1959 running hot

[Ethan M.]

Been staring to enjoy my 59, since the weather has changed. I have noticed the engine temp is creeping to 200+. Seems to get higher when driving in stop and go traffic. Any thoughts? I will check fluid levels, if all are normal, what then? No smoke is seen when starting or driving. Otherwise drive well.

thanks

[Dan H.]

Re: 1959 running hot

Ethan, if it doesn't boil over, it might just be an incorrect sending unit on the engine. There should be info in the archives.
Dan

[Duke W.]

Re: 1959 running hot

There are numerous causes of hot running, but you have provided no information except the year of your car and a dash temperature gage reading.

Configuration details are important. What engine? Stock? Modified? Cooling system configuaration includilng radiator and fan? Distributor configuration including the spark advance map?

Maintenance history?

What was the ambient temperature?

You should also let us know if you have tools to troubleshoot hot runnning, like an IR gun and timing light.

There are lots of discussions on this topic in the archives, but with the information you have provided nobody can even offer a decent guess.

The only thing I can say is that if everything is performing to OE spec, it should maintain thermostat temperature except in very hot weather, but other than we know it's a 55 year old Corvette and is running a little hot in slow traffic, we have nothing to go on.

Duke

[Ethan M.]

Re: 1959 running hot

Duke

i purchased the car in the fall, and I am not sure of the maintenance records before my purchase

it is a 327 engine

the ambient temperature was a cool 65 degrees

I will find a mechanic with an IR gun to troubleshoot from their

[Bob H.]

Re: 1959 running hot

Hi Ethan

There are so many things it could be from nothing to worry about to the beginning of a problem. Could be a stuck thermostat, wrong thermostat, bad sending unit unit ( which I believe even some new ones read wrong). The IR gun would be really helpful to confirm temperatures. You didn't mention how handy you are but you could always start with replacing the thermostat as a shot in the dark. When were fluids last changed? How does it look in the system? Crusty/clean? I don't think I would wait to see if it eventually boils over. By the way an IR gun can be purchased inexpensively these days and wouldn't be a bad item to have for future uses if you are just a bit handy. It may be time to "jump in" yourself as there will be other issues to deal with at some time. Just part of the fun! of owning an old car. Welcome to NCRS

[Duke W.]

Re: 1959 running hot

Yeah, you can buy a good IR gun from Harbor Freight for 25 bucks. If you don't have one, buy a dial back timing light - about 50 bucks, and a Mity Vac or equivalent for about 25 bucks. You could spend hundreds if not thousands on "mechanics" and not solve the problem because most of them don't understand why cars run hot or overheat, and few are really good at diagnosis. They just start changing parts, and you pay the bill whether they are right or wrong.

Being willing to buy some tools and get your hands dirty is the best way to dial in the car, and you can probably find knowledgeable guys in your local chapter who can help out.

I suspect your engine was assembled from a Chinese menu and may be a kluge. One common cause of overheating is a spark advance map that is not properly set up for the engine. The following should allow you to understand what kind of spark advance map the engine needs after you measure what you have.

http://stlouisncrs.org/news_files/DukeWilliamsEngineTuningPerformance&EconomySeminar.pdf

I believe your car had a fixed four-blade fan as OE. The JG and guys in your local chapter that are familiar with your vintage car, should be able to determine if the fan is OE and/or recommend something that will pull more air at idle and low speed.

The next thing to look at is a the radiator. Is it the same size and fin count as OE? Remove enough coolant to see the top few rows of tubes from the filler neck. If there are a lot of deposits at the end of the tubes it's probably time for a rod-out or recore. Use Zerex G-05 antifreeze in a 50/50 blend with distilled water.

Do some research in the archives. Overheating is a common problem and following a logical progression - verifying temperatures, dialing in a proper spark advance map, a proper fan, and a properly performing radiator will usually solve the problem, and it may end up being fairly inexpensive if it's something like a dead or improper (doesn't comply with the Two-Inch Rule) vacuum advance that costs a whopping ten bucks!

Duke

[Leif A.]

Re: 1959 running hot

Yeah, you can buy a good IR gun from Harbor Freight for 25 bucks. If you don't have one, buy a dial back timing light - about 50 bucks, and a Mity Vac or equivalent for about 25 bucks. You could spend hundreds if not thousands on "mechanics" and not solve the problem because most of them don't understand why cars run hot or overheat, and few are really good at diagnosis. They just start changing parts, and you pay the bill whether they are right or wrong.

Being willing to buy some tools and get your hands dirty is the best way to dial in the car, and you can probably find knowledgeable guys in your local chapter who can help out.

