ENGINE HOT?

[gbodyera]

Ok. I finally got the lower seal in between the pan and the timing cover. Leak fixed! Now I have to figure out y my temp gauge is getting so high. For the first minute or 2 it doesnt move, all of a sudden the temp climbs to about 220-230. I dont know if it will keep climibing, so I shut it off.

I have my water temp gauge-- threaded in right next to the stat and right under the upper hose. Im using a 160 stat I believe. No smoke from the exhaust whatsoever. I dont know the cause.
I also have a 16in 2100 cfm electric fan pulling from the rad into the engine compartment. I turn it on before I start my engine. Thats temporary.

What could it be?

 

[bowtie81]

You probably have an air pocket in the cooling system, or your t-stat is stuck closed.
How do you have your wire ran for your gauge? is it close to the headers, or laying right on the inatke manifold?

 

[gbodyera]

The wire is kind of going across my intake.
How do I get the air out of the system?
Whats a good temp. to go with when buying a stat?

 

[bowtie81]

its best to get the rad cap higher than the heater core and run the engine till it stop gurgling, or take the cap off fire it up and let it run till the stat opens up. i have a 160 stat in mine and last summer it was running around 210. try and get that wire up and away from any heat that may give you a false reading.

 

[gbodyera]

I dont have a heater core. I removed all of that ac/heat stuff.

 

[Dyno Donny]

You need to use a 195 degree t-stat. The temp of the t-stat is the opening point of the thermostat not the engine temp that you can expect . Think about it. Any engine is going to run above 160 degrees. If you have a 160 in then the thing is going to stay open all of the time. In order for a cooling system to work the water has to stay in the block long enough for it to absorb the heat and the water in the radiator has to stay put long enough to dissipate the heat into the air . If you have a t-stat that is open all of the time like a 160 would be, then the water will circulate all the time and so it doesn't stay in either the block or the radiator long enough to do it's job. With a 195 degree, the thermostat has a better chance to cycle. Once the water in the engine reaches 195 then the t-stat starts to open which starts the exchange of the water from the radiator to the engine. Once the cooler water reaches the t-stat then it starts to close. This holds the water in place in both the radiator and the block long enough to do their job. If you can't cool an engine down with a 195 and you've rulled out other problems, like a bad head gasket or a crack somewhere, then you don't have a large enough capacity radiator or your air flow through the radiator isn't enough. Or as pointed out an air pocket some where.
The pully choice could also be wrong.

 

[gbodyera]

You have a great point. Ok. I have 2 stats. I have 160 as previously stated and also I believe a 180. It says 181 on the bottom. I just tested them and they both open. I may test this 180 and look for at least a small drop in temp. If not. Ill just pick up the 195 and pray for the best.

 

[ms350]

I am going through the same exact thing with my 80 Bu. This is an old post- if you are still around can you tell me how it turned out?

 

[malibu795]

Air bubble. I leave heater core supply off when filling the engine to get as much air out as possible.
What size radiator and fans do youhave

 

[slimbo]

i always drill a 1/8 inch hole in the t stat to allow all air out. i just fill it up and go. i run a 180 degree tstat with a 2 row aluminum radiator and stock water pump and pulleys with a flexalite black majic fan. the hottest it has ever gotten was 195 in 100 degree summer heat. most of the time it runs around 180-185.