Water Temp
- Thread starter Lazerith
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pcf_mark
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 22, 2008
- Messages
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Big blocks do not have a lot of tolerance for being over heated. 180 - 190 is the top of my comfort range. If you break 220 you will start having detonation and coolant spitting out the over flow.
I have more than a mildly modified big block. I just replaced the factory gage with an Autometer and I am running 180 while moving and hitting 200 - 210 sitting w/o fans. With the electric fan I can get it to stay at 180 under all conditions. Factory radiator (brand new) with all the seals in place and shrouded electric fan. The old gage never went over 180 and took about 10 minutes to warm up enough to start reading. I think the old sender was bad but just a guess. Get an IR gun and check the thermostat housing before beleiving the gage 100%. You may be fine!
I have more than a mildly modified big block. I just replaced the factory gage with an Autometer and I am running 180 while moving and hitting 200 - 210 sitting w/o fans. With the electric fan I can get it to stay at 180 under all conditions. Factory radiator (brand new) with all the seals in place and shrouded electric fan. The old gage never went over 180 and took about 10 minutes to warm up enough to start reading. I think the old sender was bad but just a guess. Get an IR gun and check the thermostat housing before beleiving the gage 100%. You may be fine!
180-190 is what I'm aiming at as well. Hoping some electric fans on my newly installed radiator will be the solution as the current flex fan less shroud ain't cutting it!
How much different do you think the temp reading based on the location of the pick up? I have an old mechanical Stewart Warner gage with a probe screwed into the driver side head between cylinders 3 and 5 if my memory serves me....Would this normally be a hotter reading then at the hose neck on the manifold?
How much different do you think the temp reading based on the location of the pick up? I have an old mechanical Stewart Warner gage with a probe screwed into the driver side head between cylinders 3 and 5 if my memory serves me....Would this normally be a hotter reading then at the hose neck on the manifold?
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Twin_Turbo
Der Maulwurf
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2008
- Messages
- 7,575
Is the rad sealed off properly? The seals make a lot of difference. What about the air dam?
mrvette
Phantom of the Opera
Back in the daze of yore, they stuck HUGE radiators in cars, and no shroud, but a naked fan, these daze of thin radiators and all sorts of weight/energy saving shit, you have to use a shroud, about mandatory....
like I have commented in other threads....I happen to run Dual Spals primarily because of them little rubber flappers being blown open at highway speeds to reduce pressures behind the rad....increased air flow/ cooling capacity....
but in traffic, them thing come on and create their own hurry caine....
:devil:
like I have commented in other threads....I happen to run Dual Spals primarily because of them little rubber flappers being blown open at highway speeds to reduce pressures behind the rad....increased air flow/ cooling capacity....
but in traffic, them thing come on and create their own hurry caine....
:devil:
There is 99.9% of my problem. My 'project' is at this point only about 50% complete. Complicated by the fact I have a tilt front end on the car which requires the wheel wells to be separated at the core support. At this point I don't have the front sections bonded in so there is no way to seal the area in front of the radiator off from the engine bay. Add to that the absence of a fan shroud you see my problem! It's a work in progress for sure.
Just placed my order for a set of Spals so I'm saying a few prayers they will over come the heat issue.
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big2bird
Charter Member, Founder Bird-Run, Cruise-In Bird-R
The very first thing I do, when looking into a heat related issue, is that the engine has the correct full advance it can run, and is not too lean. 80% or better, it's one or both of these two issues.
mrvette
Phantom of the Opera
Lots of times guys take the Spals and tie them to the rad core, and not bother covering ALL the core with any sealing to get as much air as possible over the entire core....
What I did was take 1" angle aluminum, and go from side to side on the short leg of the core supports, laterally, that happened to fit the mounting of the spals just fine....I did this with the support/rad/fans all removed from the car so it was much easier to see and mess with...keep the fans toward the pass side of the rad to avoid the A arm on driver's side...something I didn't do....
I took some aluminum roof flashing I had and cut/bent to size along the bottom edge, tucked into the support....and on the r/l edges of the spals I fastened some flashing that just rides/touches the tank seams....across the top I stuck a 36" door sweep/rubber edging along there to seal on the rad itself....
so I have full draw across the entire core from the fans....they are about 2-3" from the core, so there is plenty of room for airflow...
:drink:
Thanks for the advice. I was concerned about the space between the upper control arm and the core. I have after market control arms but they use the stock mounting shaft. Hopefully their not going to get in the way. But why should it all fit without any modification - wheres the fun in that? From the looks of the kit Dewitt sells it appears that there is a top and bottom mount but nothing side to side. I'll have to see what I get to work with.
