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how hot is too hot?
- Thread starter keelue
- Start date
4xcrazy
3/4 ton status
right close to 240-250 I find water to run over the hose or top of the radiator, over the pump, it helps a ton.
I have run my old motor up near the 230 range quite a bit when I was missing the shroud, it didn't like it, but nothing bad really ever happened.
Problem I see with running them that hot, and then shutting them down, is not there really is no cooling at all going on with the engine off, just sitting there baking.
I have run my old motor up near the 230 range quite a bit when I was missing the shroud, it didn't like it, but nothing bad really ever happened.
Problem I see with running them that hot, and then shutting them down, is not there really is no cooling at all going on with the engine off, just sitting there baking.
yeah it's strange, i can crawl all day long in the desert and it stays at 200, but at highway speeds it heats up. if i pull over within five minutes it's back down to normal temps. thanks for the response...when that needle gets above 225 i start getting figity
4xcrazy
3/4 ton status
That always indicated to me that the radiator was plugged or just not flowing as well as it should when heating up at highway speeds.
I've been in Phoenix for nearly 26 years, I just get tired of fighting with overheating or hot running vehicles and usually end up just replacing the radiator with the biggest one I can fit in there. The Burb has a 4 row unit with heavy duty fan clutch and never had a problem with getting hot ever since this change.
Just last year I had to replace the radiator in my brothers '93 Taurus, before it started leaking, it would always run overly warm in stop & go traffic, electric fans running all the time, water/coolant looked clean though. So when I replaced it, i stuffed one of their heavy duty cooling ones in there too, never got too hot again
Same with the '94 pick-up, replaced that radiator a few years back with a "maxi-cool" unit, still has the factory two rows, but they are about the same thickness as 3 of the standard tubes. Things runs at t-stat all the time now
I've been in Phoenix for nearly 26 years, I just get tired of fighting with overheating or hot running vehicles and usually end up just replacing the radiator with the biggest one I can fit in there. The Burb has a 4 row unit with heavy duty fan clutch and never had a problem with getting hot ever since this change.
Just last year I had to replace the radiator in my brothers '93 Taurus, before it started leaking, it would always run overly warm in stop & go traffic, electric fans running all the time, water/coolant looked clean though. So when I replaced it, i stuffed one of their heavy duty cooling ones in there too, never got too hot again
Same with the '94 pick-up, replaced that radiator a few years back with a "maxi-cool" unit, still has the factory two rows, but they are about the same thickness as 3 of the standard tubes. Things runs at t-stat all the time now
4xcrazy
3/4 ton status
And when I say i have run them at 230ish before, that was not for very long, as you mentioned, when they get to the 220 range, i'm watching, if it keeps going i'm trying to find something to get it cooled back down, usually gas stations air/water machines, drop in a few quarters, run the water over the top of the radiator, hose and water pump, drops the temp pretty quickly.
But usually by the time I did find a water source, it was running around that 230-240 area.. as mentioned, I got tired of dealing with that crap and just buy heavy duty cooling equipment while out here in Phoenix.
Bad thing about that though, is I just "tried" to move back to the northern Indiana area this past year, and during winter months before the truck started giving me grief about being there in the cold, I was having a very difficult time keeping it AT t-stat range, just ran too cold all the time even with 2/3 of the radiator blocked with cardboard.
I'm back in Phoenix now though, so if I can ever get whatever is wrong with it, fingered out, it'll be here with me in this oven-llike climate
But usually by the time I did find a water source, it was running around that 230-240 area.. as mentioned, I got tired of dealing with that crap and just buy heavy duty cooling equipment while out here in Phoenix.
Bad thing about that though, is I just "tried" to move back to the northern Indiana area this past year, and during winter months before the truck started giving me grief about being there in the cold, I was having a very difficult time keeping it AT t-stat range, just ran too cold all the time even with 2/3 of the radiator blocked with cardboard.
I'm back in Phoenix now though, so if I can ever get whatever is wrong with it, fingered out, it'll be here with me in this oven-llike climate
yeah i'm sure i'll end up with a new radiator. i flushed mine some months back, replaced the hoses, but it didn't make any difference really. got a big camping trip coming up and gotta make that climb from phoenix to payson...good to know what temp to look out for.
4xcrazy
3/4 ton status
Sheesh, I didn't even notice you were here in town... 
And when I say i have run them at 230ish before, that was not for very long, as you mentioned, when they get to the 220 range, i'm watching, if it keeps going i'm trying to find something to get it cooled back down, usually gas stations air/water machines, drop in a few quarters, run the water over the top of the radiator, hose and water pump, drops the temp pretty quickly.
But usually by the time I did find a water source, it was running around that 230-240 area.. as mentioned, I got tired of dealing with that crap and just buy heavy duty cooling equipment while out here in Phoenix.
Bad thing about that though, is I just "tried" to move back to the northern Indiana area this past year, and during winter months before the truck started giving me grief about being there in the cold, I was having a very difficult time keeping it AT t-stat range, just ran too cold all the time even with 2/3 of the radiator blocked with cardboard.
