Engine overheating

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COUDA

COUDA

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Hello.
Since I bought my car, I have a problem overheating engine. The water temperature needle is always at 1 graduation of the max.
To fix the problem, I changed the thermostat to a new one (180 °) but it didn't change anything. So I tried with a 160 ° but same result. (Overheating)
I decided to delete it and now the engine does not overheat. The needle stays in the middle, very often below. I can leave it as well but I know it's not good for the engine as it seldom reaches its normal operating temperature.
Do you know where the problem comes from?
 
Try putting the suspect thermostats in a pan of water, elevated so as not to touch bottom or sides of pan, and with a temp. gauge with pan on stove see what temp. there opening at. Years ago I had a lot of trouble with stant stats in a slant six. More than just one.
 
Not enough info yet to help you. Need to know what type of fan & radiator you are using. Coolant or water only? Radiator pressure cap 15 lbs? Please add more info.
 
Maybe this car is a AMC Pacer? He never says what type of car. Party on Garth!
 
tonysrt said:
Try putting the suspect thermostats in a pan of water, elevated so as not to touch bottom or sides of pan, and with a temp. gauge with pan on stove see what temp. there opening at. Years ago I had a lot of trouble with stant stats in a slant six. More than just one.
Click to expand...

I had tested the old one in a pan of water but without measuring the temperature. It was open. I did not test the new ones.
 
AJ/FormS said:
The thermostat only sets the minimum operating temperature.
The dash gauge, is slow as molasses in January. You'll need a more accurate way of determining the water temp.
Click to expand...

With the thermostat.The gauge climbs quickly up and no longer drops.
 
So firstly, get an IR gun and define overheating, then
when exactly does it overheat;
idling in your driveway,or
slogging in traffic at under 30 mph/50 kph,or
cruising the hiways at 60/65 mph, or
hauling azz

Congratulations on your recent purchase; how long have you had it?
Automatic trans? Air-conditioning?

The dash gauges in these old girls are notorious for giving unusual readings. There is no telling after 50 years, where "normal" on the gauge is, anymore.

If it's "overheating" in your driveway, there's a cheap easy test; When cold remove the cap and start it up. If it doesn't boil the coolant,even with the needle 1 mark from pegged, it ain't overheating. Then it's a gauge calibration issue.
 
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Thermostats only set the minimum temperature that the engine will run at, if your cooling system is adequate then this is also your running temperature.

So putting a lower temp thermostat will only lower the engine temp if it isn't already having a cooling issue.

Removing the thermostat and getting a lower temp is an indicator of a flow problem, but it could also mean that your radiator has restrictions in it and needs more flow too cool.

A good flush never hurt anyone, and check your plugs for running too lean or rich.

A high flow thermostat may help also.

good luck.
 
Fill in the damned blanks man. We aren't mind readers here. You asked for help, yet are still expecting US to know what YOU have.

"Stock radiator." Which one? Slant six? V8? How many rows? how wide is the core? 22"?

"318." Stock? Warmed over? Radical as all hell?

"Stock fan." Which one? Fixed blade? Clutch fan? How many blades?

Fan shroud? Yes. No.

Air conditioning equipped?

Transmission type? Automatic? Manual?

Pulling answers shouldn't be like pulling teeth. We cannot help you if all you give are a bunch of generalities.

In order to have a GOOD cooling system,you must have a COMPLETE cooling system using ADEQUATE parts.

A good flowing 2 row radiator for a stock or mild 318 is absolute minimum. 3 row for air conditioning. A fan shroud with a good functioning fixed blade or clutch fan in the right position (blades about halfway into the shroud) is correct.

Initial timing that's too far retarded can contribute to overheating. Also a carburetor that's too lean. There are many variables here, so quit playin around and give us some information. If you don't know some of it, find out and come back. We'll still be here.

