My car has the heavy duty radiator option,However over the years I had 1-core added.Im having minor problems running hot at long distance driving(220-230 intake temp)Maybe 235-240 at head.Just happens driving hot summer day after about 45min-1hour.I was thinking about taking it in to a radiator-shop to have another-core added or buying a better heavy-duty radiator from classic-industries a w/AC 4-row 26-1/4" X2 wide lists on page 640.My car runs quite cool though in-town driving,racing,etc(180-210)Just happens because running 4.10 gears and a 4speed(3500-4000)rpm's at 56-70mph.Thanks

I solved my heating problems by installing a 2-row Griffin aluminum rad.

What water pump do you have? To me it sounds like a water flow problem. A colasped hose can also cause the same problem.

I fought so many over heating probs last summer it wasnt even funny.

You need to give us more info..

Has it been doing this for awhile, or something that just sarted?

When was the last time you power/chem flushed your rad/cooling system.

After weeks and weeks of pulling my hair out and throwing money it it. I found my prob was due to a dirty/clogged rad.

I replaced the stock pump with a mildon high volv. pump, new lower hose with spring in it, 3 diff T-stats, no T stat, No T stat with a plated installed., Blocking any and all cracks around the rad. core support. New air dam, Timing, carb jetting, etc etc

Then ran some prestone super rad. flush through it and the water came out a nasty dark brown, so then I bought the power flush kit and 2 more bottles of the flush. Put it in and flushed with a water hose like it said to do.

To drain it, I took off the lower rad hose from the rad. I'm glad I did cause alot of dirt diver's nests came out. It wouldnt have came out of the petcock if I just opened it up.

Now my prob is solved...

Thanks for replies back,Yeah i would like to buy a new Griffin rad I dont have $600 for one,Water pump is AC delco replacement rebuilt,Bottom hose dont know how old it is?Is there a way to check it or I just get the replacement from classic camaro (bottom)hose?Should I get a hose with a spring?Fluid is clean and new.T-stat is new also 180 Mr Gasket.Problem only happens long drives 85+days in the summer,doesn't overheat but comes close.

aluminum radiators

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If you want a new alum rad. you don't have to spend $600 for a name.

Northern rad. is IMO better than be cool

The links 1981coupe400ci are good prices, but you can even do it cheaper

Summit brand alum rad (made by northern) for around $180

B&M super cooler trans cooler $50

The $180 rad. don't have an auto trans cooler in them. But IMO thats good. I never liked the idea of the water running next to the trans flid. Your engine can take more heat than your trans.

So what that set up you buy a good add on trans cooler, mount it with the metal stapes it comes with in front of the rad. Run trans lines to the cooler

Then put in your rad.

Your engine and trans will both run cooler

May I ask why Northern Rad is better than Be Cool? I fully realize that Be Cool's are $$$ but what makes Northern better. I am curious not being sarcastic.

I cool my 70 Z with 461 BBC with a 4 core copper brass rad. I also use a Stage II Stewart hi-flow pump and hi-flow t-stat with a taurus 2 speed fan.

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70 Camaro Z/28 with 461cu.in. BBC & OD Auto, 3.31 12 bolt posi.

Ok thanks for everyones replies back to me about this,A very good performance place wants $300-$325 for ANOTHER core(row)So this will be 3 total,He said they are better then the average ones,And I have the Jegs magazines lists Be Cool and another named brand for less then $300.00,Even though they are 1-2 core and aluminum ones will run better then a 4-core brass copper,I should go for the aluminum.What is the best radiator-pressure cap 12psi 16psi?

You need to verify first that your rad is the source of the problem, if your radiator is good and you throw a nice shiney new aluminum one in there chances are you will still be running hot. The way to check for a plugged rad is to get the engine nice and toasty, pop the hood a feel around the rad for cold spots. If you find any then the radiator is plugged. If the radiator uniformaly the same temp then it is doing its job and something else is causing the extra heat. Also feel for even air flow into the rad cores, if the fins are blocked, bent, damged then air flow will suffer and cause the engine to run hot.

You might want to slap another guage on the engine to verify that the temps is actualy getting up there. A $20 temp guage is alot cheaper than a ~$300 radiator.

The reason I say the northern rads are better than the be cools is mostly price.

both rads are made with the same great craftsmanship, no expoy, fully welded, etc

The be cool with out trans cooler is $500
The same size and type northern is under $200

Also I think (not sure) be cool only has 2 row 1" tube rad. with just slip fit hose barbs.

Northern rad. offers a 2 row 1.25" tube rad, plus they offer many rads. with AN fittings so you can plumb it up with steel braied hoses and AN fittings.

They also have ones with engine oil coolers, trans coolers, sensor fitting for water temp, oil and trans temp, etc etc

I bought my radiator at Advanced Auto for a
AC-Auto-70 camaro its a big 3 core and was less than $100 new! My car driving in 100+ may go to 200 usually stays around 170 with moroso water pump drive and 1 (junkyard)elec fan no mech fan.

you just have to get back to the basics.....most of the time if the cooling system is keeping the engine cool at idle or at slow speeds this is telling you that the cooling system is doing its job and doing it well because this means the fan/shroud is pulling enough air to cool the system, slower speeds really let the air temp rise under the hood and the engine is really the warmest then..........at speeds of your cruise these parts become really not needed because you have enough air to run thru the radiator at these speeds.......and you have enough air movement passing thru the engine compartment which helps in the cooling.....

at cruise speeds engine usually run the coolest........following me?

but in your case you say you have heating problems at cruise......and with the rpms at which you are turning you maybe sucking the lower hose shut restricting water flow......

i would check out the lower hose or just replace it with a wired coiled hose....

now this would put your system in check....

but i really do believe this is not all your problems........your problem seems to lay into the carb and timing...more then likely you are running lean at these rpms and need to richen up the jets a few sizes......at this speed a lean engine will run really hot and tax the cooling system......also check the timing......you need to make sure you have some sort of vacuum canister hooked up and is working you should have around 50 degrees of timing at these rpms.....to help keep the engine cool.....

a lot of people over look the carb and timing if these to items are not in check it will cause a lot of heating issues and they use other means to try and cover up ther "cooling problems".......



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1980 z28 3900lbs daily driver,414ci bbc,13.505 @107.19 mph w/2.15 60ft. 2.73 gears in street trim.

1981 camaro "the race car" as the kids say. 454 .060 over 13.5 to 1 comp.roller cam,tunnel ram w/2 600 carbs, 4500 stall and 4.10 gears...under recostruction on chassis and engine mods.

1986 ford pick-up "the tow rig" runs a slow 18.00 flat at 75 mph in 1st and second gear only.

<font face="Arial,Verdana" size="2">Originally posted by ddeennis:
you just have to get back to the basics.....most of the time if the cooling system is keeping the engine cool at idle or at slow speeds this is telling you that the cooling system is doing its job and doing it well

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Believe it or not i had this problem and it turned out to be my radiator cap! I replaced radiator, all hoses, water pump, fan, on my 84 silverado, sstill ran hot at hywy speeds
idled all day at 180 maybe 200 at 55 but after that it went up 70 mph was about 240!
well my mom kept saying did you replace the cap and id say ma its not the cap, finally after everything else i replaced the cap and never overheated again?