Elmer

The halfway point of my temp guage is 210. Under "normal" driving (meaning legal and mild shifting around 3500), my 396 65 Vette stays around 210 to just a hair past 210. If I wind it out a little, the temp increases, but eventually returns to 210 as long as I return to normal driving and keep the motor running with good air flow on the grill. Yesterday I added 1 1/2 bottles of Wetter Water to my recovery tank, based on the directions and I think the 396 has a 20 quart capacity radiator, right ? Last night after a backyard BBQ, I took a friend for a spin and man was that 396 running good !! I went through 3 aggressive shifts around 5500 and we were really having fun. When we returned, after 5 minutes, it began to puke (but not a lot)....Anyway that is how I spent my Sunday...Having fun and watching my car puke afterwards. (First time this car has puked in months...Wonder if I added too much wetter-water ?? or overfilleld the recovery tank ?

pittsaj

Sure it wasn't the cooking... :lol:

Kid_Again

....i'll tell 'ya, with drivin' a big block in texas, if you have any questions about the running temperature, recore the radiator :yesnod: :yesnod: :yesnod:

...in your area, you should be running water/water pump additive and water wetter during the summer...probably a good idea to do that anyway, do a thorough flush (including removing the block drain bolts...trust me, you'll be amazed with that one :eek: :eek: ) and refill with the mix...btw, did you actually measure the temperature with an IR reader or thermometer?......210 sounds about right but a tad bit high


[Modified by Kid_Again, 1:35 PM 9/3/2001]

magicv8

I am told that our cars all left StLouis with 160 degree thermostats. What temperature thermostat are you using?

riogrand

Your tank might just have been a little overfilled. It is supposed to be about half full when cold. What kind of cap are you using on the tank? I have found conflicting info on what pressure the cap should be. Some sources say a 13 lb cap and others say 15lb. The 396 radiator is supposed to be the same as the L88 aluminun one and it uses the same expansion tank. The L88 specified a 15 lb (AC26). I would use the 15 (AC26).

I am going install a Stewart Stage 1 water pump on my 396 to give myself a little more margin.

Also do you have the radiator seal between the radiator frame and the hood in place? There is also a rubber shroud that should be attached (stapled) to the bottom of the fiberglass fan shroud. These were originally installed on the car but are oftened removed or not replaced over the years. These are small things, but the marginal cooling system needs all the help it can get.

Elmer

I have a 180 thermostat, a new harrison aluminum radiator, recently flushed with the freeze plugs out of the block, and calibrated temp gauge. The temperature was checked using an IR gauge. 210 is my normal running temperature, unless I drive it hard. I think my problem was I overfilled the tank. I will check on the rubber shroud. Not sure if it is there or not....Also, there is a gauge package from a 65 selling on ebay that shows a 240 gauge with 180 being the middle. My gauge shows 210 as the middle temperature.I am fairly sure my gauge is original. Since the 396 came out late in the model year, is it possible there were two temperature gauges installed, maybe some leftover 327-365 Fuelie temp gauges were installed in the 396 cars ? and maybe the 365 327 had a 180 middle gauge and the 396 had the 210 middle reading ?

Mag Red Man

Elmer, my very late '65 396 has a 180 in the middle temp gauge. My understanding is that starting in '66, the middle point became 210, because so many folks were alarmed about running "hot" with the 180 gauge.

When I first got my 396, it puked all the time. The solution was to drill the hole in the t-stat like I mentioned in the earlier thread, to relieve the trapped air.

With an undefilled block, you have air pockets the turn into hot spots when the motor is running. Once you shut the motor off, coolant hits those hot spots and boils. Then you get the puking action.

Elmer

I will drill the hole and let you guys know the outcome. Since I have a 210 guage, then I guess my 65 must be a "very-Late" model run. I will check serial number to see if I can tell.