Lots of times guys take the Spals and tie them to the rad core, and not bother covering ALL the core with any sealing to get as much air as possible over the entire core....
What I did was take 1" angle aluminum, and go from side to side on the short leg of the core supports, laterally, that happened to fit the mounting of the spals just fine....I did this with the support/rad/fans all removed from the car so it was much easier to see and mess with...keep the fans toward the pass side of the rad to avoid the A arm on driver's side...something I didn't do....
I took some aluminum roof flashing I had and cut/bent to size along the bottom edge, tucked into the support....and on the r/l edges of the spals I fastened some flashing that just rides/touches the tank seams....across the top I stuck a 36" door sweep/rubber edging along there to seal on the rad itself....
so I have full draw across the entire core from the fans....they are about 2-3" from the core, so there is plenty of room for airflow...
:drink:[/QUOTE]
Lots of times guys take the Spals and tie them to the rad core, and not bother covering ALL the core with any sealing to get as much air as possible over the entire core....
What I did was take 1" angle aluminum, and go from side to side on the short leg of the core supports, laterally, that happened to fit the mounting of the spals just fine....I did this with the support/rad/fans all removed from the car so it was much easier to see and mess with...keep the fans toward the pass side of the rad to avoid the A arm on driver's side...something I didn't do....
I took some aluminum roof flashing I had and cut/bent to size along the bottom edge, tucked into the support....and on the r/l edges of the spals I fastened some flashing that just rides/touches the tank seams....across the top I stuck a 36" door sweep/rubber edging along there to seal on the rad itself....
so I have full draw across the entire core from the fans....they are about 2-3" from the core, so there is plenty of room for airflow...
:drink:[/QUOTE]
pcf_mark
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 22, 2008
- Messages
- 218
"The very first thing I do, when looking into a heat related issue, is that the engine has the correct full advance it can run, and is not too lean. 80% or better, it's one or both of these two issues. "
I agree with BigBird - if your tune is poor you will go crazy. I have increased advance on mid 70's cars and stopped over "heating problems". If you have aHolley getting too lean is work - unless you have had the carb apart you are too rich!
I agree with BigBird - if your tune is poor you will go crazy. I have increased advance on mid 70's cars and stopped over "heating problems". If you have aHolley getting too lean is work - unless you have had the carb apart you are too rich!
TimAT
Addict, Cruise-In Bird-Run 1 Veteran
Radiator shops just LOVE guys that tie fans directly to the core. Those cool little tie things will saw thru the tubes in a radiator like a chainsaw. Do yourself a favor and build a REAL mount for your fans.
I run 190-200 on my BB- It used to run more on the highway (at or above 70) but after I took the front license plate bracket off it's better. Keep in mind I have an L-88 radiator, no fan clutch and a tight fan shroud.
I run 190-200 on my BB- It used to run more on the highway (at or above 70) but after I took the front license plate bracket off it's better. Keep in mind I have an L-88 radiator, no fan clutch and a tight fan shroud.
mrvette
Phantom of the Opera
Yup, I learned that one the hard way alright....on the mounting and the license plate/bracket, when moving here...
which is why I did my fan mounts the way I did, then I have a late F body rad in there, that don't lend itself to mounting anything on it....
Cooling continues-
Spent what little free time I could installing a set of electric fans. Just need to make the final connection to power them up and see if it keeps the old bigblock cool. With all the sure fire things I've already tried to lower the temp I should now be shooting ice cubes out the exhaust! :beer:
Spent what little free time I could installing a set of electric fans. Just need to make the final connection to power them up and see if it keeps the old bigblock cool. With all the sure fire things I've already tried to lower the temp I should now be shooting ice cubes out the exhaust! :beer:
mrvette
Phantom of the Opera
Thanks for the laugh....good one.....the visualization of that is too funny....:3rd:
No ice but under...
Finished my fan install. Haven't been on a road test however idling away in the drive temp never went above 200 and when fans came on temp dropped. It does appear that the mechanical gage reads about 10+ degrees above the point where the fans turn on which is sposta to be 195. Mechanical pick up point is in cylinder head vs fan pick up in radiator. I guess that makes sense??
Finished my fan install. Haven't been on a road test however idling away in the drive temp never went above 200 and when fans came on temp dropped. It does appear that the mechanical gage reads about 10+ degrees above the point where the fans turn on which is sposta to be 195. Mechanical pick up point is in cylinder head vs fan pick up in radiator. I guess that makes sense??
mrvette
Phantom of the Opera
Yes, that is the exact same thing I notice, proven with the Fluke thermocouple temp probe and the IR heat meter...I do notice that at highway speeds that all evens out really nice, I imagine due to water velocity...:nuts:
