Hot in Cab, Dang Hot, Help

gr8vet

gr8vet

Well-known member
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Apr 6, 2008
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I'd rather be in Bonaire
I know most all of us suffer with this issue, I tried to search with no luck. If there is a link to previous thread I would appreciate a point there.


Since day one, I have had wrapped headers in the 82 with side pipes. Being the cheap ass I am, using the Patriot type side pipes, the headers require the "S" loop piping that runs under the seat area. All of this is wrapped too.

The cab in this thing gets so flipping hot in the summer. Under the hood is extremely hot. It almost feels like hot air is blowing through the firewall. I have checked all possible sources to stop up any holes and gromets. At one point I stuffed plastic to make sure there was no flow from the vent intakes. I do have the hood seal in place too. I have added a complete layer of insulating aluminum "stick on" heat reflector against the entire firewall, under the seats, through the entire tunnel area all the way to the rear end. I found no insulation behind firewall in cab???

With all that said, any way to cool things just a bit more? Everything I have done so far has helped but still getting warm inside. I am assuming that the biggest issue is heat trapped under side top of hood as the only air flow is from front then to the side vents. Almost tempted to drill some holes behind the wiper area just to move some air into the engine area??? Another thought was to run some ducting from front all the way back and into cab at feet area just to bring in some old fashion vented air???

Is it the headers that is causing most of this heat? Also tempted to just go back to the old exhaust manifold and drop a single exhaust pipe right to side pipes and not longer have to go under seat area.

Any suggestions on what you have done would be greatly appreciated.

thanks
tt
 
Long time ago, I cut the fender liner out on the rear pass side, for ease of removal of the fan motor, it's now a C4 motor/fan from AZone, and while it had it out, I sealed the fresh air intake trap door with RTV, it is no longer operational, being a convertible I found it somewhat funny to even have one, actually....obviously clean out the trash/leaves from the pressure side of the evaporator, I did it with the small shop vac hose.....obviously the system is on constant recirc from the inside, I removed the inner door assy completely, and opened up the slats in the kick panel....

I also recommend placing two metal plates about 1/4" off the bottom of the floorboards underneath to keep heat off them...I have almost 1/2 inch of insulation on the floorboards up top, under the carpeting....and on the firewall also....

make damn sure the console is sealed tight, the shifter handle has a rubber bellows below the leather one showing up top.....

I find that mostly the wife still complains about 'hot foot syndrome'...but it's better than it WAS.....

Oh, with rewiring to heavier gauge wire on the ground and high speed supply side, I found the C4 blower to blast good solid airflow through the system....

:thumbs:
 
You might try this stuff, it works for me! Pull the seats, carpet and any original jute insulation. Clean the floor pans, use spray adhesive, lay this stuff down, tape the seams with aluminuim tape and put the orginal insulation over it, if it's in decent shape of course. If not, replace it. Then put everything back together.

http://www.homedepot.com/Building-M...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053
 
Be sure that your heater control valve is closing completely. Try installing a "horse collar" of foam over the transmission, between the bellhousing and the floor (black foam pipe insulation works well). Apply skin lotion to your blistered shins.
 
I read your post in the other section "Electrical and Ignition" Are you sure this heat problem is not due to a an ignition timing problem??

c-ya
ToddG
 
Yep. Too lean or too retarded will do it.
I also installed the insulation on the pipes under the floor boards
 
The 68 and 69 C3's had insulation under the floorpans with steel shields to protect the insulation from road damage. Also, the fiberglass insulation covered approximately the lower half of the firewall, once again protected by steel shields. The tunnel was completely lined with insulation in addition to that saddle like shaped insulator that seems to be universally included in all C3's.

It appears that the underfloorpan insulation was dropped after the 69 model year. However, the underfloorpan shields are stull available. The firewall shields were carried on in 70 and later years.

I'm adding the 68 and 69 insulation system to my 70. I have all the shields already bought.
 
Thanks for the info. When we had friend's 72 on rack did notice he had those metal shields about where your feet would go. His 454 big block runs much cooler than my little 350 in the cab. Maybe that is the best trick? If there was some way to move the air on across the top of the engine bay and out the top, without some type of hidious louver. Even looked into cutting a hole in the rear of inner fender just to move a bit of air.
 
Just saw the other two replies. Yes did find a good (bad) vacuum leak, then a faulty fuel gauge, then the MSD module would go goofy when it all got so hot, so timing was totally off. Fixed all of the above which helped a whole bunch but memories from last summer's heat still linger. Maybe some dry ice in floor board? LOL Thanks for all comments guys. I will keep you posted if I discover any of the above suggestions make a big difference.
tt
 
Thus far, i got all the timing issues and vacuum leaks fixed (dang head light crap :crap:). AND, being that in the past, the engine always ran cool, 190 no matter what, never thought much about airflow across the engine bay. Having a chin spoiler I assumed that it was good enough, (The factory air dam is not installed anymore) I took some aluminum sheeting, created a shroud from below the chin spoiler about 2 inches, full width of front end and sealed it to the radiator inlet area. I am thinking, that prior to this change, a stagnant pressure would build in engine bay, just enough air flow kept the radiator cool, but was not moving much air across the engine area. Now, there is mucho airflow coming across radiator and is now forced to move on into and across engine. Viola! Cab temperature dropped at least 30 degrees. In retrospect, it is obvious, (I may be dumb but I ain't stupid). LOL By the time I seal off the vent inlets, I may have to run some heat in July.

Thanks again for all the suggestions! Saw Lizard Skin on one of the hotrod shows, may have to try that one of these days.

tt
 
Do you have a good seal on the back of your hood (seals the engine compartment from the cowl vents)? A bad seal there will push very hot air into the interior.
 
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