Every year when it gets to be summer time with A/C on, if I go thru a fast food drive thru or at a looong stoplight, even idling in park,, my temperature gauge shows the engine get up to the 210 mark then I either gota shut off the A/C and bring the idle up quite a bit for a few minutes to cool it down, but my neighbours pickup can sit idling for 11hrs with A/C full blast, all 4 doors wide open windows down, and it wont even get half way to the 210 mark....EVER! Mines an 89 1500 (176, 009 original miles) and his is a 06 1500 4wd z71. Why does mine always start getting hot? School me please. Ive worked on chevy pickups for over 15yrs but im clueless when it comes to this one.
temperature rises
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zora
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if the vehicle is equipped with an electric engine cooling fan that is normal. If the vehicle is equipped with a engine fan using a fan clutch, I would suspect the clutch is going or you are overdue for a flush and cleaning.
I'm in agreement with zora on the fan clutch, but have to ask if you're running a 50/50 blend of water and antifreeze? If so, maybe it's time to do a flush of the cooling system. That's a lot of years and miles on the original radiator and such.
Well, actually I flush my cooling system 3-4 times a year(I show high school kids how to do simple things on their pickups and teach em using mine) and always mix my coolant 50/50, sometimes 60/40 to see if any differences but it never matters, temp still climbs. Water jackets/passages are kept clean and flowing. Fan clutch is about...maybe almost 2 yrs old. My 89 is sporting 176, 345 original miles. Im leaning towards buying one of them dual electric fans with adjustable temp but still trying to get some opinions first. This week im gona order a 4 seasons A/C compressor cause mine is ROARING like crazy, works very well tho, people always tell me HEY TURN THAT THING OFF, IM FREEZING, but its just LOUD. I was listening to a 4 seasons one yesterday and I didnt even think my buddy had it on but he did and it was quiet. Anyways, I can go on forever, but back to the subject now....
On the heater core, when I rebuilt my top end about 6mo ago, the heater hose-to-pipe-to intake by the distributor, the hole through that pipe was smaller than a pencil. Soo, I cleaned it up like a whistle and ever since, the heater blow out HOT air, very hot, possibly too hot. Switch it over to cool and it blows pretty cool. Heater core is almost 4 years old. (Lightbulb) I think thats gona be the next project for the kids next time they round up over here. But im almost positive its clean n clear. All I can think of is that electric fan kit, any thoughts on that idea?
zora
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All you mention is the fan clutch is two years old. Did you test it with the engine off both cold and when hot to see if the resistance to your turning it by hand changes. It should be a lot more difficult to spin it when hot, assuming you have a thermostatic fan clutch. If you have a centrifugal fan clutch switch to a thermostatic.
Zora obviously knows more about this than I do. I understand what he's talking about, but that thought never crossed my mind. I'm more concerned about the heater core pipe opening being so small. I wonder what the heck was in it? But, if you got it clean and it's blowing hot air, I'd say you're okay. Heater cores should last a LOT longer than 4 years if the cooling system has been properly maintained like you say it has.
The heater hose pipe was packed with just....funk I guess ud call it, but cleaned it out to like new. Thermostat is functioning, temp gauge gets almost straight up but right before itll open up and gauge drops to about quarter then slowly rises to normal as its driven. Fan clutch, not 100% on that, could be the culprit. Which one I have, im not sure. Its strange, I been working on chevy pickups for well over 10+ years, ive rebuilt the top end of my engine, rebuilt my transmission, ive done a full restoration from the frame up on an 82 silverado (multiple trophies), but I cant do some of the simplest things like diagnosing, awe man im worthless at that, but if someone brings me a gasket kit and says CAN U PUT THESE ON FOR ME, no problem, better than dealership work (just messing) but just as good. Anyways, im gona get my pickup running gravy to where I can have my A/C on max, doors open, in drive at a stoplight for 45min, and never get hot.....hopefully.