I'm back in Phoenix now though, so if I can ever get whatever is wrong with it, fingered out, it'll be here with me in this oven-llike climate
ha, just can't win for losing huh. funny though, i just stepped out back and with this storm that came through my thermometer says 86 and i almost feel like i need a sweatshirt....yep, been in phoenix too long
4xcrazy
3/4 ton status
I would say don't let it get much higher than 220 for extended periods of time really, just my personal opinion though. If it gets hotter, get it cooled down asap.
Sheesh, I didn't even notice you were here in town...
yep out in mesa, go to sycamore and butcher on a regular basis (in the cooler months). crown king a few times a year too. have to meet up for a run sometime
my thoughts exactly. i run synthetic oil too so i feel a bit more comfortable when it's running hot
kinda on the same note
what about a 700r4? While crawling, it can be 200+. I have a big cooler, but with no airflow it's kinda useless.
need a fan
what about a 700r4? While crawling, it can be 200+. I have a big cooler, but with no airflow it's kinda useless.
need a fan
79rustyk10
3/4 ton status
The lightweight SBC head castings like to crack easily, any over 220 or so for any length of time is too much IMO.
How is your cooling fan operated? is it a clutch type or a flex fan?
How is your cooling fan operated? is it a clutch type or a flex fan?
4xcrazy
3/4 ton status
On that trans cooler, if it's an aux cooler, and you have an engine fan pulling air through the radiator, you have air pulling through it as well.
Mine is a pretty tight setup with the heavy duty clutch, it is pretty tight at lower idling engine speeds, so it pulls alot of air during those crawling trips. I can hold a rag out in front of the grille flat out and it will get pulled towards the grille from the air being pulled through by the fan.
Sounds like a dang semi-truck for a bit when taking off, but hey, the engine doesn't overheat
Mine is a pretty tight setup with the heavy duty clutch, it is pretty tight at lower idling engine speeds, so it pulls alot of air during those crawling trips. I can hold a rag out in front of the grille flat out and it will get pulled towards the grille from the air being pulled through by the fan.
Sounds like a dang semi-truck for a bit when taking off, but hey, the engine doesn't overheat
I've seen vehicles that had the tranny running hot and that in turn overheats the engine,as the tranny cooler is dumping tons of heat into to coolant...many people overlook the fact it may not be an engine problem causing it to run too hot--especially in hot weather..
A few things to check if it only runs hot at highway speeds...
The lower hose needs a spring in it--otherwise it can suck shut at higher speeds and restrict water flow..
The radiator must be clean inside AND out..I've seen some so clogged with mud and bugs that no air could get thru the fins on some trucks after they went "mudding"...but even normal driving can eventually clog up the fins..a partially plugged core or one thats had some tubes soldered shut may not flow enough coolant to allow it to run at the right temparature..
Someone may have removed the thermostat--that can cause it to run hot or boil over,as the coolant rushes thru the radiator too fast and cant cool off enough..one stuck open might cause that also,but its not that high a probability...one thats only opening half way might do it too though..I've seen engines with a slightly leaky water pump seal let air sneak in and foam up the coolant,which will make it much less effective at cooling..
Excessive rolling resistance can make the engine work much harder and cause it to run hot..if your running huge tires and high gearing it can be a real "drag" on your truck,no pun intended...
A few things to check if it only runs hot at highway speeds...
The lower hose needs a spring in it--otherwise it can suck shut at higher speeds and restrict water flow..
The radiator must be clean inside AND out..I've seen some so clogged with mud and bugs that no air could get thru the fins on some trucks after they went "mudding"...but even normal driving can eventually clog up the fins..a partially plugged core or one thats had some tubes soldered shut may not flow enough coolant to allow it to run at the right temparature..
Someone may have removed the thermostat--that can cause it to run hot or boil over,as the coolant rushes thru the radiator too fast and cant cool off enough..one stuck open might cause that also,but its not that high a probability...one thats only opening half way might do it too though..I've seen engines with a slightly leaky water pump seal let air sneak in and foam up the coolant,which will make it much less effective at cooling..
Excessive rolling resistance can make the engine work much harder and cause it to run hot..if your running huge tires and high gearing it can be a real "drag" on your truck,no pun intended...
i have a sm465 tranny, and especially at highway speeds it heats to the point of the shifter getting warm. it's been this way since i've had the truck, i keep it topped off with fluid and never had an issue but i wonder how much this could be effecting engine temp?
I've run a TBi 350 at 240 to 250 degrees as measured in the head at the hottest point for a lot of miles. I see that as the max temp for a stock type motor.
i hear rumors that nascar guys like to see 250 as a normal temp. Then again they are building engines to work in that temp range to.
Newer stock engine tuning turns on the enrichment somewhere around 220. That means they start dumping more fuel in over that temp to cool off the combustion chamber and thus the engine at anything over 220
i hear rumors that nascar guys like to see 250 as a normal temp. Then again they are building engines to work in that temp range to.
Newer stock engine tuning turns on the enrichment somewhere around 220. That means they start dumping more fuel in over that temp to cool off the combustion chamber and thus the engine at anything over 220
4xcrazy
3/4 ton status
I heard some comments on a race I think it was last weekend on that someone, can't remember who, was having overheating issues and the engine temp was up near 300*.. I just thought, wow,, must be nice to be able to build a motor to withstand that...
They were feeling alittle more comfortable I guess when they came back on the radio and said it was back down to 260...
