Overheating Spirit R/T

[tryingbe]

If the problem is still there after you put the parts in, I'd pay some key knowledgable about the TIII and diagnosis it.

[89FerrariShelby]

I have no problem paying someone, it's finding someone knowledgable who also has the time and desire to diagnose it. I went years (almost a decade) trying to find someone who could fix my Daytona's computer, I would offer people whatever sum they wanted, finally i was lucky enough to find someone who did it for an actual reasonable price, but even now it needs some tweaking, and i'm more than willing to pay, but people have lives, and not many people want to clear their schedule to fiddle with one of these. The real answer is to gain the knowledge to fix it myself, but i'm not that smart (i really probably am), but I also dont really have any desire to get that involved. Which I know means my time with these cars is limited.

In ANY case. I have the thermostat, but i wanted to confirm i'm looking in the right area before i start taking stuff apart and get coolant all over the place. I posted a pic below. Is that the housing for the thermostat? I ask because it seems pretty close to the description mentioned elsewhere, but in looking at it, I dont see any possible way to change the thermostat without taking it completely apart, so i'm thinking i'm looking at the wrong area? Any help is appreciated.

[zin]

The oil is definately not the reason for over heating, but might be the cause of a misfire due to the plugs swimming in oil.

When you re-do the gaskets, be sure to use an in/pound torque wrench. This is one of the best investments you can make when it comes to stopping leaky gaskets, be they valve cover, oil pan, or transmission. These things need to be tightened in order and to the right torque, otherwise you could pinch/kill the gasket and/or allow them to leak by one side not being "pulled down" to the same level.

As was suggested earlier, check the actual temp the computer is seeing via a scan tool to be sure it's actually over heating. The little sender, which is in the same place as an 8v (just to the right of where the A/C compressor is on an 8V), can go bad and read "high", which will make you think it's hot when it is actually fine.

One other bit about the thermostat, drill a small hole in the 12 O'clock position, it helps let trapped air out and lessens the thermal shock when the thermostat opens by letting small amounts of hot water out of the engine to kind of "pre-heat" the water in the radiator that is waiting to be sent through the engine when the thermostat opens. It should be small, like 1/8" or smaller, too big and it will take a very long time to warm up.

Good Luck!

Mike

[zin]

You have the right place. You will need to take the two nuts holding the housing (part with the hose attached) off of the water box. The water box bolts to the head, and is the part you were advised to not remove. taking those two nuts off won't do that so you're fine.

Mike

[iTurbo]

Just so you know the coolant temp sender that controls the gauge in the cluster is actually located below the thermostat housing on the driver's side of the head. It is really hard to see it. I'm pretty sure it's the same one-wire sender that the SOHC cars use.

[zin]

DOH! I was thinking it was still in the same place as the 8V... Though it would be a pain to get to if it was...

Mike

[89FerrariShelby]

Thanks so much guys. I will swap the thermostat tomorrow, but i'm thinking i probably shouldn't run the car until i clean up the plugs and replace the gaskets. I started it today and it had a bit of tick, probably just from sitting for months, it definitely needs an oil change.

Any recommendations on a scan tool that's better than others? Or can i only use the specific ones for Dodge? Is there a generic one i could buy/use? Worst case I could drive it to a TM meet in NE and ask someone to bring one.

[zin]

The DRBII or OTC4000 or even the OTC2000 will tell you what you want to know. Thankfully they are pretty cheap on eBay.

The ticking sound is probably a lash adjuster, definitely change the oil and maybe add some seafoam or marvel mystery oil to help clean them out a bit, you don't want to have to replace them, they are EXPENSIVE!!!

They will probably stop ticking with fresh oil and some run time.

Mike

[89FerrariShelby]

This look reasonable? I have no idea on pricing =(

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Engine-Diagn...#ht_1185wt_905

[89FerrariShelby]

Actually that one has no cartridges or manuals, i assume i need the cartridges in order for it to work?

So maybe this is a better deal even at a higher price?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/OTC-4000-Enh...#ht_1294wt_934

[zin]

That second one looks good, it's the model that can do basic OBDII scans too!

