What should the temperature be running on my car? it is running at around 200-220 and i believe that is too high cause i start to lose oil pressure at that temp. If i have to ill change the thermostat on it. And if it is too high what thermostat should i get?

Keith

 

What year? Most C3s have 195 degree thermostats OEM. Your 220-230 does not sound out of the ordinary.

 

i have a 1978 it just seems like its getting too hott cause when i get up to that heat the car cant take it and it starts to sputter and it isnt as responsive.

 

200-230 seems to be about normal temps for a C-3. Plus you are in Florida so the outside temps are warmer also. As far as the sputter, it could be a fuel vapor lock caused by the heat.
In my drag racing days to help with the vapor issue, I took an old tomato juice can, drilled a couple of holes in the bottom, painted it black, coiled the fuel line inside the can and dumped in ice. Never had an issue with vapor lock again and the engine love the cooler fuel

 

thats interesting... how did u figure out to do that? Thats actually a very brilliant idea.

 

Back then, (70's) you got real inventive to solve engine problems. Most serious racer's did it. Just use a beer bottle (empty) and wrap a fuel line around it, leaving enough at the start and end to pass through the top and botton of the can,.

 

Thought I was loosing my mind. I posted my opinion of this, went to another post and right back to this one and I couldn't find my post. It really bugged me and then I realized I had just posted on Digital Corvette.
Glad I straighten that out in my mind.

 

Hi Norval, maybe the age thingy is kickin in..

 

hey man hows it going didn't know u were on this one too?!?! Thats awesome now we can get to know each other better on both sites. How long did it take u to figure out that it was on the other site?

keith

 

My 70 runs 180-200,but i have seen others run as high as 220-230.

 

I've been here roughly 6 years now. I have been on Digital corvettes for a long time also under different names.

 

u remember on the other forum u said to try to put in a new thermostat? well what if i put in a different coolant that will keep it cooler like liquid ice or something like that or would u just recommend that i put in a new thermostat?

keith

 

IMO...200-220 is too high....my 76 runs 190-195....I'd change out the thermostat....put in a 160 or leave it out completely...you're in Florida...you need a heater??? WHEN? when the temp drop to the dreaded 60*....geez...come up here, I'll show ya cold

 

New Lower Thermostat is a cheap and easy shot at a fix, change it out and see what happens

 

Your motor should run at 185 for optimum fuel atomizing and wear.,A motor running at 160 wears 4 times faster then one at 185. While 200 is ok and qualify motors for nascar run up to 230 I would try to keep it around 190.
A thermostat doesn't control the upper temperature. A thermostat just holds the water back until it reaches it's rated temperature and then opens fully.
The upper limit is controled by the cooling system.
Oil temperature quickly follow water temp. I can control my upper temp with fans and I will let the water go to 200 or 210 to drive off moisture but I also notice my oil temp is about 20 degrees behind the water and goes to 180 quickly.
Put in a 160 and see what happens. It won't keep the motor at 160 but it will allow warming up to that before opening. If by some chance the motor would and it won't but if it would sit at 160 that is not good.
Try the 160 and if the temp goes again to above 200 you need to work on the cooling system.
The small shroud under the car nose is important, headlights down improves cooling also.
Good luck

Changing a thermostat is easy. In testing I changed daily . I just take the rad cap off, drop a small rubber hose in the filler neck, put a pail on the floor and syphon enough coolant out to drop the level.
Changing a chevy thermostat is a few minutes job.
If you live in Florida you could even try driving without on and see if that lower the temp.
After extensive testing I found my car ran alot cooler without a thermostat. Most of the time I run NO fan whatever and it sticks around 180-190.

 

i use to live in jersey i know what cold is all about. im moving back up there this summer can't wait. and my baby is coming with me too. but ur right its always hott down here this morning was 70 at around 7:00 im at work so i dunno how hott it is probably around 75-80 and its humid as hell. I can't wait to be back up in the snow again do some snowboarding, skiing i love it. Thanx for ur input i kinda thought it was running too high cause i would lose oil pressure and the car started sputtering sounding like it was going to die. thanx again for everything

Keith

 

I just went through the changing thermostat effort to reduce running temps. My closest track is a 1 1/2 hour drive and at 3400 rpm the engines runs hot. The 160 thermostat I installed did not help reduce operating temp. When you think about it, it shouldn't; it will just delay the time it takes to reach max temp.

After the temp reaches 220+, if I back off the throttle to 2700 rpm's the temp drops below 220 shortly after. My solution is going to be an OD trans, it will run cooler, reduce fuel consumption and engine wear. A larger more efficient radiator would also work, but only on one of my problems. My current radiator is a relatively new stock replacement.

 

Can you take a couple of New Yorker's with you?



Seriously, though...have you checked the basics? Radiator clean and functioning properly? Fan shroud, seals & lower spoiler in place? Hoses not collapsing at speed? Water pump OK? Can you post a pic of the forward engine compartment?

My car runs @ 185 all day long, regardless of the outside temp.

T. Sinclair
Delray Beach, FL

 

check the timing also, as you advance the timing the engine will run cooler..I see you live in palm beach ,you should look into the the CORVETTE CLUB OF THE PALM BEACHES nice people and a lot of help if you need it.. They meet every monday at about 5:30 at the ale house on palm beach lakes blvd.. about a half mile west of 95..if you need any more info email me at prissyo@aol.com.. MIKE

 

I'm running well below 200* here in New Mexico and Never above 210* and thats with a BBC/4spd/3:70. I would look into the efficiency of the radiator/water pump. My thermostat is a 160*. The Cool Can idea is old school and I think Moroso Makes a off the shelf one. Years ago I used to wrap the fuel lines with foil for that little bit of help on the strip. GM makes a heat shield (P/N 3969835 & 3969837) for use under the carb to help cool things and prevent percolation of the fuel in the bowls after shut down. Many after market companies still have the same kinda thing.
Larry