Overheating Issue

[Stuart F.]

Re: Overheating Issue

Gary;

Yep. That's us. Don't quite know how we'll ever get Brady into a Vette. His family is still very young, so now that they are based here, he's also Mr. Mom! He never was too comfortable out in the garage when his brother and I worked on the Vette. Guess he was wise to stay away from my wrath when things didn't work right, Ha!

I guess you'd find the IR guns more with the civil avaition crowd - you know, the guy's who have home builts and treat them like we do our cars. They'd be out there checking everything on a pre-flight, specially on the old warbirds too with radial engines. You fellows in C-130's and now A-320's just throw circuit breakers, right?

Stu Fox

[Gerald C.]

Re: Overheating Issue

Thanks,

I will go to a local radiator shop or fire station to see if they can determine what the temp is. I'm not rushing into anything mainly because the car is not boiling over at any time.

Jerry

[Gerald C.]

Re: Overheating Issue

My gears are 3:36's and I was traveling about 65 to 70 mph

[Gerald C.]

Re: Overheating Issue

To all,

I read in the Repair Manual that poor ignition timing could cause overheating. I'm getting it tested this weekend as I don't have a timing light nor do I really know how to use one!

The car runs okay with no skipping, etc. However, it does seem a bit "sundued".

Any thoughts?

Thanks,

Jerry

[Lenny K.]

Re: Overheating Issue

After some deliberation, I have just sent my 340hp aluminum intake to Jerry MacNeish to get it "reskinned". I currently had a 195 degree thermostat and did not overheat, but with Phoenix as hot as it is, I am thinking about putting a 160-180 degree in for street driving. Anyone have any good/bad thoughts about running a lower temp thermostat, since winter heating is not an issue here........Lenny

[Jack H.]

Re: Overheating Issue

The rated temp of the thermostat merely sets the temperature point where the thermostat initially opens and feeds coolant to the block. Once it's open (and temps remain at/near its hysterisis point), the block's temperature coolant temperature will be dictated by other, more significant' factors: efficiency of the radiator, fan clutch operation, air path seal integrity around the radiator, rad cap integrity, hose and hose clamp integrity, combustion map, Etc...

[Lenny K.]

Re: Overheating Issue

Thanks Jack.....understood....my question was more to get input if there could be something detrimental by putting a lower tem thermo. in other than perhaps heating in the winter taking longer....seems that lower is probably fine, but wanted to tap the brain trust?!

[Bob R.]

Re: Overheating Issue

By using a 160 degree thermostat you cause the engine to run cooler then it should only at initial start up. Once the engine temp gets above 160 the tstat has no effect on the operating temp. The factory figured that 180 was the way to go. I figure they knew what they were doing. I changed the plumbing back to factory and removed all the bubba stuff.
I think the most likely possibility for the highway overheat problem is a bad radiator or the egnition map as Duke pointed out. Bring everything back to the factory spec. and it will work fine.

[Duke W.]

Re: Overheating Issue

A 160 stat will reduce engine efficiency by pulling heat out or the engine and throwing it away in the cooling system. It will also allow greater crankcase dilution, especially if the car is used for relative short trip - less than at least a half hour of operating time.

With a 15 psi cap, the boilover temperature of a 50/50 mix of ethylene glycol and water is about 265F.

The OE thermostat opening temperature on most C2s is 180F (195F with K-19).

If I were considering a change of an OE 180 stat I would be more likely to increase it to 195 than drop it to 160.

Duke