i'm the same guy with the 96 misfire post...but i was wandering how long it should take an engine compartment to cool down...i drive about 15 miles to work and home ..the temperature gauge reads normal 190-195...but everything under the hood is so hot you can not lay your hands on it...even the air filter holder is hot and it stays like this for at least 3 hours...

 

Sounds like a fan clutch issue to me,try turning the fan by hand with the engine off-turns hard or not at all? Any roaring noise? Is your fan shroud intact? Also a 15 year old vehicle with the original radiator will most likely be experiencing not only internal clogging but external debris clogging issues as well. With summer coming on it sounds like a full cooling system service is in order as well. Good luck! step66

 

thanks for reply....radiator..less than a year old...fan turns smooth...i also have thread on 96 misfire...could this excssive heat cause the misfire code....could exhaust or cat cause this heating problem...what gets me is the temp gauge reads normal and i can even remove radiator cap shortly after shutdown with no eruption but rest of engine is really hot

 

Well creeker60,you kind of got me then! All my previous GM vehicles don't exhibit the same symptoms,but my S Jimmys have,but not perhaps to the same extent as yours!
I have made it an **** habit on the 90* + days after a 25 run home to pop the hood to cool stuff off,and when my wife gets home at 1:00am and I go to leave at 4am the motor is still warm enough to hit highway speeds even in January(I live in a mild climate & only a 1/2 mi from a high speed road) I feel my temps to be normal as I checked with a mechanical gauge to be sure the dash was right(or wrong!) Anyway,there IS alot of under hood heat on these units:look at the vents for the ABS module! Just keep your eye on things.If it was an exhaust problem you would not only hear it,but feel it as wellerformance & fuel economy issues then. later step66