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96 Seville SLS still getting hot


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Good morning everyone. I bought a 96 Seville last September. The car had 88k miles on it. The car was clean, but the t over heated for m the get go. I eventually had the gaskets replaced. The car still gets hot (226) with highway driving. I read in another post about "air pockets " in the cooling system. Is there such a thing? And can it be remedied? Thank you in advance.

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Yes.  There is an air purge line that if clogged it will prevent air from getting out of the engine causing the water pump to cavitate with resultant overheating.  

226 at highway speeds it too high, even with this hot summer.

You can easily check to see if it is clogged.

On the top of the coolant tank, you will notice a hose about 1/2 inch in diameter, usually there is clamp.  When the engine is cool!!!!   Gently remove that hose and place the end in a coffee can, either have someone start the engine or start the engine, idle only.  Coolant SHOULD flow out in a steady stream.  Do that test, come back let us know what you find and we can go to next step.  Good Luck

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Ok, good

Because you are experiencing this at highway speeds and ram air is blowing through the radiator we can eliminate the cooling fans.

What are your outside temps?

Next I would change the thermostat if it has not been changed.  Use an AC delco.

While you are at it, look at the water pump belt for cracks and shinyness indicating that it is slipping.

Manipulate the water pump belt tensioner to see that it is free and it applying ample pressure.  Roll the tensioner pulley and see if its binding or rough.

If you need help with any of that let me know.

Come back when you can

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Ok, then at 103, 226 may not be to alarming

With those temps, be darn sure your coolant concentration is at least 50% coolant to 50% distilled water.  You could up it to 60% of you like.  

Definately check the water pump belt.

Are you using coolant?

Do you smell coolant?

A years ago in 100 degree heat I hit 260 in bumper to bumper traffic.  I was not worried as I had just renovated my cooling system.

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Here is an old thread of mine from a July trip to Virginia in 100 degree heat.  I think you will relax when you read my post on July 8th and the coolant temps I experienced

 

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Yes the coolant ratio 50/50 with distilled water. I was checking the water pump puppies and all seemed to be working fine. I ran kept the car running and noticed the lower radiator hose looked like it was expanding. As though there was a lot of pressure building. Any thoughts?

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I edited my post above and gave you a link to my high outside temp experience wirh my newly renovated cooling system.

I think you are ok!  Read my july 8th post from the above link.

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Coolant temp of 226 at ambient temp of 103 is good as @BodybyFisher stated. Is this temp constant or is it climbing on up hill pulls?

A bulging lower radiator hose is not good. If it is "expanding" more than the upper hose it may be time to replace the hoses. The hoses wear from the inside out.

One other check is to check the radiator cap and make sure it is holding sufficient pressure, 15 psi IIRC...

THERE IS ALWAYS ENOUGH TIME TO DO THE JOB RIGHT - THERE IS NEVER ENOUGH TIME TO DO THE JOB AGAIN !!!

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I really think your temps are good.  

One of the reasons we freak out with the digital temp gauge is because it is so, exact.  

The guru once said that the digital gauge scared owners so much that they went to buffered analog gages, 98 has an analog gauge.  I think you are doing fine.  

OCT is right if that hose look bulgy  replace it.  Try to catch the coolant so you dont waste it.

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No problem, we have been through the perceived overheating before.  If you read my thread above I am sure I mentioned that my blood pressure rose with the coolant temp.  

Was the block timeserted when they did the head gasket?

Let us know how its going.

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No the bulging hose would not affect temperature.  If it bulges bad enough I would worry about it bursting.

Sounds like you got a good repair. 

I think your temps are good, try not to worry about it.  Think of 226 as the middle of an analog gauge, its not bad at all.   It sounds like you have taken every precaution, 50/50 coolant, etc.  

The digital gauge causes your blood pressure to rise as it is EXACT and NOT buffered, see this link to the ANALOG gauge, at 12:00 its about 220 degrees, you are at 226, no problem in this heat.  When you see high temps like that at highway speeds, its not something you normally see, but 100 degree outside temps are not common either, keep in mind that the cooling system can only get rid of so much heat.   Just keep hoses good, crossover seals good, keep an eye on your pipes (around the back of the engine and under the throttle body and keep coolant concentration at least 50%, replace the cap once in a while, and if you ever smell coolant, you have a leak someplace. 

