1994 Camaro Coupe V6 3.4L Overheating

[VagrantChrisX]

Well this vehicle since I had it, has gone through a small adventure. Let's start when the problem with the TURN SIGNAL I had before was fixed.
I had an issue with the Right Hug Assembly Ball Bearing part which BIG 10 TIRES were willing to install (purchased piece from them) . Fine, I got settled another way, but they ended up installing the piece. I had 3 things done that day, the installation of the hub assembly on the right wheel, the oil change, and a wheel alignment.

This all happened yesterday morning, and I had no problems going home. This morning I decided to go with my cousins on a road trip to the beach, and about 20 min into the trip the car started overheating? yes, it stalled almost crashed, and smoke starting coming out. The Coolant was boling hot, and dripping all over. I did inspected and found that there was no engine oil? I quickly let the car stay idle and cooled down. I had an extra bottle of engine oil, and I inserted it. It took the whole thing....
(I presume BIG 10 has alot of answers for my many questions I will soon tell them straight)
well after that, we left. from then on I noticed that when I'm going, the heat arrow, which has a sign of an oil lamp. was always above average, and it started rising in increments as I sped up, almost to the TOP. I was nervous, but I filled up the oil. I checked all the fluids, and everything seems ok.
Now this is where this question comes in, what could have happen, that my car is overheating too quickly?
thanks for any future replies, and thanks for your paitience with my story.

[DJ Taso]

Check your radiator for any blockages like leaves, built up dirt, plastic garbage bags. Once I found a Burger King bag wedged right in there. God knows how long it was there for.

[bru333]

You just had an oil change and it was low on oil? How much oil did you end up putting in? Make sure you don't have an oil leak, like from the filter having 2 gaskets. It's been my experience that overheating will not cause a loss of engine oil. But loss of engine oil will cause overheating. Oil cools and lubricates.

[Trash man]

no oil long enough usually also creates a big mod - new motor.

[VagrantChrisX]

your the Man DJ Taso, keep it up! nice to meet a celebrity. High Five,

thanks for the tips guys, I'll check to see if I have an Oil Leak Somewhere, but I never seen oil on the floor. I did put a whole bottle right after the Oil Change.

I have 4 Guages

One Looks like a Battery, the Other like a Magic Lamp
and the last one like droplets, which I believe is the HEAT. It goes up pretty quickly, and when I speed it goes well to the highest point which is 260*

[VagrantChrisX]

I actually took the car to a mechanic, and he told me he sees nothing wrong with the vehicle. He does see that air may not be passing by due to the front ground effects I have on the Camaro. When going fast, air is not properly being distributed. He says I will continue to have this problem unless I take it off.

I have two probable answers without taking it off, let me hear your opinion abou the answer.

1. Take off the front grill off the camaro, and place a custom built one that is properly ventilated. This will let cool air travel safely into the radiator area, and ultimately cool down the car.

2. Someone told me by placing a Cold Air Intake, it will cool down the car, plus give me alittle more HP, save gas, and raise the sound of the engine.


Now I don't know if this will help, so I'll let you guys decide which one is good, or what recommendations you all have. Thanks

[95TransAm]

I actually took the car to a mechanic, and he told me he sees nothing wrong with the vehicle. He does see that air may not be passing by due to the front ground effects I have on the Camaro. When going fast, air is not properly being distributed. He says I will continue to have this problem unless I take it off.

I have two probable answers without taking it off, let me hear your opinion abou the answer.

1. Take off the front grill off the camaro, and place a custom built one that is properly ventilated. This will let cool air travel safely into the radiator area, and ultimately cool down the car.

2. Someone told me by placing a Cold Air Intake, it will cool down the car, plus give me alittle more HP, save gas, and raise the sound of the engine.


Now I don't know if this will help, so I'll let you guys decide which one is good, or what recommendations you all have. Thanks

Do you have you air dam? Look under the car, and look under where your radiator is. There should be a thick, durable, plastic piece that comes down from under your radiator.....your air dam. When you're driving, your air dam directs air flow up to your radiator, thus cooling it properly. Without an air dam, your car could overheat.

Other causes of overheating
1) Faulty thermostat (extremely easy fix)
2) Air trapped in your cooling system
3) Fans not properly working

Turn on your a/c....make sure the fans come on when you do. If they don't, your fans aren't working.

Good luck

[VagrantChrisX]

alright, I had it looked at, and someone told me it was the faulty thermostat, fine, now I have a huge question. I can't find any info on this, maybe you guys can help me out.

1. On the Camaro, the Air Intake Tube which is huge, there are 2 things connected to it. First there are some cables, but secondly (which is weird to me, is a metal thin tube, that runs from the Air Intake, to the back of the engine I believe? What is it?

---
the issue I have with it, is that at the back the small rubber housing is split in two, and the tube just came off, and was sitting on top of something. Meaning it was not even connected? is this metal tube something to be worried about?
thanks for future replies

[carcrazyls1]

ok

alright that thin tube on the intake tube is a breather that lets air ventilate out of ur valve cover. ur thermostat is under ur intake manifold. follow ur top radiator hose which is a thick rubber hose, it leads straight to ur thermostat housing it isnt as easy of fix as some lead u to think the right bolt is difficult to get to without the right tools. this is on the 3.4. that metal tube us nothing to be worried about but u might wanna go to ur local parts house and pick up the rubber elbow that goes is there not possitve but u may have to remove valve cover to replace that part.

[VagrantChrisX]

Yeah it almost took me 3 hours just to lossen it up, that nut for the thermostat cover is a pain in the buttocks. I'm going to ask this buddy I have who put an RX7 engine into his old car, I was like? get a new car! lol

Do they actually sell that rubber piece for the breather?

[95TransAm]

Do they actually sell that rubber piece for the breather?

I've never seen your breather, so I'm not exactly sure what it looks like.

But....I do have an optispark vent tube that goes in to my intake elbow. When I replaced my intake elbow with an aftermarket one, the rubber piece that came with the kit that's for my vent tube....well, I lost it. I went to ace hardware and bought 5 or 6 different ones for about a buck fifty. A couple worked beautifully, and I've had no problems since.

The rubber piece I'm talking about has a lip on both ends of a small (about 5/8 inch. diameter, 1/4 inch long) tube. It fits right in to my elbow and hooks up to my tube perfectly....airtight.

If yours is a bit different, go to any hardware store...I'm sure you'll find something that will work