I have a stock 1963 SWC with a 327engine. It is an A/C car. I have a new 180 degree thermostat, a new Aluminum four core radiator, new water pump, new hoses, largest stock fan, properly sized new fan clutch, all shrouds in place and in good conditon. Car is properly tuned and timed. While driving the Power Tour this year I experienced temps of 210-220 deg. in city traffic. Highway temps of 180 deg. Last year I ran a steady 180-190. I have tested the gauge with a capillary type gauge off the water jacket. My gauges are reading correctly. Double checked that with an heat reader gun. The car is running hot! Help! I know they ran cooler than this from the factory.
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Re: Riddle me this C2 Cooling Problem
Cooling can be a big problem to trace since there are so many other variables.
For example, where you on asphalt streets or concrete and were they the same as last year?
Did you have as much spacing between cars as last year?
Did the guy in front last yer have side pipe and this year have under the car exhaust?
Ambient temperatures this year and last?
You have a front plate on or not?
It sounds like your system cools, since it is running 180 on the hghway, but either you were in more heat or something isn't cooling at low speeds. You have added several new items. These could all have slightly different characteristics at slow speed.
If you go out and drive around town now, how does the car act? Is it still running 210-220?
If you still have those, then something you changed between last year and now is the first place to look. The second place is things that wear out or change with time. The radiator cap, the coolant, etc.
Do you drive the car often or does it sit long periods? If sitting long periods, you could have junk piling up in the lower radiator since last year. -
Re: Riddle me this C2 Cooling Problem
Cooling can be a big problem to trace since there are so many other variables.
For example, where you on asphalt streets or concrete and were they the same as last year?
Did you have as much spacing between cars as last year?
Did the guy in front last yer have side pipe and this year have under the car exhaust?
Ambient temperatures this year and last?
You have a front plate on or not?
It sounds like your system cools, since it is running 180 on the hghway, but either you were in more heat or something isn't cooling at low speeds. You have added several new items. These could all have slightly different characteristics at slow speed.
If you go out and drive around town now, how does the car act? Is it still running 210-220?
If you still have those, then something you changed between last year and now is the first place to look. The second place is things that wear out or change with time. The radiator cap, the coolant, etc.
Do you drive the car often or does it sit long periods? If sitting long periods, you could have junk piling up in the lower radiator since last year.Comment
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Re: Riddle me this C2 Cooling Problem
Driving conditions, road surface, spacing, temperature: none of those items are cause. The car will heat up on any surface, in traffic or out, 75 degrees outside or 95 degrees. The car is driven on a regular basis and the flow of the radiator is excellent. The cooling system is good under pressure test as is the radiator cap.
Some have suggested a lower degree on the thermostat. I can't see that having a big impact. If it opens at 180 degrees, it's open. In a long driving situation opening sooner will not help.
Any other thoughts?Comment
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Re: Riddle me this C2 Cooling Problem
Driving conditions, road surface, spacing, temperature: none of those items are cause. The car will heat up on any surface, in traffic or out, 75 degrees outside or 95 degrees. The car is driven on a regular basis and the flow of the radiator is excellent. The cooling system is good under pressure test as is the radiator cap.
Some have suggested a lower degree on the thermostat. I can't see that having a big impact. If it opens at 180 degrees, it's open. In a long driving situation opening sooner will not help.
Any other thoughts?Comment
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Re: Riddle me this C2 Cooling Problem
Steve,
Do a quick check in the archives about temperature and timing - this relationship is discussed almost weekly in great detail.
BrianComment
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Re: Riddle me this C2 Cooling Problem
Steve,
Do a quick check in the archives about temperature and timing - this relationship is discussed almost weekly in great detail.
