so i did some oberservation earlier and drove around in teh backroads and stop n go traffic:
no AC on, the coolant temp is 195-200 and it'll go up to 205 when i do spiriting driving but thats as high as it'll go
AC on non-circulation coolant temp hovers around 208-210 from low to high setting
AC on WITH circulation on( heres where it gets interesting). on lowest setting coolant temp hovers around 210-212 and as i increase the knob to highest the coolant temp will gradually go up to as much as 219-220 and this is w/o spirited driving which was where it hovered around 225-ish
if i lower the knob back to lowest the temps will very slowly drop down long as i dont do any spirited driving

@greg8453 i'll see to getting another one, either new or used.

 

“LS & lt models. SS model.” Huh.

 

That’s where I am. Starting with the obstruction, and the obstruction being the thermostat that’s opening but not all the way.

 

Without it you will never solve this. With it you will likely have the airflow you need.

 

Just shows that you're can't trust the description. I seriously doubt that this little air dam has any effect at all on coolant temperature. It's tiny, and it's far below, and far inboard from the radiator.

Change the DexCool, and thermostat (ACDelco 131-158) and spend a week or 2 giving it a good burping.

 

Did anyone notice the observation I posted above by chance or doesn't make sense or matter with the ac recirculation?

 

You may find yourself surprised. I've see many similar problems due to little pieces missing.

 

I don't think that increasing the speed of the electric fan is taxing the engine more. Nor is changing the air source more taxing. The only difference I can see is that in recirculating mode, there is zero air flow until you turn the fan(and AC) on. The compressor runs in recirculating mode, whether or not you have pushed the AC button.

 

When the temp is turned all the way "cold" no air should be passing the heater core. The blend door progressively opens to allow more flow over the heater core. There is always air flow over the AC evaporator coils. In recirc mode the only air comes from inside the cabin. In fresh air mode you don't need to run the circulating fan for heating and ventilation, the car moving pushes air in. Pushing the recirc button causes the compressor to run, the circulating fan must be on for the compressor to run. Turning defrost on turns the compressor on and the circulating fan must be on.

Turning the temperature control knob has NO effect on the compressor, it is either on or off. Temperature control is accomplished by mixing hot and cold and ambient air manually, the computer does nothing beyond translating signals from the knobs to the various doors and relays.

I don't understand "with circulation" and "without circulation" mean. There is fresh air (outside air comes in and the stale air is removed through vents in the rear under the bumper cover) and recirc (no outside air comes in and the stale air stays being breathed over and over). Air is always circulating.

Air flowing through the heater core can have an effect on cooling the engine coolant. If the temp control knob is turned all the way cold air does not flow through the core.

The SS has other thing being cooled by the same cooling system; the oil, the turbo etc.

T-stats don't usually fail to fully open. The mechanism is melting and solidifying wax, when it melts the valve opens. The obstructions I meant are in the radiator, heater coil, engine passages or water pump.