Car keeps running hot

[KP_510]

2013 Vortech JT Trim beefcake special. Car keeps running hot, got up to 253 before it slowly started climbing back down. I've added coolant a few times but there are no leaks that I can see and the fan works. Any other possible solutions? I need to change the oil today anyway so trying to get it figured out. I've read that there is a high/lo setting on the fan. How do I switch it if it's set to low?

Thanks for any help!

 

[_Snake_]

Is this a new install? Might still be air trapped in the coolant lines.

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[hitmix300]

I would confirm your thermostat is installed correct. Also check if it's opening correctly by putting it in a boiling pot of water. My car did this when i installed new engine. The cap shows a max psi on the reservoir. I bought that pressure kit from harbor freight and pressurized the coolant system to the max psi that was on the cap. It seemed to work because the car took a whole extra quart in the reservoir after using it. I started the motor with it under pressure until the t-stat opened.. But your car is getting much hotter than mine did.

 

[KP_510]

@Snake Relatively new. Got the car back in early December I believe. If that's the case what's the solution? Just continue to drive until it's moved out?

 

[KP_510]

@hitmix300 Ill look into that as well. Thank you! I was thinking it was the classic Vortech coolant tank leaking but I've been watching it for weeks and nothing still

 

[_Snake_]

I'd recommend taking it to a place that can put a vacuum on the coolant system. Basically, they seal the system off through the reservoir bottle and suck everything out (air and coolant). You'll actually see the hoses collapse. Then they use the vacuum that they just created to draw your coolant from a source into the car. But minus the air pockets.

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[Jumpmaster2015]

Is this a new install? Might still be air trapped in the coolant lines.

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This. I fixed three coolant issues this winter because people had air bubbles in their systems. Start with the simple things and then work your way up.

 

[BUCKET]

This. I fixed three coolant issues this winter because people had air bubbles in their systems. Start with the simple things and then work your way up.

Can you expand on this please ? Air due to cold/winter showing up. I ask because I had weird air in coolant system type issue this past weekend. Normally the car sits in the garage but was left out in very low temps. It's been on dyno and everything no issues then this weekend during some hard playing it pushed coolant from the res. Let it cool. Started it. Temp came up and it acted as though the system had air. It settled after two-three burps then it's been fine since. Actually feel I see lower head temps now. I have beat on it since with no issues. And I know what it looks like when head gasket/ cracked block is pushing pressure in coolant system.

 

[Jumpmaster2015]

Can you expand on this please ? Air due to cold/winter showing up. I ask because I had weird air in coolant system type issue this past weekend. Normally the car sits in the garage but was left out in very low temps. It's been on dyno and everything no issues then this weekend during some hard playing it pushed coolant from the res. Let it cool. Started it. Temp came up and it acted as though the system had air. It settled after two-three burps then it's been fine since. Actually feel I see lower head temps now. I have beat on it since with no issues. And I know what it looks like when head gasket/ cracked block is pushing pressure in coolant system.

Well I bring up the cold because I didn't notice anything until my wife tried using the heat. I live in Washington state, so heater use is not an everyday issue in the winter time. My daily driver is a Nissan Frontier and was just low on coolant. I hadn't added any in a couple of years. My wife said the heat was cutting out at idle, so I bled out quite a few air bubbles and the problem stopped. I then changed the water pump and replaced fittings in a supercharged Grand Prix, and it kept overheating until ALL the air bubbles were out (It actually took a while, I had to remove the thermostat and fill up the block from there in the end).

If you watch some dyno pulls on these cars you will see the overflow tank bubbling quite a bit towards the end (at least that I have noticed). I think this is what you are noticing, and it is normal. Maybe the overflow tank had too much in it and bubbled over?