The Derploader

[Preloader]

The thermostat is electronic. I have a spare one at home from the Cruze engine.

But it looks like I found the problem. I have a leak in my radiator. Right by where I mounted the slim fan.

Luckily I can get one by tomorrow, but it will still be a struggle to get home. The reservoir won't take water, and I must have a ton of air in my cooling system. Looks like I'll have to drive home in 2mile intervals with 30 minute cool downs. I'm about 20 miles from home.

 

[$ub$onic]

Hope you did not have anywhere else to be today.

 

[Preloader]

Ha. Supposed to be picking my Mother up from the airport in an hour.

But my wife is coming to get me and we'll come limp the 'Loader home later tonight when traffic is over.

The more I think back, I have been seeing some anomalies in my temps the last couple of weeks. Nothing crazy, but sometimes 10° higher than usual and sometimes 10° lower than usual.

Also noticed a couple puddles under my car at work, but just assumed it was from somebody else.

I'm confident once it's cooled all the way down it'll take water. But it just won't accept it when it's this hot and there is so much air/steam pressure in the cooling system.

I could use a cold O'Douls when I finally make it home.

 

[Eric Smit]

yikes, rough night.

 

[Preloader]

Made it home!!!

It was intense. She slowly danced up and down all the way to 250°. I tried babying it, but screaming at 85mph seemed to keep it from rising.

Just an FYI, the overheat bells and warning light don't come on til about 260°.

I'll be swapping the radiator tmw, and may do a how-to thread for the next person that may ever have to do it.

 

[Luv2xlr8]

260? I think that's a bit too high for a warning. I have my UG set at 230.

 

[Preloader]

That's why I prefer actual temp info, over idiot lights. When the temp light comes on, you're still in the dark about what exactly is going on, other than you are screwed and should probably pull over.

But in today's case, that warning chime saved my arse.

 

[Eric Smit]

oh the irony of an arse saving idiot light. haha.

 

[Preloader]

If you were thinking you could get the radiator out without removing your bumper, well you'd be wrong.

The radiator is thin and light, and I almost was able to get it out from the engine bay side, if the damn A/C condenser and intercooler weren't mounted to the radiator from the front.

Off comes the bumper, and intercooler support, so you can get the screws out holding the A/C and I/C to the radiator. Then the radiator has to be finagled out through the front.

All in all it took about 2 hours, most of time which was spent figuring out what the hell was holding it in there.

Taking a break, before I put the bumper back on, but should be back in business for the work week.

Radiator was $200 new from Chevy....... Not too bad IMO.

 

[BoG233]

I swapped in the Braille Carbon Fiber Battery. It's half the size of the stock, so I was able to move the Engine CU in tighter next to it, creating alot more room to make oil filter changes easier and a little more personal space for the charge piping. At some point I plan to fab a smaller mount for the batt, and possibly relocate it much lower.

Have you thought about mounting it by the spare to tire in the back . lots of room if you lay it down . just wondering?

 

[Preloader]

I thought about it. I've even done it before in a Camaro, but that's RWD and it's good to put the weight over the drive wheels.

The idea here was saving weight. 15ft of 4ø (to run to the trunk) wire weighs about the same amount I removed by going with the lighter battery, so it would kind of cancel out.

If weight saving wasn't a goal, I'd have done it. Relocating to the trunk is also great for big stereo builds.

 

[Eric Smit]

you need a big stereo connected to a wireless microphone on your exhaust tip.

 

[Preloader]

Arrrgh. Looks like I got head gasket problems. Still overheating after I replaced the radiator.

And when I go to start it in the morning or after work it struggles as if it's hydro-locked, and my exhaust is steaming.

Trying to decide if I want to tackle it myself, or just swap in a low-mileage engine, or just let a dealer do it and pay for the luxury of not having to deal with it.

 

[Eric Smit]

uh oh. that's not good.

 

[$ub$onic]

Not good at all.

Do you think it's a gasket failure from to much power or from a faulty gasket?

 

[drhollen]

Or warped head from overheating?

 

[Chevrolet Customer Care]

Arrrgh. Looks like I got head gasket problems. Still overheating after I replaced the radiator.

And when I go to start it in the morning or after work it struggles as if it's hydro-locked, and my exhaust is steaming.

Trying to decide if I want to tackle it myself, or just swap in a low-mileage engine, or just let a dealer do it and pay for the luxury of not having to deal with it.

Hey Preloader,

I apologize for this! If you decide to go the dealership route, let me know and I would be happy to assist you further the best way possible.

Patsy G
Chevrolet Customer Care

 

[Preloader]

I can't say for sure if it is a the gasket or a cracked head. I also can't tell for sure if it's the power I've been pushing through it or if it was from the overheating. I really only overheated the one time when it got up to 260º, which is high, but not insane.

Good news is I found a Cuze 1.4T with 17k miles for $800. Just bought it and it should come within 2 weeks.

I called the dealer for a ballpark on doing the head gasket, and they said $1,600 parts+labor.

I'm in no position to tackle the head gasket myself. Work is too busy and I don't want to track down the special cam-clocking tool and engine service manual.

I'm also considering a major scale-back on my mods. Ditching the solid fly/clutch, LSD, and dropping the max boost to maybe 19psi.

I'll never get my loan paid off if I have to keep shelling out for repairs, and it's a depressing feeling to make payments on my car when I'm unable to even drive it for weeks at a time.

 

[Larrymer]

I doubt it was temperature related unless you were at 260 for a decent length of time. Either way, that sucks.

 

[Preloader]

Was at 260º for all of about 1 minute. It was probably the 24psi boost over the course of 25k miles. I've got about 33k on this motor. So going back to 17k is kind of refreshing. Hahaha.

Now I'll have 2 non-op 1.4's in my garage. Maybe once I'm free of my loan I'll finally build one up. I'll definitely look into head gasket/bolt options if I do.