I am not sayin all this to be an ***. We have so many threads like "my car is blue, what's wrong with it?" that it gets old as hell. Please help us so we can help you.
 
how do you know for sure it's even getting hot a 50 year old factory gauge is not the way to tell for an accurate reading . if the gauge is pegged at 180 it won't come down .
 
trapster said:
Thermostats only set the minimum temperature that the engine will run at, if your cooling system is adequate then this is also your running temperature.

So putting a lower temp thermostat will only lower the engine temp if it isn't already having a cooling issue.

Removing the thermostat and getting a lower temp is an indicator of a flow problem, but it could also mean that your radiator has restrictions in it and needs more flow too cool.

A good flush never hurt anyone, and check your plugs for running too lean or rich.

A high flow thermostat may help also.

good luck.
Click to expand...
agree w/ trapster, flow problem. By taking out the thermostat, u just helped it to flowbetter(easier). --jmo , w/o knowing much else about it.
 
My problem // car sitting for years// was a corroded passages in the timing cover/water pump cover and as on another thread later on, core plugs needed replacement
 
AJ form write:"
So firstly, get an IR gun and define overheating, then
when exactly does it overheat;
idling in your driveway,or
slogging in traffic at under 30 mph/50 kph,or
cruising the hiways at 60/65 mph, or
hauling azz

Congratulations on your recent purchase; how long have you had it?
Automatic trans? Air-conditioning?

The dash gauges in these old girls are notorious for giving unusual readings. There is no telling after 50 years, where "normal" on the gauge is, anymore.



If it's "overheating" in your driveway, there's a cheap easy test; When cold remove the cap and start it up. If it doesn't boil the coolant,even with the needle 1 mark from pegged, it ain't overheating. Then it's a gauge calibration issue"


I do not have an IR Gun to control the temperature.The temperature climbs after 10 Minutes and stays very Hot all the time: Idle, 30Miles, 60Miles, she does not move anymore.

I bought the car for 3 months and the previous owner says he did not have this problem.
It's automatic transmission.

You write:"If it's "overheating" in your driveway, there's a cheap easy test; When cold remove the cap and start it up. If it doesn't boil the coolant,even with the needle 1 mark from pegged, it ain't overheating. Then it's a gauge calibration issue"
I remove the thermostat. Can I still do the test?
 
RustyRatRod said:
Fill in the damned blanks man. We aren't mind readers here. You asked for help, yet are still expecting US to know what YOU have.

"Stock radiator." Which one? Slant six? V8? How many rows? how wide is the core? 22"?

"318." Stock? Warmed over? Radical as all hell?

"Stock fan." Which one? Fixed blade? Clutch fan? How many blades?

Fan shroud? Yes. No.

Air conditioning equipped?

Transmission type? Automatic? Manual?

Pulling answers shouldn't be like pulling teeth. We cannot help you if all you give are a bunch of generalities.

In order to have a GOOD cooling system,you must have a COMPLETE cooling system using ADEQUATE parts.

A good flowing 2 row radiator for a stock or mild 318 is absolute minimum. 3 row for air conditioning. A fan shroud with a good functioning fixed blade or clutch fan in the right position (blades about halfway into the shroud) is correct.

Initial timing that's too far retarded can contribute to overheating. Also a carburetor that's too lean. There are many variables here, so quit playin around and give us some information. If you don't know some of it, find out and come back. We'll still be here.

I am not sayin all this to be an ***. We have so many threads like "my car is blue, what's wrong with it?" that it gets old as hell. Please help us so we can help you.
Click to expand...
My engine is stock and did not have any processing.318ci, 22 radiator, automatic transmission, no air conditioning, fan shroud, carburator stock.I do not know if timing far retarded but the engine work fine.Good idle, no detonation.

b93d7f07ab8d1b3c454e1036461a82dd.jpg
 
jimjimjimmy said:
what temp is ''very hot""
Click to expand...
The needle gauge is one line before max temp.

