Stuck in traffic 340 got up to 220

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toolmanmike said:
So. It didn't overheat did it? Shutting off the engine will cause the temp to rise. Especially if you have a leak or a bad radiator cap. You loose pressure and the boiling point goes down. 230° isn't boiling with a 15# cap. it's closer to 257°.
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It didn't boil over and the cap didn't leak and when I drove on after an hour it seemed perfectly fine. This engine is bran new with about 500 miles on it and cost about 12 grand...Canada..So this is why I'm freaking out a bit
 
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Your radiator guy is just wrong about the cap. Using a higher PSI cap does nothing to make it run cooler. At close to 20PSI, you can start blowing hoses off and apart and even ruin the radiator and heater core. That's way too high.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Your radiator guy is just wrong about the cap. Using a higher PSI cap does nothing to make it run cooler. At close to 20PSI, you can start blowing hoses off and apart and even ruin the radiator and heater core. That's way too high.
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Okay I still have the other cap I'll switch back
 
The reason for the temp reading climbing while the engine is off is simply conductive heat in action, that coolant is not moving, the sending unit is essentially reading the temperature of the coolant at the intake manifold where it’s screwed into as well as the coolant at that spot as they absorb heat from other nearby areas that are hotter.
 
Richie said:
Okay I still have the other cap I'll switch back
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I sure would. It's not going to help your heat issue, but it will keep from hurting other things. What kind and temperature thermostat do you have?
 
Just to mention a magnum motor that so hot it almost quit running was a 318 2000 3/4 Dodge Ram from work. The water pump went and there was no way I could pull off any where. It got really really hot when I final could pull over..It was fine after the new pump was put in. I thought I melted it :(

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I freak out myself over 200 degree coolant temperature. I'm running the original a/c 3 core radiator, fan and shroud, core support seal and cowl seal. It's a newly built 5.9, aluminum heads, headers. It runs 210 in stop and go traffic.

I took my radiator to an old school shop about a month ago to have it checked out. He said it's flowing 100%. So I put in a high flow 180* stat and run 30% antifreeze.

Today, after a nice drive I sat in the driveway idling in Drive for 15 minutes. Got to 210* and stayed there until I went to Park and increased the RPM. I guess 210* is the lowest it will run without moving.

I think we worry too much. Should probably disconnect the gauge and go cruisin' :steering:
 
Richie said:
Just to mention a magnum motor that so hot it almost quit running was a 318 2000 3/4 Dodge Ram from work.
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My first car (42 years ago), 1972 Duster, stock 318. Was in the mountains and noticed temp gauge was climbing, so I head home. Car wouldn't shut off, my dad grabbed a broom handle and stopped the fan.

Next day I fill up the radiator and the freeze plug in back of the head is rusted through. Replaced it with a rubber freeze plug, filled it with water and drove it 2 more years!!!

Amazing!!
 
I would not go with anything more than a 16lb cap, ever on an older car, and I wouldn't be worried about hitting 220*, I would have kept going, unless it continued to go higher as I drove. I have hit 225 to 230* running on the highway, but I didn't have a shroud at the time, just a clutch fan and a 3 row factory radiator on my 70 Dart 360. It was also over 90* f and very humid.
 
Lol. Man, it was bliss to be young and have no fear!! Around 1979 I drove a girlfriend from PA to CT in the winter, in a Dodge van with L60 tires...and it snowed halfway!!

Now we have more regard for hard-earned money and worry too much.
I totally understand having a lot of money in an engine. I quit keeping track of my build when I hit $6k, but that includes headers (Dougs) and torque converter.
 
Had an alternator seize up on the highway once, a good 15 miles from the nearest town on a brutally cold night once, kept going until I got to the nearest gas station, that old 302 Ford was well into the 270 to 290 range. Put a new alternator and belt on and it ran just fine.
 
66fyssh said:
I freak out myself over 200 degree coolant temperature. It runs 210 in stop and go traffic.
Today, after a nice drive I sat in the driveway idling in Drive for 15 minutes. Got to 210* and stayed there until I went to Park and increased the RPM. I guess 210* is the lowest it will run without moving.

I think we worry too much. Should probably disconnect the gauge and go cruisin' :steering:
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Ive got a mechanical Stewart Warner that I assume is accurate as well as the original electric sender and dash gauge with just the lines, no numbers. I assume it is accurate! (two sending units on the intake) While I’m seeing 210 engine temps on the SW gauge at speed in 90 degree air (the rare times I drive around) I get a little uneasy “just because” but I then simultaneously look at the factory dash gauge and the needle is only maybe at a 1/3, well left of center, and it’s like “well” I guess it’s ok!! Maybe an idiot light is all that’s needed here... and like you say, go cruisin’ :eek:
 
66fyssh said:
Lol. Man, it was bliss to be young and have no fear!! Around 1979 I drove a girlfriend from PA to CT in the winter, in a Dodge van with L60 tires...and it snowed halfway!!

Now we have more regard for hard-earned money and worry too much.
I totally understand having a lot of money in an engine. I quit keeping track of my build when I hit $6k, but that includes headers (Dougs) and torque converter.
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Ya sorry I deleted that post about my crazy brother so I'll mention it again...Going along as fast as you could go in November because you had to be in Falkland I think it was at a certain time in a 68 Road Runner. He hits some ice does a 360 and just caries on not giving a **** and just givin the rest of the way...And I'm just the opposite because I listened to mother too much not Dad...I did in the end though :) The other thing is sure cars go faster these days but to go fast back then you had to know how to drive a little
 
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You mentioned that you are going to do a fan and shroud upgrade.
What are you running know and what are you upgrading to?
I have been using Mopar clutch 18 inch fans, with a shroud, on SBM and several BBM's the fan performs very well with the right pulley drive ratio.
 
The problem is that you need the fan most when the car is moving the least, and a flex fan works best with rpm.
 
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get a 7 blade clutch fan with shroud you'll be fine my 340 never overheated with that combo sitting in traffic for hours in 95degree heat . as long as the rad is clean and flows it should be fine , plus i use distilled water with the antifreeze 50/50
 
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