I'm having a new problem with my SS/SC...this all started about 2 days ago, I was driving out to pick up printer ink and went about 6 miles to BestBuy. About 3/4 of the way there I smell something hot...not really electrical, but definitely something hot, like plastic melting, didn't think anything of it till I got to the parking lot, got out of the car and realized it was my car that smelled like that. I hadn't taken her out on the freeway or driven her hard, just light driving there, no traffic, a couple brief stops at stop signs (not a lot of stop-and-go). I drove it back and just for kicks I decided to pull up the coolant temp on the DIC...it was running about 204 which is WAY hot for my car, it usually stays at a steady 187, even in heavy traffic. SOMETIMES I'll see it get up to 195-197 but this is the first time under "light" driving conditions that I've ever seen it above 190-200.

I've called the dealership twice about it on Saturday and both times they said to bring it in, but they won't provide me with a loaner car because I'm under 25. Which, to me is bull. I understand rental car companies not doing that, but I paid for a car for daily driving and I need it to daily drive. They said they can't guarantee that it will be done in a day, they're "overbooked" in the service department so they'd have to try and sqeeze it in. I hate this place. It's the same dealership I bought the car from and I've had nothing but problems with them. I normally go to another dealer for maintenance, but they're 40 miles away and I don't have time to drive it down, wait for it, and drive it back. I have a full work schedule and classes.

At any rate, I was wondering if anyone knew anything else I could try on my own? Anyone had any problems with the coolant lines or anything that I should be aware of? I'm looking for stuff I can tinker with on my own and see if I can get it fixed. I did notice tonight just a little bit of smoke or steam coming off the hose into coolant tank on the driver's side. If anyone has some suggestions I'd love to hear them before I have to go carless for a week.

 

mine goes to 220 which won't hurt anything 180 is just the optimal temp for a engine. I believe the hottest ive seen on mine is 223 but the fans kick on and it goes down fast. Anything over 225 for a period of time would seem suspect to me.

 

when it is up at 204 does the fans turn on. I could be that your water pump is failing?? If you turn on air con you fans might turn on. mine will. Also in you run the heater is should cool temp down some.

For the most part I would not drive it that much untill dealer looks at it because running a that block at too hight of temp will distroy it.

 

Wow, mine must run pretty cool!!!! Have you ever noticed a burning smell? I'm wondering if that's somthing I should be concerned with or if it's just that the engine has never run this hot before. That my main concern is that it's got 5500 miles on it, so I know this isn't "normal" for my car.

 

I couldn't hear the fans since I was driving, but it sounded like they were running when I got it home. I tried the heater trick and it didn't lower the temp so much as a degree. I'm going to crawl around under the car tomorrow and look at it, check all the hoses and make sure they're not kinked or anything to where coolant isn't getting in or anything.

My only concern is that I HAVE to drive it tomorrow, 110 miles round trip to and from school because I have a thesis conference that I HAVE to be at. There's plenty of places to pull over and stop if it gets too bad, but I should be fine with it. I figure if it goes above 210 I'll stop and check it out. Unfortunately since the dealership is giving me the runaround on a loaner car I'm SOL as far as driving goes. I live by myself and own one car, with no friends or family within 50 miles. So I'm screwed unless I can somehow get out of class Thursday and take it in after work and they can miraculously sqeeze it in and/or I can get it to my other dealer that I like a little better.

 

I've never got the burning smell. But my car also rarely stays under 200 F since i do mostly intown driving. What i would try to do is to start your car run it for a while then park it while keeping ti running and see what the temp goes to before the fans turn on. Then if it cools down there shouldn't be a problem. That burning smell could be from oil getting on the exhaust from either your car or another, or just about any debris getting on anyhting hot.

 

I believe that as long as it doesn't go beyond 225 and stay there you're fine. Also listen for any strange noises that could tell that its knocking. and if it does overheat i think there is a light that turns on and the car alarms you of it but i'm not certain of that

 

Mine get's to 218 all the time when I do stop and go driving without the A/C. These cars don't kick the fans on untill they reach well over 200 degrees. Why? I have no clue why GM thought that was a good idea. Turn your A/C on and it will kick the fans on automatically and bring your temps to 185-190.

It's kinda funny when I go the the drag strip and have to run the A/C in the staging lanes to keep my car at a decent temp. As for a burning smell...I have no clue. If it smells like burnt hair it's your clutch. Have you been doing smokey burnouts lately?

 

my SS/SC normally runs in the 180-189 range.

I'm also unsure about the smell. Sorry

 

If I run mine with the AC on (The electric fans run constantly) it runs between 185-189F... If I run it with the AC off cruising it runs at the same temps... If im at a stop at idle it will go all the way up to 205-215F... I wouldnt worry about the engine temp unless its 220F+...
Ive also noticed my car has weird burning smells sometimes after driving it... Im not really concerned... As chevypowered said... Could just be from debris getting onto the exhaust...

 

maybe it's your clutch your smelling..??

 

LOL, no, it's not the clutch...I smelled that enough when I was first learning to drive the car to know what it smells like. This just smells like hot plastic, I'm wondering now if maybe a plastic bag or something is caught up underneath and laying against something hot (like the exhaust piping or something). I'm going to jack the car up today and see what I can see under there. The only thing that concerns me is it's done this consistantly EVERY time I drive it for two days now.

 

alleycat58, check your coolant resivior in the morning when the engine is cold. If it is empty or low you may have a leak that is dripping somewhere and burning off. If it is fool also check the intercooler, the little cap w/clear piping in front of engine near radiator, and see if you can see coolant. If not than check it with the engine warm, it should be at the hot line. If both are ok than I would suspect something like a plastic bag on the exhaust, which may smell for days. My ss/sc runs at 185 degrees, never seen it over 190.

 

If it were the coolant the LCD screen would warn you that it is low so i don't think that is a problem unless he didn't notice the warning.

 

LOL, she, but I checked the resevoir and it looks a TAD low. Not low enough to turn the light on but low enough that I'm going to add some more tomorrow and see what happens. I wouldn't totally discount a coolant leak, but tonight I had NO problems with it. 100 mile round trip and NEVER above 187. I'm going to top off the coolant and see if it goes back down again, then I'll start looking for leaks.

 

oops my bad, can't always tell from just the name.