First off, here is some background info. 1986 Camaro, Iroc-Z28. Rebuilt 350/700r4 C&C T-Tops, in need of rubber. Three SES codes. 13, 24, 43 I know O2 Sensor, VSS, Knock Sensor. There's many little issues with my newly aquirred project. The car has always run cool going down the freeway. Temp gauge reads around 150*. Stop and go traffic it goes up to 185* Fan kicks in till about 175*. The heater sucks when its at 150* and goes nice and hot when at 175*-185*. I though maybe a stuck T-stat, so I replaced it, old one OEM 195 new SuperStat 180. No improvement. If anything now it runs a bit cooler. No low temp codes though.
Any Ideas? I've searched and everyone else has the opposite problem of overheating.
This weekend its going in for a pressure flush of the coolant system. Hoses appear to be fine and not collapsed

 

Forgot to mention its a TPI setup. Non center bolt style Heads. Still figuring out about this motor. BBK AFPR set at 45psi. Waiting on my ALDL Diag Cable. Future EProm programming.

 

Wow! spared no details. T-Top seals bad huh

What is the weather like where you are? Now you repalced an old 195 T-stat witha 180 and expected it to run hotter??? If your car is cooling then I don't expext a flush to help you out. Wasted money. Means the cooling system is Coolong. If the weather is cold where you are (a detail you left out but got the important top seals in there) then you could put a piece of cardboard in front of half the radiator to block some air flow. I have had to do this before. You may also need the good cooling when summer comes. Try different sizes of cardboard. A little black paint no one will see it.

 

You're right I did forget a few details. I live in Western Washington, so its mostly cloudy and ne'er that hot.
When I replaced the T-stat, I also forgot to mention I replaced the T-stat with the thought that it was getting stuck open. The cardboard trick sounds interesting, I'll have to try it. I only goes cool on the freeway, its normal around town. The T-Top seals are completely gone. I'm using a bunch of dollar store sponges to keep the tops from rattling.

Thanks for the quick reply.
How would I tell if the knucklehead before had underdrive pullys on this motor?
350 with raised lip heads. W/o center bolt. V-belt PS but Serp Alt. 3-wire. <- gutless alt at all RPM's
Bonehead before me removed AIR divert setup and A/C and f'ed up VSS by installing a 8000ppm speed sender Nordskog digi dash. Harness is rough, still sorting out vaccuum lines.

Anyone have good info, pics, ideas on Cars & Concepts T-Tops? Headliner used and such.

Wow, this turned into a long post.

P.S. I'm doing the coolant flush because its a good idea, and my brother owns a mechanics shop. Lot easier with shop equipment and lifts

 

I think under drive pulleys would turn less and allow for more heat. Maybe it has a high volumn pump. Cant's tell on them because they are justa standard pump usualy with a cavitation plate on the impeller but they do work well to lower the temp.

 

I have most of the paperwork on the rebuild. I had a flowkooler waterpump on my old jeep 4.0 and they help great. The pump looks as new as the rest of the motor, without taking it off for no real reason and counting the impellers. Its better than overheating any day. Doesn't help that the door seals that go with the T-Top seals are not there either, lot of wind noise and breeze. I found 1 place on the web that sells the C&C T-top seals. Those are coming, eventually. heh heh, have a new set of factory GM seals for sale to anyone in the Snohomish County area of WA. I'll try that cardboard trick today and see what happens.
Thanks

 

Why are you going to sell a new set of factory seals? They are better than any aftermarket I have seen. I have installed soft seal and just recently got some Metro seals for my doors (lucky my T-top seals are great, knock on wood!). Both the soft seal and Metro seal are poor quality. Just the price is good.
BTW I found my seals from 1AAuto.com. They have lots of seals in thier web catalog.

 

I think you missed the part that my Camaro has aftermarket T-tops. Made by C&C <- Cars & Concepts who have gone out of business. Thats the reason I'm selling T-top seals made for the factory style T-tops.
They don't fit my car. The seals mine uses have rounded corners on the middle. The center piece on mine does not come out. Mine are riveted to the what used to be a non T-top roof. Finding out lots of little things every time I open the door.

 

OHH I gotcha now. C&C did not click. Its been so long since I heard that name. They call thiers the Skylite T-Roof. I think they also made the rear hatch with the small window that goes straight down. I think they were a Hurst owned company.

 

[&:] 86Z where exactly are you located?? i live just south of olympia. as for the cardboard well how about we fix the problem instead of throwin a professional cardboard bandaid at it. whats gonna happen when you need the cooling and you forget to take the cardboard out until after youve already let the steam out. im gonna guess you may need to look at original heater hose connections or routings and or controls as it sounds as though you may be by passing too much water causing the cruise temps to be too low. have you watched the water flow through the radiator both when cold and up through thermostat opening?? your car should not be running those kind of low temps unless something is mis routed, missing, broken or the gauge ,sender etc has a malfunction(probably not as you stated the heater sucks at that temp too) fill us in kurt