overheating?

[geraldchainsaw]

hi all,    i don't know anything about overheating, so i'll ask al.ot of querstions and let u come up with something.   went for a run and the gage said about 160 or 170, got on the expressway   it shot up to 190 or 200, as long as i was moving at 70 or so thats where it stayed at,  now if i stopped at a light it would shot up to maybe  210 or so,   when i stopped in the drive way  it shot up to 220 or more, still hasn't boileed over, is all this normal?,   thanks for any input,   

[shopratwoody]

That's not normal. The last time mine was acting like that I had the Radiator rodded out and that fixed it.
I did all the normal, thermostat etc...I would have the rad cleaned (rodded out)
good luck, Ron

[smurfee]

   I agree with RON, I had the same problem & had the radiator preasure flushed & my system flushed & found some selacone from the gaskets also I had a bad radiator cap - I now run a 160 degree thermostate in my 302 with 3/4 cam & 4 bbl. holley, SMURFEE

[57AGIN]

It could also possibly be the temperature sending unit in the water jacket that might not be matched to the temperature gauge.  I continued to use the original 57 temperature gauge and my temperature readings are all tending to be on the upper end of the scale, even though I have an aluminum radiator, electric fan and shroud.  The radiator shop Mattson, installed a fan switch that cycles between 175 and 196 degrees and they have used an infra red temperature sensing gun to verify the temps, but my gauge still reads on the high end.  They suggested it could be a mismatch in sending unit and gauge.  Just a thought.

Bob
57AGIN

[Ford Blue blood]

If it aint lossin water it aint overheating!   Putting all seriousness aside....my 36 Chevy (351C) runs very warm on the temperature gauge (200 - 225).  My sender is right at the hose connection to the top of the radiator so it is measuring the temperature as the water goes into the radiator.  An infrared measuring device tells me the water temp out of the radiator is 180 - 190.  The temperature does vary all the way from 165 to 230 during various operating conditions and weather conditions.  The 230 happens on the interstate in 95 + temps with the air on and running about 80.  Slow down and the temp drops to about 220, get into traffic (same conditions) and it drops to 210.  It has never lost water so despite my fears I have been running it like that for years.

[geraldchainsaw]

let me redo my story,      when i cruise around town it runs around 170,   when i get on the express way it jumps up to 190 to 200,  if i slow down at a lite it might hit 210 but goes down when i start moving again,   when i put her in the garage (stopped)  it goes up to 220 or so,  but dosen't throw up,  and if it does its only 1/2 cup of juice,  since this car is new to me and i have to get use to it,  i'm just a little peranoide right now, i'll feel better the more i get use to it,,     by the way, i did have a back flush and it didn't do anything but cost money,  but live and learn and its 1 more thing out of the way that u know it isn't,   thanks for all the info and help,  will keep u all posted as things change,

[JimNolan]

Guys,
    I'd like to add to the descussion some information on the 57 Ford temp Guage.  I checked my guage with a Stewart warner indicator and found that the bottom of the inner black scale of the guage started at 130 degrees and ended at 190 degrees. When I used a 160 degree thermostat the needle was in the center of the black scale. When I went to the 180 degree thermostat the needle was just below the right side of the scale. Sooooooo! I used a 5 ohm 1watt resister and put it inline with the wire going to the temp sender. That put my needle back in the center of the black scale. Now my temp scale starts out at 150 degrees and goes to 210 degrees. It's not something thats necessary to do but it gives me a warm fuzzy feeling not seeing the needle of the temp guage at the right side all the time. Also, by doing this it showed me what my guage was acually indicating and I have an idea when I'm getting in trouble.
5 ohms = 20 degrees
Jim