# 1500 chevy overheating



## cameren_j (Jun 26, 2011)

Hi there all I just wanna start by saying this site is AWESOME! Here is my problem I am running a 99 suburban 1500 with a 7.6 Western cable style straight blade and when I am going down the road I am having a problem with it wanting to run hot. I am contemplating adding an electric puller fan ran off a toggle switch but I am not sure if this would hurt anything or not. If anybody has any opinions or ideas on this issue. Once again this site is AWESOME and LET THE WHITE DOLLARS FLY!Thumbs UpThumbs Up


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

you can search this on the heading,,it has come up alot. your best bet is to install a heavy duty fan clutch,,and if it dosent have one a 7 blade fan. the electric fan works great at around the town low speed driving, but does nothing for long trips and expess way speeds....and if your rad gets clogged up with snow,,the electric one wont do anything


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## cameren_j (Jun 26, 2011)

Ok thanks dieselss that was what I was wondering I have read the other threads about the other guys and their overheating problems but I hadn't read or seen anything about electric fans and I have a couple laying around so I was just wondering but if the heavier duty clutch and such is the better solution then I will probably go that route. Just one more thing would you recommend changing the T stat to a lower one if I change the clutch.


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## clydebusa (Jul 10, 2010)

dieselss;1414327 said:


> you can search this on the heading,,it has come up alot. your best bet is to install a heavy duty fan clutch,,and if it dosent have one a 7 blade fan. the electric fan works great at around the town low speed driving, but does nothing for long trips and expess way speeds....and if your rad gets clogged up with snow,,the electric one wont do anything


I agree with him!:salute:


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

that would be up to you....most of the pple just change the clutch and it works.


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## cameren_j (Jun 26, 2011)

ok well I really appreciate the info and the help you guys wouldnt happen to have a part number for that fan clutch its a 99 1500 suburban with the 350 vortec


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## ieetgluu (Dec 7, 2011)

How does an electric fan suffer from snow clogged rad and mechanical fan not? legitimite question. And I would think that <32 degree snow on a 200+ degree rad would have a cooling effect, or maybe even melt.


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

I ran electric fans on my 454. It ran religious at 177 until the grill got clogged with snow/ice. The ele. Fans werent strong enough to oull air through the ice covered condser. The clutch fan will pull air from every where. I ended up installing another fan on the outside to pull air out to the front to melt the snow off


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## ieetgluu (Dec 7, 2011)

ah yes, the condenser. my a/c runs on and off with the defrost on, i wonder if the condenser is hot enough to melt snow in it. I just recently switched to e-fans myself


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

Condenser is not hot at all...my fans were switched as well. So I turned them on right at start up and didn't shut off till I was done. If I was traveling far temp would climb. But local was just fine


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## meborder (Oct 26, 2011)

i installed a temp gauge in my plow truck a couple weeks ago. Never had one before, so no frame of reference to base readings off of.

idling around the yard, it runs about 195, pretty steady. I drove it 3 miles into town to get gas (only time it leaves the yard as it is not liscensed) and within a mile it was running 230.

i slowed down a bit and angled the blade and it dropped closer to 220(?) and stayed there for the other 2 miles and on the 3 mile trip home.

I let it idle at home and the temp dropped back down to 195 within a few minutes, so i think the clutch is working. I'll be curious what it does if i ever get to push some snow.

230 too hot? never wanted to get warmer than 230, but i didnt push my luck either.

how hot is too hot?

its an old 350 4bbl.


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## cameren_j (Jun 26, 2011)

I'm no professional mechanic but in my mind that's definitely getting too warm for me if that were my truck . I like to see my plow truck no higher than about 200 mine hits 230 I'm panicking but I would talk to a mechanic for professional advice or see what the others on here say about it


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

I'd say that 230 is getting close to the hot side. If its just your yard truck then don't bother, but if your on the road with it, try a new clutch for the fan.


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## meborder (Oct 26, 2011)

i'll probably just have to keep an eye on it in the yard and see what it does while plowing i suppose. hopefully with the plow down, there will be enough airflow to keep 'er cool.

i thought i'd ask, cauz 230 is the end of my comfort zone.

maybe this is why there was no thermostat in it when i got it? who knows. funny thing is it cooled down when idling, and runs pretty consistant while idling around the yard. i'm guessing the plow just blocks too much air at higher speeds.


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

There's a t-stat in it now tho right? It's gotta have one.


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## ieetgluu (Dec 7, 2011)

dieselss;1420282 said:


> There's a t-stat in it now tho right? It's gotta have one.


