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engine always cold...

shaun89

shaun89

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i put a crate engine in about 9 months ago, and i put in a full mech. autometer gauge dash in too, and ive always been wondering but forgot to post this. i have the "probe" going into my driverside head. and i remember when i first put the engine in it would get to 200* (they recommend a 160* therm.) if i was stuck in traffic, but that only happened about 3 times (maybe) and now it never gets over 150*. its had a 180* therm. in there. is it because of the placement of the "probe" that im getting a low reading?
 
If you are running that engine in your 89 and have TBI you should have a 195* stat.
The engine will never even go into closed loop at 150*
Fuel milage will suffer. along with other things like increased engine wear.
Try changing to the right thermostat.
 
Thunder said:
If you are running that engine in your 89 and have TBI you should have a 195* stat.
The engine will never even go into closed loop at 150*
Fuel milage will suffer. along with other things like increased engine wear.
Try changing to the right thermostat.
Click to expand...

sorry, i forgot to mention its a crate 350 thats carbed. maybe i got a bad thermostat...it worked fine(i think) at first but now its always at 150*...i didnt know it could cause increased wear:mad: i want to solve that quick now.
 
I have a good large radiator , and working cooling system . When mine does that its always been a thermostat stuck open . You'll know when you turn the heater on and it doesn't really heat up as much as it should .

Just another possibility .
 
ya, im starting to think that, after working at napa, i know how shady some of the parts are..i guess ill go pick one up tomorrow. thanks guys! ill let you know what happens.
 
AC Delco is a recommendation for the t-stat. Way too many aftermarket pieces failing out of the box.
 
well i just came in from putting in a new therm. i bought the "premium" 180* one from napa, went for a test drive and started to get excited when the temp seemed like it was going up good. but as soon as it hit 150*-155* it just stayed:mad: anyone know what it could be? i have the mech. temp gauge in the driverside head (vortec heads). do you think the placement could be not letting it get a good signal?
 
Drivers side head is stock, and where I have it on my vortecs, and it reads correctly.

Double check your gauge against another if you can.
 
pauly383 said:
Maybe your cooling system is really good and loving the 70's there today :thumb:
Click to expand...

haha ya, i wish!...good thing its nice out, i just got my 670 truck avenger! so that makes things a little better!...but at least i think its my gauge and not my engine actually being cold. id rather have it be a part rather then my whole engine being F#$&ed up.
 
My gauge went out like yours , showing around 170*..So I stopped at a Rad shop one day after driving around for over an hour. He put a inferred laser thing all over the motor and it was really at 205*-210*.So then I KNEW it was the gauge and not the thermostat.
 
shaun89 said:
well i just came in from putting in a new therm. i bought the "premium" 180* one from napa, went for a test drive and started to get excited when the temp seemed like it was going up good. but as soon as it hit 150*-155* it just stayed:mad: anyone know what it could be? i have the mech. temp gauge in the driverside head (vortec heads). do you think the placement could be not letting it get a good signal?
Click to expand...

so knowing it SHOULD have a 195 in there, you still got a 180*?

install a quality 195...then see what it does.

after that, check gauges/sending units. all 3 of my motors (91 tbi, 02 5.3 vortec and 8.1 vortec) have the senders in teh drivers side head, torwards the front. Placement isn't much of the issue. I can't see it reading more than 5, maybe 10 degrees off actual temp...

no matter what stat is in there, it should be reading close to advertised temp. 180* oughta be reading atleast 175-180 if everything checks out well...and engine would probably be operating at 185-190* range
 
redneckdude said:
so knowing it SHOULD have a 195 in there, you still got a 180*?

install a quality 195...then see what it does.

after that, check gauges/sending units. all 3 of my motors (91 tbi, 02 5.3 vortec and 8.1 vortec) have the senders in teh drivers side head, torwards the front. Placement isn't much of the issue. I can't see it reading more than 5, maybe 10 degrees off actual temp...

no matter what stat is in there, it should be reading close to advertised temp. 180* oughta be reading atleast 175-180 if everything checks out well...and engine would probably be operating at 185-190* range
Click to expand...

from the company,they recommend a 160*,so i am trying a 180*
 
ya, i thought that carbed engines run at a lower temp compared to EFI or TBI engines...i know they said i should put a 160* in there but im not going to be flooring it on my 1/4 mile car all day so im trying a 180*...i should keep track of it and get a new gauge soon....i dont want to over heat the engine without knowing it...
 
I run a 180 out here year round . Most I get with the a/c on at a stoplight is maybe 200 on the gauge . Mostly without its running around thermostat temp .

I put my sender in the intake on a waterneck port ( 1970's some rigs have a one hole waterneck ) so I can see whats on the way back to the radiator .
 
pauly383 said:
I run a 180 out here year round . Most I get with the a/c on at a stoplight is maybe 200 on the gauge . Mostly without its running around thermostat temp .

I put my sender in the intake on a waterneck port ( 1970's some rigs have a one hole waterneck ) so I can see whats on the way back to the radiator .
Click to expand...

im actually thinking about keeping my gauge in my head...well a new gauge, then just for a cool/more info factor ill put a seperate one on the water neck. so i can open my hood and see that little gauge.:wink1:
 
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