fjetb

I have a 71 vert. SB, auto. Cold start. I drive 10 minutes and turn it off for 5 minutes. I drive again for 10 minurtes and turn it off. Nothing over 60. Oil pressure fine. Heat gauge fine. I touch the hood and 90% of it is fine, except for one area about the size of two hands is VERY hot...almost can't touch. Passenger side. Just behind where the A/C compressor is. A/C was not on. Normal? or, what do I look for?
Thanks.

wacked

Need more info, have you touched the parts under the hood?
Let it do that again, pop the hood and feel for the hotest part.
Bet the insolation under the hood is thin at the header or exaust manifold.
:Edit: Spelling.

fjetb

Haven't opened the hood. Will do, and try as you say.

munday

i have only driven my vette in the rain a few times, and none since all my mods, but on the old engine, steam would rise off my hood during the rain..the rain would just steam right off....was crazy to watch.

fjetb

Munday, that's what made me touch the hood. I wasn't in the rain, but where it was parked for those middle 5 minutes the light caught the heat waves, almost looked like steam coming up off the hood for a minute. Damndest thing I ever saw for just a few minutes driving. I'll look under the hood tomorrow, and go from there, But, I can't believe that part of the hood should normally get that hot...

72ls5fla

let me tell ya about hot ....

Shoe horn a BB in a Vette and u get HOT !

My hood gets really hot, in the rear area, passenger side.
Just the hot air from the fan - it blows more to one side than the other ...
It also pushes the heat from the exhaust manifold up and swirls it around.

my two cents ....

Bill

goinbroke

I'll be interested to see what you find. I have a friend with a 71 small block with the same problem....same place. The paint on the hood is actually bubbled just above the AC compressor. It was already like this when he bought it. I don't remember seeing any hood insulation........did the 71s originally have it???

corvtt1969

my fan also blows air to that area.... possible answer maybe?

CruisinCO

Sounds like it could be an exhaust leak. Run the engine, open the hood and feel by around for the heat... Do you have a heat riser manifold? I know the flap on mine got stuck closed and caused a exhaust leak once....Just a guess.

Missileman

goinbroke-
Your paint problem above the compressor could be mineral oil residue in the fiberglass from an earlier compressor shaft seal leak. The 71's did not come from the factory with hood insulation, but there are many kits out there.

fjetb

Well...I found the problem this morning before I left for work...I started the car with the hood up and felt around on the passenger side...didn't really feel any heat that was different...BTW, there is no insulation under the hood, at least not on mine...then I noticed my windshield...drops of water forming all over it...like it was raining in my garage...felt the water...it was hot! :eek:
Turns out the water pump (I think) has developed a leak...enough water coming out of it into the fan air and it was blowing the hot water up on to the underside of the hood mostly in that one spot...and, sure enough, the underside of the hood in that spot had evaporated water residue on it. Guess, I'll be changing the water pump Sat. :lol: Thanks for the help. Brian