Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » Post-overheat advice
| Post-overheat advice [message #196592] |
Sun, 27 January 2013 14:50  |
Galen
Messages: 146
Registered: November 2011
Location: New Virginia, IA
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
It was back in October I posted on here that I had an overheat. It seems my thermostat stuck and radiator cap failed to release the pressure and blew the seams out of the tanks on the radiator. The radiator shop guy said he sees this all the time on grain trucks and combines that sit for extended periods without use. My coach had sat for several years before I got it last year, and I never replaced the either the cap or thermostat, $15 that would have been well spent. Lesson learned for me, but something for anyone getting a sit around coach to think about.
Anyway, I got the radiator back in, lines all hooked up, and it finally got warm enough here (working outdoors) for me to get things going. I "may" have dodged a bullet, as I ran it a good hour yesterday, got the engine warmed up good, and everything seems ok.
The radiator shop guy said drive it and forget it, just watch the fluid level to see if its using any coolant. He said I am lucky its a 403 and is very confident in its ability to withstand the high temps. He's and his pops are rod builders and sprint racers after work.
I'd be interested in your guys' take.
Question: Should I have an oil analysis done, and if so, after what amount of time/miles? (it was a fresh oil change the day before the overheat, maybe 30 miles on it, so I went ahead and changed it to make sure there wasn't any coolant in it)
What would you do at this point to regain some level of confidence? Appreciate your advice.
Thanks,
Galen
Galen Briggs
New Virginia, Iowa
1978 Palm Beach
|
|
|
|
| Re: Post-overheat advice [message #196593 is a reply to message #196592] |
Sun, 27 January 2013 15:00  |
JohnL455
Messages: 4447
Registered: October 2006
Location: Woodstock, IL
Karma: 12
|
Senior Member |
|
|
My take is GM cast iron engines can take a an overheat and usually be OK. I'd check all your fluids often and be sure all the air is out of the cooling system and it is properly drawing from the overflow tank. Start with shorter trips and keep and eye on gauges until you are confident it is fine. Remember to change the coolant every 2 years (drain and fill) whether you drive zero miles or a lot.
John Lebetski
Woodstock, IL
77 Eleganza II
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Re: Post-overheat advice [message #196622 is a reply to message #196592] |
Sun, 27 January 2013 23:22 |
 |
Matt Colie
Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan
Karma: 7
|
Senior Member |
|
|
I will not quote what Galen wrote on Sun, 27 January 2013 15:50
Galen,
The most damage from an overheat is either:
A - Warping the cylinder head casting
B - Over compressing the cylinder head gasket.
I am going to hope you shut down shortly after the tank seams blew out. If that is the case, there is little probability that you did any damage to the engine at all. If you ran long after that, you would do well to pull the cylinder head bolts back to load.
If you are worried, the best way to re-tension them is with a bending beam torque wrench. Get the heads cleared away and get on the each bolt head and pull it to spec (85#ft). It may not move. If it does not, make a mental not of where the pointer is relative to the engine. Reverse and break the fastener loose, then pull it to spec. You will probably get 15~30°. That is typical and good. If you get more than 60°, there is a very good chance that you cooked and failed the combustion seal.
If you need me, I'm here a lot.
Matt - Used to be the aftermarket of McCord Payen Gasket
Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit
|
|
|
|
| Re: Post-overheat advice [message #196624 is a reply to message #196592] |
Mon, 28 January 2013 01:07 |
George Beckman
Messages: 1085
Registered: October 2008
Location: Colfax, CA
Karma: 11
|
Senior Member |
|
|
| Galen wrote on Sun, 27 January 2013 12:50 |
It was back in October I posted on here that I had an overheat. It seems my thermostat stuck and radiator cap failed to release the pressure and blew the seams out of the tanks on the radiator.
The radiator shop guy said drive it and forget it, just watch the fluid level to see if its using any coolant. He said I am lucky its a 403 and is very confident in its ability to withstand the high temps. He's and his pops are rod builders and sprint racers after work.
I'd be interested in your guys' take.
Question: Should I have an oil analysis done, and if so, after what amount of time/miles? (it was a fresh oil change the day before the overheat, maybe 30 miles on it, so I went ahead and changed it to make sure there wasn't any coolant in it)
What would you do at this point to regain some level of confidence? Appreciate your advice.
