Well, I haven't been able to install the new intercooler yet. But I figured out why it's running hot, I think.

Of course, out of town, San Jose again. This town doesn't like my car.

Just hit 240*, the fan isn't running.

 

The fuse block top is a little loose from the bottom. The #7 maxi fuse looks fine, I don't know what the trick is to getting it out. I don't know if I can get the bolts any tighter, I'll have to go buy a small socket set, all I have with me is a 6" adjustable wrench.

 

Well I tightened up all the bolts, but the top half never got any tighter to the bottom of the fuse block. I think if it were due to a loose fuse block, other systems would be affected.

Looks like I'm going to be ordering a new fan unit also.

 

I’m sure you’ll remember the discount code!

 

But of course! Still almost $200 delivered. Supposed to be here by Tuesday.

I let it cool down for an hour or so in the parking lot of the grocery store, temperature got down to about 168*, I think. I decided to try to drive it, very nervously, back to where we are staying, about 10 miles, mostly freeway.

I stayed out of the turbo, it never got to even 200*!

We're going to try driving it back home tonight, while ambient temperature is cool. If it gets to 210*, I'm going to be looking for a place to pull over, 220*, I'm stopping to let it cool again.

175 miles of highway/freeway. We have a 100 mile radius on our AAA towing, so there will be that option if it makes it at least 75 miles.

 

Made it home just fine. Left at 10PM, coolant ran at about 185*. Once we got out of the Metropolitan area, ambient temperature dropped even more, coolant fluctuated between 178*-181*. Average 65 MPH.

I get that it can't recover from 240* without the fan. I don't understand why it got that hot. I think ambient temperature was around 85*. City traffic, AC on, but still the coolant shouldn't have got that hot.

I think the SS doesn't use the same rules as the LS/LT, for when the fan runs? Maybe I really do need the new intercooler. The turbocharged engine demands more from the fan?

 

Strange, if you have a 180 degree thermostat it runs at 178 to 181 degrees, but then you had the issue of the temperature getting to 240 degrees, must be the coolant fan module, a loose wire in the connector, maybe.
Don’t forget to check those fuse box bolts, if they worked loose that could have been the problem.

 

I'm thinking back to when I replaced the engine, I had the fuse block apart. The top bolt, or back bolt, closest to the driver, doesn't attach the top half to the bottom half. It only secures that group of fuse sockets to the top half.

The other 3 bolts, attach the top half to the bottom. Anyway, they're all super tight now, but the top still is not tight to the bottom.

 

Just for fun, take a 15 minute drive and park the SS nose high if possible, let it cool over night, and check the coolant level under the pressure cap in the morning, see if an air bubble worked out of the heater or somewhere in the cooling system.

 

I just went to the store, after sitting cold 13 hours. Ambient temperature 102*, coolant started at 94*. The store is so close, less than 5 minutes, coolant didn't reach operating temperature, 180*, before I got there.

When I parked it back at home, it was 210*. I'll check under the cap in the morning.