uncool '96 RMW. Stuck thermostat? Bad WP impeller? Clogged radiator?

[PatDTN]

A little while back my oil cooler burst inside my radiator. Took out the radiator, removed the thermostat, and did my best to flush with some block flush and hose pressure both directions.

Out of curiosity I opened the radiator tank on the old one. Oil and antifreeze had created hard globules. Could those have blocked something if I didn't get them out?

Drove from Knoxville, TN to Denver, CO where I'm stuck with few tools. It was fine for the drive out. I know it stirred something up though because when it did overheat in town the next day there was milkshake foam in the overflow tank. The cap on there has been suspect for some time and I figure it clogged. Pressure blew the upper radiator hose OFF with no damage.

Put it back on, got a new cap, filled with antifreeze and water, and bled the water pump. It overheats a little each time I drive it and today after being stuck in traffic for a while it kept getting way hot. I had the AC on to run the fan - started with mechanical, bought a kit and changed it to two electrics - but didn't see much difference. Cooled some at high speed runs but only down to half when it always runs at 1/4.

When I parked it at the hotel it boiled the fluid in the block and blew it out. Lots of it.

I let it cool some and filled it with water. Redid the water pump bleed and started it with no cap. It ran a bit then suddenly pushed the water out of the top of the tank and finally started boiling in the block. My hopes are in the subject line.

Any sure information? Don't have a lot of tools. Probably would have to pay someone to pull the radiator but could do the thermostat and water pump with what I have.

 

[PatDTN]

Thinking the long drive dislodged a bunch of those globs and they swirl and plug the radiator tube more and more. The block isn't being cooled so it cooks the coolant when I stop. Short drives don't get those last tube blocked so it's not AS bad. Dang, need to see if there's a flush that will get those. I probably won't have much heat now either.

 

[buickwagon]

It could be affecting the t-stat. Fortunately they are easy to remove and check. However, don't run without the t-stat in place with an LT1 -- that will actually cause overheating because the radiator bypass will be wide open.

 

[PatDTN]

I ran out of time for options so tomorrow I'm dropping the car at Midas for a cooling system flush. I gave them a description. I hate doing that but I'm expected to work.

 

[PatDTN]

So the morons at Midas wouldn't take my advice. They replaced the two biggest radiator hoses. They decided the temp sensor in the water pump needed to be replaced so they did. In the process they broke the water pump and replaced that at their cost (yeah right) and in the process drained the system. I think draining the system helped get some of the stuff out. Not long after they did their $500 best I was losing cooling. They short length of radiator hose directly to the water pump had split. Yeah, they had that apart. I replaced that. I think I need to replace the pressure cap on the reservoir again. It gets clogged when trash is pumped out through it.