I have the same problem with the oil pressure gauge.One line before max.Before changing the oil pump.I still have a doubt about its failures.If I have two engine failures or I have two gauge problems?
When I got the car back to the boat (My car comes from Ohio) .I drove 310 miles like that to get home..I was worried but I did not break down.
 
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What I did..

Multiple engine flushes. overkill, but did it anyway.
IR Gun to measure temp at thermostat housing, at hose inlet to radiator and lower hose outlet at bottom of radiator, should be 25-30 deg diff.
If you haven't already, put in a 180deg termostat. The IR gun will tell you when it opens when engine running.
I picked up a Mr Gasket TermoCap (built-in thermostat), 16psi, which should give you a closer temp reading.
I had also replaced my radiator since it was the original on my duster, but that wasn't it.
What did fix my overheating issue was either the fan clutch or the water pump. I replaced them both at the same time.
My gut feeling was the water pump, which I replaced with a GMB 1201070P High Performance pump. I read else were that cavitation
is an issue, not getting the water to flow sufficiently with old style.

Mine would also nearly peg out just driving 'normally' down the road, esp when 55+.

Anyway, my two cent's worth.

When you DO fix it, let use know what you did.
 
Yes you can till do the test without the thermostat being in there.But what would be the point?; you already told us it doesn't "overheat" with the stat out.

You already drove it 310 miles without a boil-over, so again it ain't overheating.

Here's the deal; the engine ain't TOO hot until it boils the water, which happens at about 100*C, with the cap off. You don't need an IR gun until it boils the water cuz water always boils at or near 100*C at atmospheric pressure. But you can't measure anything over 100 (or under for that matter),without the IR gun, which are cheap to buy these days.
If it boils the OIL, then it's near-death too hot, and this can begin at or near 120*C,so don't go there.
Modern engines run at around 110*C.
Our old engines like 90 to 95.

Now in post #20 you say you have 2 dash gauges running high. Well those two just happen to have a common voltage regulator, called an IVR. And so, the problem is pointing directly to that unit. Replace it, and start over. But before you do, check your charging system voltage output. If it is too high, it will drive the IVR high also, and then it causes these two gauges to read higher than "normal".
I've been using those two gauges as charging system voltage indicators for years and years and years. If one rises or falls from "normal" then I immediately check the other. If it's doing the same then I know I have a charging system issue.
 
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COUDA said:
The needle gauge is one line before max temp.

I have the same problem with the oil pressure gauge.One line before max.Before changing the oil pump.I still have a doubt about its failures.If I have two engine failures or I have two gauge problems?
When I got the car back to the boat (My car comes from Ohio) .I drove 310 miles like that to get home..I was worried but I did not break down.
Click to expand...


you NEED to hookup a MECHANICAL HEAT GAGUE and OIL PRESSURE gauge and get ACCURATE READINGS until you do you are just pissing agenst the wind . it is easy to do if you can't do it get someone who can stock 50 year old gauges are not accurate . if you drove 310 miles without fault it is no doubt working fine .this is the last time i'm telling you this . GET SOME ACCURATE READINGS .....ITS THAT SIMPLE .
 
Another question, is it overheating to the point that it is blowing coolant out the overflow all over the street or driveway? Without knowing the coolant temp when the gauge gets to "uncomfortable" we don't really know. It could be as simple as a bad sender, corroded connector, or a bad gauge.
 
[QUOTE = "jimjimjimmy, post: 1971867246, member: 17340"] vous avez besoin de brancher une jauge MECHANICAL HEAT GAGUE et de la pression d'huile et obtenir des lectures précises jusqu'à ce que vous ne faites que pisser agenst le vent. C'est facile à faire si vous ne pouvez pas le faire obtenir quelqu'un qui peut stocker des jauges de 50 ans ne sont pas précis. Si vous avez conduit 310 miles sans faute, il ne fait aucun doute que ça fonctionne bien. C'est la dernière fois que je vous le dis. OBTENEZ QUELQUES LECTURES PRÉCISES ..... SON SIMPLE. [/ QUOTE]
Ok,thanks.
 
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