Thanks,
Galen
|
I am with the others. Drive it. My dad always said, "it can't get to hot as long as there is still water in it. Probably when it blew the radiator was when the big loss happened and you noticed it. I suppose that is not always true with pocket in thehigher sections, but 212 is it while it is boiling. Boiling gets rid of a ton of heat that the radiator couldn't discharge in a long time.
As long as the oil doesn't get sudsy and grey and your not bubbling air in to the radiator ( hard to tell with the cap where it is) drive it. The oil analysis will tell you if you at leaking coolant to the oil and I would think they could catch it in a hundred mikes or so if much were leaking.
'74 Eleganza, SE, Howell + EBL
Best Wishes,
George
|
|
|
|
| Re: Post-overheat advice [message #196680 is a reply to message #196624] |
Mon, 28 January 2013 15:55 |
 |
mike miller
Messages: 3576
Registered: February 2004
Location: Hillsboro, Oregon
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
| George Beckman wrote on Sun, 27 January 2013 23:07 |
... and your not bubbling air in to the radiator ( hard to tell with the cap where it is) drive it. ...
|
_IF_ you are worried about a leak into the cooling system, you could do a pressure check on the coolant system. I picked up a "kit" to do pressure checks on coolant systems and caps at Harbor Freight or one of the similar stores around here.
While it costs a little more than looking for bubbles, it is easier. (Due to the cap location.) It also gives you a "number" to go by... plus it gives you the tools so you can check your (replacement) radiator cap to keep you from blowing up the new radiator!
Mike Miller -- Hillsboro, OR -- on the Black list
(#2)`78 23' Birchaven Rear Bath -- (#3)`77 23' Birchaven Side Bath
More Sidekicks than GMC's and a late model Malibu called 'Boo'
http://m000035.blogspot.com
|
|
|
|
| Re: [GMCnet] Post-overheat advice [message #196737 is a reply to message #196592] |
Tue, 29 January 2013 06:25 |
Steven Ferguson
Messages: 3447
Registered: May 2006
Karma: 0
|
Senior Member |
|
|
Galen,
I have oil analysis done on all my vehicles. Good information and you can
track engine wear, cooling system integrity, and air filter life. Once
Blackstone establishes a base for your GMC, you can spot anything out of
the norm, and they usually alert you first.
I take my samples from the middle of the dump. Coolant in the oil is
death to an engine.
On Sun, Jan 27, 2013 at 1:50 PM, Galen Briggs <gpbriggs@iowatelecom.net>wrote:
>
>
> It was back in October I posted on here that I had an overheat. It seems
> my thermostat stuck and radiator cap failed to release the pressure and
> blew the seams out of the tanks on the radiator. The radiator shop guy said
> he sees this all the time on grain trucks and combines that sit for
> extended periods without use. My coach had sat for several years before I
> got it last year, and I never replaced the either the cap or thermostat,
> $15 that would have been well spent. Lesson learned for me, but something
> for anyone getting a sit around coach to think about.
>
> Anyway, I got the radiator back in, lines all hooked up, and it finally
> got warm enough here (working outdoors) for me to get things going. I "may"
> have dodged a bullet, as I ran it a good hour yesterday, got the engine
> warmed up good, and everything seems ok.
>
> The radiator shop guy said drive it and forget it, just watch the fluid
> level to see if its using any coolant. He said I am lucky its a 403 and is
> very confident in its ability to withstand the high temps. He's and his
> pops are rod builders and sprint racers after work.
>
> I'd be interested in your guys' take.
>
> Question: Should I have an oil analysis done, and if so, after what amount
> of time/miles? (it was a fresh oil change the day before the overheat,
> maybe 30 miles on it, so I went ahead and changed it to make sure there
> wasn't any coolant in it)
>
> What would you do at this point to regain some level of confidence?
> Appreciate your advice.
> Thanks,
> Galen
> --
> Galen Briggs
> New Virginia, Iowa
> 1978 Palm Beach
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
>
--
Take care,
Steve
_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://temp.gmcnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gmclist
|
|
|
|
Goto Forum:
Current Time: Mon Oct 14 19:19:55 CDT 2024
Total time taken to generate the page: 0.01026 seconds
|
GMCforum
Search
Help
Register
Login
Home
