Overheating Help
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 212
Likes: 29
From: State College Pennsylvania
Overheating Help
1970 454
This Friday when driving, my engine got up to around 225 on the highway. Is there something I can do to help keep it cooler?
I haven't had any trouble keeping it cool (180-190 F) driving around town or idling, it's just when I get up to highway speeds and sustained higher engine speeds (3000 rpm) that the temperature creeps up.
Any advice is appreciated and let me know if you need any more information to help
This Friday when driving, my engine got up to around 225 on the highway. Is there something I can do to help keep it cooler?
I haven't had any trouble keeping it cool (180-190 F) driving around town or idling, it's just when I get up to highway speeds and sustained higher engine speeds (3000 rpm) that the temperature creeps up.
Any advice is appreciated and let me know if you need any more information to help
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 9,249
Likes: 221
From: Dryden MI
Yes!! It will run ok on side streets, once you start to go fast, on freeways, or long stretches of road car will start yo run hot. I know that the air dam makes a big difference. You also need to make sure that the seals are properly installed around radiator. Put on the sir dam, before you do anything else.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 19,294
Likes: 2,754
From: Charlotte NC
Surprisingly...GM moved the front license plate on the A/C and big block equipped mid-years to under the left bumper instead of in the front center like they did for the regular small blocks.
Like 'Cooter Tech' mentioned ... hopefully all of your foam seals between the radiator and support and shroud and radiator and under hood seals are also still intact...because they also help
DUB
Last edited by DUB; Aug 14, 2016 at 07:44 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 11,608
Likes: 780
From: Eustis ( Area 51 Bat Cave ) Fl
1970 454
This Friday when driving, my engine got up to around 225 on the highway. Is there something I can do to help keep it cooler?
I haven't had any trouble keeping it cool (180-190 F) driving around town or idling, it's just when I get up to highway speeds and sustained higher engine speeds (3000 rpm) that the temperature creeps up.
Any advice is appreciated and let me know if you need any more information to help
This Friday when driving, my engine got up to around 225 on the highway. Is there something I can do to help keep it cooler?
I haven't had any trouble keeping it cool (180-190 F) driving around town or idling, it's just when I get up to highway speeds and sustained higher engine speeds (3000 rpm) that the temperature creeps up.
Any advice is appreciated and let me know if you need any more information to help
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 212
Likes: 29
From: State College Pennsylvania
I've had it for about a year now and it's happened a couple times, but it only got up to 210 or a little higher before. I'm not sure if it this was just the hottest time I've driven which caused it to get up there.
I made sure to top off the coolant (about 6 months since I replaced it) and my oil was good (< 1 month old), so it's probably just a combination of hot temperatures and poor air flow (because I don't have my air dam installed yet)
I made sure to top off the coolant (about 6 months since I replaced it) and my oil was good (< 1 month old), so it's probably just a combination of hot temperatures and poor air flow (because I don't have my air dam installed yet)
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Instructor
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Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 212
Likes: 29
From: State College Pennsylvania
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 11,608
Likes: 780
From: Eustis ( Area 51 Bat Cave ) Fl
I asked because I have seen things start to go out that can cause this type symptoms, like water pump impellor worn, and on my 66 it was a modded daily driver so all bets off on seals and air damn stuff, one day all cools well the next on a trip to see my dad the temps starts creeping up the faster I go, and I couldn't go past about 45-50 I limp to my dads and he being a navy tech jumps on it, turns out that my radiator was bad, looked okay but was all plugged up and had gotten worse over time, this was 15-18 years ago and I just installed a parts store replacement and it was cooler than ever so while all the seals and air damns and stuff have a purpose they are not the only thing that can cause this....
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 212
Likes: 29
From: State College Pennsylvania
I asked because I have seen things start to go out that can cause this type symptoms, like water pump impellor worn, and on my 66 it was a modded daily driver so all bets off on seals and air damn stuff, one day all cools well the next on a trip to see my dad the temps starts creeping up the faster I go, and I couldn't go past about 45-50 I limp to my dads and he being a navy tech jumps on it, turns out that my radiator was bad, looked okay but was all plugged up and had gotten worse over time, this was 15-18 years ago and I just installed a parts store replacement and it was cooler than ever so while all the seals and air damns and stuff have a purpose they are not the only thing that can cause this....
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 11,608
Likes: 780
From: Eustis ( Area 51 Bat Cave ) Fl
In my case we cut open the old radiator and it was all kinds of weird detritus in it, no way to know how old it was.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
Lots of possible reasons for overheating at speed, but the two with the highest likelihood are:
1. Missing air dam on front valence (directs air up and into the radiator);
2. Deteriorated or missing anti-collapse spring in the lower (suction) radiator hose. If suction-side hose collapses under high-speed pump demand, radiator flow will be greatly reduced.
1. Missing air dam on front valence (directs air up and into the radiator);
2. Deteriorated or missing anti-collapse spring in the lower (suction) radiator hose. If suction-side hose collapses under high-speed pump demand, radiator flow will be greatly reduced.
Last edited by 7T1vette; Aug 16, 2016 at 10:03 AM.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 19,294
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From: Charlotte NC
Lots of possible reasons for overheating at speed, but the two with the highest likelihood are:
1. Missing air dam on front valence (directs air up and into the radiator);
2. Deteriorated or missing anti-collapse spring in the lower (suction) radiator hose. If suction-side hose collapses under high-speed pump demand, radiator flow will be greatly reduced.
1. Missing air dam on front valence (directs air up and into the radiator);
2. Deteriorated or missing anti-collapse spring in the lower (suction) radiator hose. If suction-side hose collapses under high-speed pump demand, radiator flow will be greatly reduced.
DUB
Le Mans Master
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From: New York New York
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I would also check the centrifugal and vacuum advance to make sure they are working properly.
Joe
Joe
