rcread

I'm at about 185-190 tops, with a 180 degree thermostat.

rosslato

i run at 195(have autometer temp gage) when in the 90's. have 180 therm-dewitt alum radiator and 16" elect fan and flex fan

Solid LT1

371 RWHP on a Dyno-jet, 180 degrees on a 105 degree day. The temp will spike a little at the races but, I have a 87 Vette oil/water cooler on the filter mount and valve spring heat is hell on oil tempratures. My set-up: Edelbrock H2O pump, 180deg Robert Shaw Tstat, DeWitts LT-1 copy aluminum radiator, Factory fan clutch with 110K miles on it (I know I'm living dangerously but, it still feels tight) and reduced speed crank pulley to get H2O pump to 1:1 drive ratio instead of 125% overdrive like stock (wouldn't work well on a 7500RPM blast if pulley ratios were stock.)

Entropy

JGreen,

Just did a frame off, then I assume you rebuilt the engine...how many miles on the break in? Made a huge difference with my car...used to run about 160 with 160 thermostat, rebuilt it, could barely keep it under 210 until it broke in. Now it runs 180 with 180 thermostat. Something to think about...

trw

7d2 vette

my runs 160 with 160 termostat it ran 195 with 195 so the gauge is right i would flush the radiator put in a160 and drill two small hole in th ebase of the thermstat to let the water move along with any air that could be trapped give it a try!!! also throw in water wetter it will drop the temp also just a though but if timming is to far advanced or the valve train is to tight it will cause the motor to run hot !!

Xakk

195 running down the road or puttering around in town. If I get stuff in the drivethru for a long time or end up creeping along (like driving across the college campus) in 100+ degree weather, then it can creep up to around 210-215, but that's as high as I've ever seen it. And it'll drop right back down once I get going again.

GDaina

180, dual Spals, stock radiator, 533 cube BB

lowbrowser

350 hp 350 (new rebuild), started running hot - over 210 on the freeway. put in a beefed up fan clutch (off big block), new thermostat, and changed the rad cap. and now it stays around 190-195 tops. Seems anything over 210 would be too hot, I agree with others here, check the guages. Just my $2

0Tom@Dewitt

I don't understand why you'd be running that high with that package, regardless of Texas heat. You should be at least 20-30 degrees cooler. I wonder if the reading is right, have you measured that with an IR gun? Have you tried a higher water ratio? Maybe your running straight coolant or Evans? A lot of people think straight anti-freeze is better but it does run hotter.

Keep in mind, thermostats limit "minimum" temperture. They have nothing at all to do with high temperature, unless the valve is completely stuck closed at which point you'd run right up to 260 and boil over. Your current thermostat is "OPEN" at 220-230, just like the 160 will be. Open is open, that change will do nothing.

marshrat99

About 180 all the time except with A/C then 195.

Corey_68

180 on the highway, 210 is the highest in gridlock traffic in 95degree heat.

kona

Last saturday 100 degrees outside running the freeway at 80 with the A/C on ran 200 degrees.

Azlonio

Gauge reads just over 200, Infra-red gun indicates that the new sending unit sits in the head at just over 200. The temperature at the thermostat housing is 180, just what it is rated at. The temperature in the radiator sits at 140 to 160, all these readings at the same time. Hope this helps.

pcfred

Fan clutch

MN-Brent

190 going down the highway

200 in rush hour traffic on a 90 degreee day.

I have a fairly larger tranny cooler also. That helps.

B....

terry82

not wanting to hijack thread. but i would like to know where i could get a infra-red gun

ETM

I have the Be Cool dual fans and Aluminum radiator.Its been 105F all week here in Sacramento and my car stays in the range of 190F to 200F at least according to my gauge.It probably the best mod I have done thus far.

Rockn-Roll

Do this test:

1. Buy a thermostat cover gasket and some part B permatex.

2. Drive it around until the temp gauge gets as high as it will go.

3. Allow engine to cool, remove thermostat and replace cover with new gasket and permatex. Drive it around until the temp gauge gets as high as it will go.

Subtract the two readings and you should see at least a 20º difference. A stock L48 will run 160º in 80º weather. When it gets over 100º that number will rise to around 180º as long as there is no thermostat to slow the coolant down. The thermostat will restrict the flow and reduce the ability of the cooling system to remove heat from the engine. This is more important with L-82 or other high performance engines. When the temps get cold...sure...install a new thermostat so you can get some heat from your heater, but removing the thermostat is the easiest and cheapest way to improve engine cooling. Try the test before considering expensive solutions just so you can keep a thermostat in the car all year long.

turtlevette

these cars run hot on the highway because they just don't have enough frontal area.

I have tried the electric fan route and in my experience they are worthless. The factory installed a heavy duty fan clutch that must create a negative pressure area behind the radiator to cool properly. The heavy duty fan clutch works harder than standard fan clutches at highway speeds. I doubt the guys with electric fans that say they have no highway cooling problem take their cars on long trips.

Daytona69

I drove my '69 with dual Spals from Pittsburgh to SoCal when I bought it and it ran at around 190 degrees the whole way across.