BrianComment
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Re: Riddle me this C2 Cooling Problem
Steve
I agree that changing to a cooler thermostat will not cure your over heating problem if the existing one is OK. A simple and cheep thing to try is to replace the existing thermostat and eliminate this as the problem. Maybe the old one is not fully opening. I suspect you may not moving the needed volume of air through the radiator or the coolant is not circulating correctly while in trafffic. At speed it seems enough air and coolant goes through the radiator to keep it cool. Suggent you look at fan clutch idle speed and timing. Also make sure the shroud is sealed to the radiator. One thing you can do when it gets hot is to bring up the revs to 1500 rpms and turn the heater on at full blast. This may help the engine cool a bit but not the people inside.
Good luckComment
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Re: Riddle me this C2 Cooling Problem
Steve
I agree that changing to a cooler thermostat will not cure your over heating problem if the existing one is OK. A simple and cheep thing to try is to replace the existing thermostat and eliminate this as the problem. Maybe the old one is not fully opening. I suspect you may not moving the needed volume of air through the radiator or the coolant is not circulating correctly while in trafffic. At speed it seems enough air and coolant goes through the radiator to keep it cool. Suggent you look at fan clutch idle speed and timing. Also make sure the shroud is sealed to the radiator. One thing you can do when it gets hot is to bring up the revs to 1500 rpms and turn the heater on at full blast. This may help the engine cool a bit but not the people inside.
Good luckComment
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Re: Riddle me this C2 Cooling Problem
Steve,
Flush the system and replace with a 50/50 antifreeze and water (distilled if you wish). Add 1 bottle of Water Wetter by Redline. Clean the condenser with a brush, soap and flush with water.
This may help (some) and doesn't sound like it much out of line for midyear AC Vettes.
Take two asprin and call me in the AM.
Regards,
JRComment
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Re: Riddle me this C2 Cooling Problem
Steve,
Flush the system and replace with a 50/50 antifreeze and water (distilled if you wish). Add 1 bottle of Water Wetter by Redline. Clean the condenser with a brush, soap and flush with water.
This may help (some) and doesn't sound like it much out of line for midyear AC Vettes.
Take two asprin and call me in the AM.
Regards,
JRComment
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Re: Riddle me this C2 Cooling Problem
I'll throw this possibility out there. Coolant concentration? If it had more water in it last year, it would have cooled better. I suspect that I sometimes end up with a higher glycol concentration after a drain and or flush of the system. It never seems to get all of the coolant out, based on the fact that I always come up short on getting the full volume back in the system. And most times they recommend filling with glycol first and topping off with the remainder. I end up not getting in as much distilled water as glycol, so it ends up glycol heavy. I guess I should premix up a 50/50 solution.Comment
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Re: Riddle me this C2 Cooling Problem
I'll throw this possibility out there. Coolant concentration? If it had more water in it last year, it would have cooled better. I suspect that I sometimes end up with a higher glycol concentration after a drain and or flush of the system. It never seems to get all of the coolant out, based on the fact that I always come up short on getting the full volume back in the system. And most times they recommend filling with glycol first and topping off with the remainder. I end up not getting in as much distilled water as glycol, so it ends up glycol heavy. I guess I should premix up a 50/50 solution.Comment
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Re: Riddle me this C2 Cooling Problem
Steve, I have numerous experiences with "bad" new parts. If you have changed out the thermostat since the times it ran with-in spec, I would change the thermostat again. Themostats begin to open at their rated temps and it usually takes another 15 to 20 deg to get them to stay wide open( they modulate to maintain temp). If your thermostat is not capable of opening fully, that is why your are ok at highway speed - plenty of air and rpms on the h2o pump to compensate for the partial open 'Stat and not enough of either at low MPHs.Comment
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Re: Riddle me this C2 Cooling Problem
Steve, I have numerous experiences with "bad" new parts. If you have changed out the thermostat since the times it ran with-in spec, I would change the thermostat again. Themostats begin to open at their rated temps and it usually takes another 15 to 20 deg to get them to stay wide open( they modulate to maintain temp). If your thermostat is not capable of opening fully, that is why your are ok at highway speed - plenty of air and rpms on the h2o pump to compensate for the partial open 'Stat and not enough of either at low MPHs.Comment
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