I am still having issues with the coolant temperature. Has anyone noticed the temperature increasing with the
addition of headers?
My temperature sensor is located between #1 and #3 cylinders. I had to install a different sensor when I converted
to digital gages and put the new sensor in same location. Was running about 225 degrees on a day when approximately
90 degrees outside.
I have recently installed a new 4-core radiator with a 18" Perma-Cool electric fan. The fan kicks on at 170 degrees.
I mounted the fan sensor in the water neck above the thermostat. The fan is working properly. I was still running
about the same temperature with the electric fan. (They recommended removing the fan shroud which I did).
I just got thru installing a Stage 2 Stewart Water Pump along with a modified 180 degree RobertShaw thermostat
and am still running about 210 degrees.
I know the gage is accurate because it has been checked with a thermal gun and it is right on.
I am just wondering if the heat from the headers is reaching the sensor causing a higher reading than I actually have.
The only available place I have to mount the sensor is in top of the water pump.
Any suggestions or thoughts would be appreciated.

about 210 degrees.

 

What mixture of coolant are you running? I don't have headers but I recently put a 160* thermostat on my car, replaced the radiator seals, and used a 15% coolant / 85% distilled water with one bottle of Water Wetter and I can't get my car over 165*. I have a stock radiator, fan and water pump. I would think with your pump, radiator and and fan you should have no problem. How much air does your fan move? I've heard that some could be underpowered for our application but I'm not sure how much air is necessary.

P.S. My car was running 220*-230* before this.


[Modified by 79MakoL82, 3:05 PM 8/23/2001]

 

I running a mixture of about 30% anti-freeze and 70% water. All seals in place and I added seals at the top between
the radiator and condensor as I don't have the conventional ductwork for the breather.
This is driving me crazy.

 

When I looked into an electric fan, a lot of them indicated they weren't powerful enough to cool our engines. I'd check and make sure the fan can move enough air. Check the thermostat to make sure it's opening at 180* (pot of boiling water, meat thermometer, and a piece of string to dangle the thermostat in the water with, don't let the thermometer or the thermostat actually touch the pot because you need to know the water temp not the pot temp). Lastly, you could go a little less on the coolant. You can safely go down to 15% coolant, but you may need to increase that in winter up in frigid KY. I used a bottle of Water Wetter and I don't know how much this helped, but you might give it a try. With the few simple improvements I made, I had a 60* swing. I'm actually considering going to a 180* stat now because my engine runs TOO cool.

Of course, it could be as you suggested that it's the placement of the sensor next to the headers, but someone else would have to chime in here for that.


[Modified by 79MakoL82, 3:29 PM 8/23/2001]

 

I too was running hot and switched to a 160 deg thermostat. That helped a bunch. Also, not sure why they say remove the fan shroud. Did you also remove the fan? Which side of the radiator did you mount the fan?

Another option is to wire the fan to a toggle switch inside the car. That way you control when it comes on.

Good luck! P.S. Check to make sure your distributor cap and rotor are o.k. Also, your timing may be too far retarded which can cause an engine to run too hot.

Regards, mark :chevy

 

The fan is a puller. Yes, I removed the shroud as per instructions from Perma-Cool. The fan kicks on at 170
degrees and also kicks on automatically when the air conditioner is engaged. The distributor and wiring is OK.
I am thinking about seeing if the shroud will fit with the electric fan. My timing is set at 12 degrees but I am not
getting but about 25 degrees total. Lars is building me one of his recurve kits. I may just wait until I recieve
that and get it installed and see if that helps.
More suggestions are encouraged.

 

I tried all sorts of things to keep from overheating while at idle on hot days. If I had the AC on, forget it. I found that most of the electric fans, with the exception of a couple of duals that sit right against the radiator and have a built in shroud, don't work. I had the one of the highest rated single Perma-Cool fans and it just didn't work.

When I decided to rebuild my engine I decided enough was enough and went with a Griffin aluminum radiator, Stewart stage I pump, etc. But I still had problems, and I was so pissed because of all the money I dumped. Someone suggested going back to the stock fan and thermal clutch. What a difference. I never go over 180 (my thermostat temp) with the AC off and not much higher with the AC on.

If you want to keep electric fans, it seems the Spals are the way to go, but expensive.