Car overheat in traffic

This may help. http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/forums/c4- technical-performance/50615-91-running-hot.html

Thanks to “Porky” from “American Motorsports” in South Africa for your accurate advice. It seems that all Corvettes are programmed to run warmer because of high performance engine. My problem with the non start was a bad connection on the starter! The car will start normally when cold but when hot it had to cool down before starting. Normally it is a sign of a starter going bad or in my case, a loose wire.

You did not say how hot the Corvette gets. In slow city traffic on a very hot day, not much cool air is drawn through the radiator to cool down the engine. If it boils over, then you may have a thermostat issue, or your radiator is gummed up. Check the fluid also. When was the last time you changed the radiator fluid, and is it antifreeze or as some cut costs and put straight water in it. (a big no-no.) If you can get to a garage when it is over heating, have then do a test with a heat gun. My first thing would be to check the fluid, make sure the fans kick on, think about the thermostat, make sure the hoses are good and not collapsing to restrict fluid flow, and then flush out the radiator or have it removed and cleaned. If it is still overheating, make sure the timing is set properly. That should help, also check or any restrictions in front of the radiator.

Thanks for the reply. All very valid points. Thanks, I have done all that. Just that my Audi V6 sickles at 80deg C and the Corvette on 109deg C on a hot day. It never seemed to bother me until the “not wanting to turn the engine when hot” problem came up. That’s sorted now and the starter was the culprit. Who can I contact in the USA for fair priced tires and parts for my Corvette? As you can see I am trying to keep my car standard and in good shape but being in South Africa do not help much. Everything is now x10 and they’re killing us with the taxes!

Keeping stock tires would be, Good Year, but you'd have to sell blood diamonds to get them. In your neck of the woods, I'd go with BFG or Michelin tires. Try Summit Racing for parts.

your corvette was meant to run hot,it is a bit umcomfortable to see the dial moving towards the red zone when you are not moving much.the fan should always start to run right before your in the red,that is what my 1991 does.you can change the thermostat but i think you will have to also reprogram the ecm because that is where alot of decisions are made for your car.