I suspect your engine was assembled from a Chinese menu and may be a kluge. One common cause of overheating is a spark advance map that is not properly set up for the engine. The following should allow you to understand what kind of spark advance map the engine needs after you measure what you have.

http://stlouisncrs.org/news_files/DukeWilliamsEngineTuningPerformance&EconomySeminar.pdf

I believe your car had a fixed four-blade fan as OE. The JG and guys in your local chapter that are familiar with your vintage car, should be able to determine if the fan is OE and/or recommend something that will pull more air at idle and low speed.

The next thing to look at is a the radiator. Is it the same size and fin count as OE? Remove enough coolant to see the top few rows of tubes from the filler neck. If there are a lot of deposits at the end of the tubes it's probably time for a rod-out or recore. Use Zerex G-05 antifreeze in a 50/50 blend with distilled water.

Do some research in the archives. Overheating is a common problem and following a logical progression - verifying temperatures, dialing in a proper spark advance map, a proper fan, and a properly performing radiator will usually solve the problem, and it may end up being fairly inexpensive if it's something like a dead or improper (doesn't comply with the Two-Inch Rule) vacuum advance that costs a whopping ten bucks!

Duke

Just curious, Duke, why would you need distilled water with the 50-50 blend of antifreeze...wouldn't that dilute if further?

[Duke W.]

Re: 1959 running hot

My recommendation is 50 percent full strength antifreeze and 50 percent distilled water.

I expect your question relates to the fact that a lot of "pre-mixed" antifreezes are available that are already blended with distilled water.

I consider these products total ripoffs as you are paying almost as much for the distilled water as the anti-freeze. A gallon of distilled water at a local store costs about a buck!

There is no need to mix the antifreeze and distilled water prior to adding it to the cooling system.

Corvette small blocks with heaters require about two gallons or so of coolant (big blocks about 2.5), so first pour in the antifreeze and them complete the fill with distilled water.

Some remove the thermostat to fill the block. I consider this an unnecessary complication, however, once the coolant seems full before you start the engine, pushing up and down on the front bumper will often allow you to add more.

After you start the engine (keep it at fast idle) the level will usually drop when the thermostat opens. There will always be some residual air in the block,/heads but when the thermostat opens, the high flow rate should quickly purge air through the radiator cap or through the vapor hose at the top right of aluminum radiators to the remote expansion tank and quickly mix the antifreeze and distilled water into a homogeneous solution.

Continue to add distilled water until the system is at the proper level. Leave the cap off until you are ready to take a test drive. As long as the temp gage reading is okay the system should have enough coolant, but check it, cold, after the next few cycles and add distilled water until the level stabilizes at the proper level, which is the remote expansion tank half full when cold with aluminum radiators. (See your ower's manual for proper level if you have different configuration.)

Duke

[Ethan M.]

Re: 1959 running hot

Thanks for all the responses and advice. Turns out after a little tinkering and removing the thermostat housing, there was no thermostat. So a thermostat was installed, the radiator was flushed and 'burped' and the timing was tinkered with and we are running much cooler

[Joe R.]

Re: 1959 running hot

Ethan,

I'm glad you figured it out! That's a good feeling! Maybe you know this already, but the fix in this case was either flushing crud from the radiator, removing the air from the system or adjusting the timing. Or maybe some combination thereof. A stuck thermostat can cause overheating. But no thermostat or one that is stuck open will cause the engine to take much longer to warm up. I don't see how no thermostat could cause a car to run warm or overheat.

Joe

[Ethan M.]

Re: 1959 running hot

Joe,

I am glad too!

Actually, I learned that no thermostat can add to overheating because the fluid goes through the radiator too fast, not allowing it work well. Having a thermostat in place slows down the the fluid running to the radiator.

Ethan

[Duke W.]

Re: 1959 running hot

Ethan,

I don't see how no thermostat could cause a car to run warm or overheat.

Joe

Excessively high circulation rate can reduce heat transfer to the coolant. The thermostat acts as a restrictor to limit flow, even when full open.

The Chevrolet Power Manuals do not recommend thermostat removal unless a restrictor plate of a specified opening diameter is installed in its place.

Completely removing the thermostat on a road engine is a Bubba procedure, but it's not that uncommon.

Duke

[Joe R.]

Re: 1959 running hot

Excessively high circulation rate can reduce heat transfer to the coolant. The thermostat acts as a restrictor to limit flow, even when full open.

The Chevrolet Power Manuals do not recommend thermostat removal unless a restrictor plate of a specified opening diameter is installed in its place.

Completely removing the thermostat on a road engine is a Bubba procedure, but it's not that uncommon.

Duke

Thanks Duke! That makes sense.

Joe