact same problem that I had

If you don't have that air deflector that's right below the radiator that's definetly your overheating problem. Mines fell off one day driving out of my driveway so I taught nothing and threw it away then while driving to work my car overheated but not quite at 250, coolant boiled over the resivor. I replaced the thermostat with a 160, flushed the coolant with new coolant and was also looking into a new radiator ran the car idle for 20 after I did this and it was fine temps was at 165. Until the next day drove it to work it overheated (I was stumped?). Just remembering back about the air deflector that fell out and think how these F-body don't have a grill. I ordered a new one and replaced it in a few days after that it was back to normal.

The 350TPI engines get its air intake where the fog lights are located.

 

[SuperSix]

Yes, thermostats need to be there. WIthout them, the constant fluctuations in temperature are bad for the block, with the heads and block expanding at different rates, and w/o the thermostat, the motor won't run at or near the temp needed for efficient operation.