General Overheating question

**AKA Speedy** · 02-20-2010, 07:02 AM

Like the tittle says I have a general overheating question, but it isn't on one of our cars. By friend has a 06 Cobalt SS supercharged. He just bought the vehicle and has had problems ever since. It starts to over heat after driving for 1-2 hours on the interstate and merely 30 min- 1hour in the city. Now I have suggested to the guy to get his radiator checked and to test his thermostat and make sure it isn't sticking. All those have come back GREEN.

The previous owner had made some mods to the car. One of those included an aftermarket intercooler. So now my question is: Can his aftermarket intercooler cause his car to over heat if it isn't hooked up properly and/or could it cause it to over heat if it is broken? I have no experience with boosted applications, so I am not too sure.

**0rion** · 02-20-2010, 07:14 AM

has he checked for air in the system and that the fans are coming on?

**Smittro** · 02-20-2010, 10:07 AM

An intercooler will not cause an over heat condition if it functions properly. However if it is placed in front of the rad (most are) it could have vein damage (from road debris) and may not be allowing enough air to pass through to the rad.. I'm thinking kinda like how some folks would put a piece of cardboard in front of their rad in winter to help it harm up faster. With that said, you should also know that aluminum engines don't like to be over heated.. Warping WILL begin to take place if the condition is not corrected asap..

**AKA Speedy** · 02-21-2010, 07:44 AM

Originally Posted by 0rion

has he checked for air in the system and that the fans are coming on?

Hasn't checked for air in the system, but the fans are coming on

**AKA Speedy** · 02-21-2010, 08:02 AM

Originally Posted by Smittro

An intercooler will not cause an over heat condition if it functions properly. However if it is placed in front of the rad (most are) it could have vein damage (from road debris) and may not be allowing enough air to pass through to the rad.. I'm thinking kinda like how some folks would put a piece of cardboard in front of their rad in winter to help it harm up faster. With that said, you should also know that aluminum engines don't like to be over heated.. Warping WILL begin to take place if the condition is not corrected asap..

I just advised him to go and get his coolant system checked. I thought he had done this before, but all he actually had done was he had his SES light remedied by putting a cat back on his car with a new O2 sensor. I was concerned that maybe his after market intercooler might not be hooked up properly, etc. The guy before him believed in doing everything himself, so most of the mods look half assed and getto rigged. I told him I wouldn't have bothered to get it, but he wanted one so bad...

I hope that if he takes it to a shop that can test his coolant system then they will find out if there is any problems with the coolant system itself whether that be the radiator, intercooler, etc.

**Smittro** · 02-21-2010, 08:12 AM

Originally Posted by BrianH.WS6

I just advised him to go and get his coolant system checked. I thought he had done this before, but all he actually had done was he had his SES light remedied by putting a cat back on his car with a new O2 sensor. I was concerned that maybe his after market intercooler might not be hooked up properly, etc. The guy before him believed in doing everything himself, so most of the mods look half assed and getto rigged. I told him I wouldn't have bothered to get it, but he wanted one so bad...

I hope that if he takes it to a shop that can test his coolant system then they will find out if there is any problems with the coolant system itself whether that be the radiator, intercooler, etc.

Well as long as it's on the pressure side it should be ok. But as I was sayin' if it's veins are smashed and/or it's too close to the rad there will be cooling issues. Could maybe try to move it a little more forward of the rad or even tilting the intercooler a little may help.. Instead of like this looking from the intercooler side ( [ ) maybe tilt it like this ( \ ) or ( / ) may help..

**AKA Speedy** · 02-21-2010, 03:08 PM

Originally Posted by Smittro

Well as long as it's on the pressure side it should be ok. But as I was sayin' if it's veins are smashed and/or it's too close to the rad there will be cooling issues. Could maybe try to move it a little more forward of the rad or even tilting the intercooler a little may help.. Instead of like this looking from the intercooler side ( [ ) maybe tilt it like this ( \ ) or ( / ) may help..

okay I will recommend that. He recently googled cobalt over heating problems and found that the fan relay switches go bad in those cars quite often. He is going to look into getting that replaced because when he took his car in to get the thermostat checked they told him to keep an eye on the relay switch. I don't know why he didn't just swap the thing, but we'll see.

Thanks for the input.