Elmer

Mag Red Man

Elmer, my car was built July 30th, second to last day of '65 production. My VIN is 23384.

bdrake

I took the '65 396 out for a drive Saturday, normal temp was 180, the mid point of my gauge. It ran a little warmer during some stop and go driving put cooled down again when I got out of town. I didn't get on it to much as the gas proved to be a little short on octane.

Since you haven't had a puking problem recently it was most likely overfull.

JohnZ

Production thermostats were 180 degrees; 160 is too cold to boil off the blow-by contaminants and condensed moisture in the oil, and BB's didn't have enough cooling capacity in the radiator to run at 160 anyway.

Elmer

Bill, only in my dreams could my car run 180 degrees. Tonight I will hopefully check to ensure I have the correct thermostat (180 ?) and will drill a 1/8 hole in it this weekend if I can get the time. I would like to get you guys to give me your opinion of dumping the prestone and running straight water, and if so, what is the ratio of water to wetter water ? And what is water pump additive ? I added one and one/half bottles of wetter water to my tank which is about one oz per quart of capacity (I think the 396 has a 20 quart water colling capacity ?). I also have a NAPA 16lb radiator cap. How much difference does a 15lb cap make ? Thx in advance guys !!

Elmer

Elmer

Mag Red Man....On the two small plates inside my car, directly under the glove box, there are two small plates. One says STYLE 65 467 L12 TRIM STD.
The other says 194675S121972. Tell me this is an original 396 car !!! and if so, can you tell how far into the production run it is ?

Elmer

Mag Red Man, is my car is 21972, then it appears my car was built before yours. I thought the earlier cars had the 180 guage ? Makes me suspect my car (or gauge) is not original ? :confused:

396 RAT

My car is an early 396, 14,365 - 4/6/65
and has a 240 gauge with 180 straight up.
More or less orig., unmolested example.

396 trivia: :cheers:

9% of 65's were Big Blocks (2157 cars) 1409 verts - 748 coupes
*
37% of 66's were BB's (10,374 cars)
*
42% of 67's were BB's (9707 cars)
:seeya

Elmer

I called the guy who did the restoral and he confirmed my gauge was a replacement 250 degree gauge designed for a 1966 427 Vette, and that the car is an original 396,,that he replaced the temp gauge on. The correct gauge is a 240 degree gauge with 180 in the middle...Thx...Elmer :cheers:

Mag Red Man

Elmer, yes 21xxx, that is your VIN. STD is a black interior and your car was built on the 12th of July. And it's also a covertible. I suspected your gauge had been replaced.

I'd run antifreeze because it contains rust inhibitors. Straight water will accelerate corrosion.

396 RAT

Here is a quickie :
19467 is =conv.
S = is for Saint Louis body
21972= is concec. build number for a 65 vette. (late)
STYLE 65 476 is for a = conv.
L 12 = July 12th build date, (entire car)
The latest example in Adams book for a 396 is 23530, so you are way under that. *Do you know how to ck to see if its a BB frame?*
Does your tach. red line at 6500?
Sorry, cant say what engine option you have based on your info.
How about a Block Stamp? Mine is S114365 TO 325 IF CAST # 3855962
TO= Tonawanda NY, 325 = March 25th (engine build date)
Cast 3855962 is for a 396.
How about your heads & carb? Heads should be 3856208, carb R3124A
Exhaust man's = 3856302(R) & 3856301(L)
Your trans and block should be marked 21972 (as per your Vin#)
Great to see so many 396's popping up! :chevy
:seeya


[Modified by 396 RAT, 8:55 PM 9/4/2001]

magicv8

Sorry I punched the wrong number - it's 170 not 160 or 180 - There's a note (in the NCRS archive) indicating that preAIR engines all got 170 degree thermostats. AIR got 195. After 1970 all got 180. Sorry about the confusion.


[Modified by magicmachines, 9:06 PM 9/4/2001]

Elmer

The Tach redlines at 6500 and I will check the other numbers....How do you tell a BB frame ? Also,,,,On my (plastic ?) fan shroud, the bottom is cut-away, (as is correct). Does yours have a rubber shroud seal in that spot ? Mine does not....Elmer