Mike

[89FerrariShelby]

Sweet, bought it. Who knows, maybe it will help me chase down my Daytona issues too, you know, if i ever figure out how to use it. =).

Check back in with you guys in a few days, need to wait for the gaskets and the tool to get here. =)

[zin]

It's pretty simple, and there are a few threads here (I think) that deal with using one. That one is especially cool in that it has the adapter/cart. for doing ABS too!

Mike

[Turbo Joe]

omg! dude i'm right down the road from you and have the snap-on brick i would've scanned your car for free.. when you change the V cover gaskets let me know and i'll help ya out with torque wrenches as i have inch and foot pound, click type and torque dial. also have the FSM for all the specs.. don't you still have my number?

[89FerrariShelby]

Well, I know when John was trying to tune my car he was using a scan tool to help, so maybe I can use it for that as well (or maybe its the wrong kind, that would be my luck) but I also know someone in Detroit was using one to datalog a 1/4 mile run for me. If this one can do some of those things (or be modified to do so) then it's well worth the $$, otherwise, oh well....can't bring it with you (money that is).

I'll have to look and see if I still have it, if not i'll pm you, I appreciate the offer. The reverse cable worked great btw, I never got back to you on that and i'm sorry...I didn't install it til this spring =(

[89FerrariShelby]

Alright, I know its late, but i'm hoping someone out there can help since this is the last of it (other than hooking the scanner up to the temp sensor...something i'm not entirely sure how to do) and I'm not quite sure what to do.

Below is a pic of the old temp sensor in the car:



And then the old/new sensors:


My confusion centers around one point. When they say to drill the tiny hole at 12 oclock...where do i drill it? Just anywhere (inner disk or outer?) and then make sure when i put the pipe back that the hole ends up at 12 on the car? Or is there a certain way these are supposed to go in i'm not seeing?

Any help is greatly appreciated. I need to get the car out of the garage so the fiance can put hers back in (avoid the wrath at all costs) so i'm hoping someone can help soon.

Edit...just saw the hole in the old one (man i'm blind when i'm panicky) i guess my question still stands if it needs to be in a certain place, but i guess it answer the 12 oclock question installed, and where on the disk...but I just want to confirm that the spot for the hole wasn't there for a specific reason and could be anywhere on the clock up until install....

[iTurbo]

Well that is the thermostat, not the temp sensor....I know just terminology but I digress.

I just drilled the one for the Spirit R/T that I'm building. I drilled mine with a 3/32" bit. You want to drill it in the outer disk, but not on the very outer disk that seats in the recess of the housing. You want to drill it just inside of that. When you install the thermostat, make sure the hole ends up at 12 o'clock so that air trapped in that location has the best chance of escaping out via the hole. Should help with bleeding the air out and lessening temp shock as it opens. Hope this helps!

[89FerrariShelby]

Thank you sir. Sorry about the bad terminology!

I played around and drilled the hole where it looked like it should be. Just ran the car for 35 minutes, got up to temp 3 times, each time fan came on and it went down, so yay!!! It might have been the thermostat, but I also noticed while moving the car around I seem to have a small coolant leak, so maybe over time the reduced coolant is what makes it get so hot? I'll have to chase that down, but with full coolant and the update to the thermostat it seems to be holding its own temp wise!

Now the only remaining issue is the power (electricity) I am going to start a new thread now. Hopefully its just a ground issue for the dash, but it seems like its more... =(

And new valve gaskets smoke at first right? lol...valve covers were awfully smokey at first lol

[iTurbo]

Do you ever see coolant puddling on top of the transaxle case? If so, that is a *somewhat* typical problem on the TIII engines. There is a plug on the bottom (deck) side of the TIII that can leak coolant out which will puddle on top of the trans case.

[89FerrariShelby]

Yes... I was just out there, and there is definitely a puddle of coolant on top of the trans and I saw it dripping from the bottom of the engine onto the transmission. What is the plug called (i.e. how can I get a new one lol)? It looks like a pain to replace, but i'm guessing it wont get better on its own. Hate to have it give out completely while i'm driving.