I think he meant temp gauge.

meborder, high temps from air starved radiators (w/ mechanical fans) seems to be a common problem when driving higher speeds (~55) with the plow up. Been there myself.
If evrything is in good proper working order, the temp probably stays relatively normal plowing the 'yard' with your truck.


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## Plowinpro03 (Dec 18, 2007)

I had warming issues with my 1500 Tahoe. Highway, when the engine is at a high rpm, My solution, i dumped the AC condenser, bought a cheapo radiator off eBay that had a much thicker core, never got hotter then 210 after that. Mind you i was running a 29T 8Ft sno-way.


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## meborder (Oct 26, 2011)

ieetgluu;1420367 said:


> I think he meant temp gauge.
> 
> meborder, high temps from air starved radiators (w/ mechanical fans) seems to be a common problem when driving higher speeds (~55) with the plow up. Been there myself.
> If evrything is in good proper working order, the temp probably stays relatively normal plowing the 'yard' with your truck.


When i got the truck, there was no thermostat. of course, i didn't know it, because the temp gauge didnt work, nor the heater motor.

after fixing the heater motor, i noticed it wouldnt get very warm, even if you worked the snot out of it (pulling the disk in the dry lot) .. the upper hose would get warm, but would never blow warm air through the vents. figgured i had a t-stat stuck open. not stuck open, missing! ... par for the course with this truck ... if it stopped working and could be ignored, it was, if it couldnt be ignored, it was removed.

yes, there is a thermostat in there now. 192*F Stant Superstat, and it does get warm and blow warm air (finally!). A couple weeks ago i finally got around to installing my temp gauge (mechanical). as far as i had seen, it never got above the 195(ish) mark before taking it on the road.

above 45 mph is where i noticed the temps start climbing. it did seem to help when i angled the blade. I'm thinking so long as it stays below 230 while plowing, i'll probably just not worry too much. if it wants to get above that, i'll looking to upgrading the lousy 3 blade fan, and prolly a new HD clutch as well (although the clutch does seem to work).

i cant immagine running 230*F on an old 350 would hurt it too much, could it?


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## ieetgluu (Dec 7, 2011)

Oh wow, you _did_ mean no thermostat. lol interesting.


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## meborder (Oct 26, 2011)

ieetgluu;1420575 said:


> Oh wow, you _did_ mean no thermostat. lol interesting.


yeah, this thing was a PILE. engine ran really good, trans and 4x4 worked perfectly, and it would stop, that's the only reason i bought it. that and it was 350 bucks.

other than that, NOTHING worked. ... no lights of any kind, heat, wipers ... nothing.

i was glad to have it the day my neighbor called after he slid off the road 1/2 mile away. after a 2 month slumber, at -20*F, the thing started right up and was able to pull him out, without yanking off the rear bumper (despite our best efforts) ... so i figgured it was reliable enough to put a plow on..... otherwise i wouldn't have bothered.

700 bucks and 2 months worth of work later, everthing works except the blinkers..... and it only leaves the yard 3 or 4 times a year to get gas (3.5 miles on gravel into town).

so ... i guess i'll keep it a while  ... until i blow it up, anyway


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## ieetgluu (Dec 7, 2011)

haha awesome, id say thats a good deal


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## 'Rude Dog (Nov 12, 2006)

I had that problem with my 89 k2500 , went with a flex fan ( no clutch, sounds like a school bus !!!) and a 160 degre stant superstat. will run at 160f around town, gets up to 190 at 65 mph on the four lane. blade is not real low, but with a torsion bar crank, was able to run with it a little higher than last year ( first year with the plow on the truck ) Truck is a 5.7 with a 400 turbo tranny, meyers 7.5 ft plow, e 47 pump .


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## meborder (Oct 26, 2011)

ieetgluu;1420367 said:


> I think he meant temp gauge.
> 
> meborder, high temps from air starved radiators (w/ mechanical fans) seems to be a common problem when driving higher speeds (~55) with the plow up. Been there myself.
> If evrything is in good proper working order, the temp probably stays relatively normal plowing the 'yard' with your truck.


I got to use it for snow for the first time tonight

Just as you said. it pretty much stayed around 190. It got up to about 220 once right when i started out, but i'm thinking the t-stat might be just a bit slow to open. once it dropped down, it pretty much stayed there.

best thing ever .... beats that stupid loader hands down. i actually had to turn the heat down, instead of having to go back in and warm up.

love it!


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## ieetgluu (Dec 7, 2011)

ya, sometimes we take things like heat for granted!


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