If you smell coolant it comes from high pressure steam, its not a leak per-se, its leaking under high pressure and immediately vaporizing as it hits the atmosphere.   Look at the radiator where the ribs connect into the sides by the end caps, you can see steam escaping when there is a leak there, the end tanks develop stress cracks and you will see white deposits if they leak, with the engine hot and off, look down where the water pump pulley is, the water pump body has an o-ring that can leak under pressure, white deposits at the bottom is evidence of a leak. 

I find it a good practice to use the AC Delco cooling system supplement tablets, if you have not used them.   Crush 6, on a folded cardboard and dump the crushed tablets into the upper hose (NEVER PUT THEM IN THE COOLANT TANK it will clog the air purge line),  

See this

 

 

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I was during the coolant today in anticipation of my new parts being delivered tomorrow. I figured I would flush the cooling system again with distilled water. I filled the cooling system and was going to park the car in the street before my daughter got home. And as luck would have it, my parking brake was stuck. I had the release it with the lever, but it will not disengage when the car is in gear. Where do I start on this one? What can cause this to happen?

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There are a few things that can cause this. Start with #1)

1) Since you were under the hood check all your vacuum connections, especially around the throttle body area.

2) If you were under the dash check the switches at the brake pedal. I think your 96 is similar to the diagram below.

It could also be the transmission range selector switch or neutral safety switch, BUT you would have had to really go out of your way to change that setting.

687474703a2f2f72657061697267756964652e6175746f7a6f6e652e636f6d2f7a6e65747267732f7265706169725f67756964655f636f6e74656e742f656e5f75732f696d616765732f30393030633135322f38302f32352f66312f66322f6c617267652f303930306331353238303235663166322e6769.gif

If yours doesn't look like the switches in the diagram above let me know and I will send the other pic..

THERE IS ALWAYS ENOUGH TIME TO DO THE JOB RIGHT - THERE IS NEVER ENOUGH TIME TO DO THE JOB AGAIN !!!

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The 96 has a brake release vacuum servo, it looks like a little CAN, look up there and you will see a vacuum hose attached to it.  I replaced mine, the diaphragm goes bad in them.  

OldCadTech, what year is that diagram from?, my friends 98 has the same problem.  thx

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1 hour ago, Raiderdave517 said:

Actually, I had removed it a few month back, but the diaphragm seemed fine so I continued to use it. The brake pedal would return real slow when the car was in gear.   

Did you suck a vacuum and did it hold?   If it is good, then there is something wrong with your vacuum supply.  Do you hear a vacuum hiss under the dash?   Does your HVAC switch between modes quickly? (the brake release servo gets its vacuum from the vacuum actuator), I need to find out how it is actuated to send vacuum to the servo.  The manual is not very helpful unless I am missing it

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5 minutes ago, Raiderdave517 said:

It seems my vacuum supply was fine. However the service ride control on the dash fluctuates. Code rs0061 I think. I'll check the supply line on the intake as well when I get home tonight. Thanks again!

Service ride would not affect the brake release servo.    If you can, remove the vacuum hose off of the brake release servo, connect a vacuum gauge (cheap to buy at pep boys, etc,  lay it so you can see it, start car, put foot on brake, put car in reverse, see if vacuum needle jumps, I think but I am to sure that you should see about 20 psi, but notice what vacuum you have. 

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That pic is from a 95, I used it because of the switches. It doesn't show the vacuum pull off at the P-brake assy. I used it because it shows the vacuum release valve.

I wasn't sure if his was like that or like my 98.

If it is like the 98, its a whole different system. The RIM controls the release. You need the Tech2 to properly diagnose it.

THERE IS ALWAYS ENOUGH TIME TO DO THE JOB RIGHT - THERE IS NEVER ENOUGH TIME TO DO THE JOB AGAIN !!!

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