210+ at idle : (
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 102
Likes: 1
From: St. Jacob IL
Marc,
I have been fighting a hot engine in mine for a while. My fan shroud was shot when I did my motor replacement so I didn't reinstall it. Consequently I am running warm, although it is encouraging to see here that the water neck temp should be higher than the head temp. My heads don't have a sender provision so I had to mount my sender in the thermostat housing. I am running a 180* thermostat and I generally run about 185-210 most of the time. Idling in traffic gets scary at times so I am going to try to install an auxiliary fan. I have another thread on here asking for some help getting the wiring diagram down, so if you are interested I can link you over there and I will post pics when everything is finally hooked up. I am going to try to use a 12" pusher initially just to give it a bit more help. Something to consider.
I have been fighting a hot engine in mine for a while. My fan shroud was shot when I did my motor replacement so I didn't reinstall it. Consequently I am running warm, although it is encouraging to see here that the water neck temp should be higher than the head temp. My heads don't have a sender provision so I had to mount my sender in the thermostat housing. I am running a 180* thermostat and I generally run about 185-210 most of the time. Idling in traffic gets scary at times so I am going to try to install an auxiliary fan. I have another thread on here asking for some help getting the wiring diagram down, so if you are interested I can link you over there and I will post pics when everything is finally hooked up. I am going to try to use a 12" pusher initially just to give it a bit more help. Something to consider.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 145
Likes: 13
From: Athens AL
Update / recap - I've made great progress on getting the temps down in my LS-5 / 454 car. Even with the factory radiator (not aluminum), I'm rarely seeing 210 degrees anymore, even around town. This is what the improvement can be attributed to:
- Make sure you aren't losing any coolant. (I had pin holes in the radiator and expansion tank.)
- Drill two .250" holes in the skirt of your 180 degree thermostat.
- Run 93 octane fuel (in any engine with higher than a 9:1 compression ratio)
- Run 80/20 distilled water to antifreeze ratio and add a full bottle of Water Wetter
- Run vacuum advance from manifold, not from carburetor (this made a really, really big difference in the operating temperature). While you are at it, replace all the caps on your carb vacuum ports with new ones. (Costs less than $5)
- Set ignition timing to 36 degrees at 3000 rpm. I got my best results by setting the time to 36@3000, then making several very minor adjustments until the car to run smoothly.
- Make sure your lower (vacuum side) radiator hose has a coil in it so that it doesn't collapse under pressure.
*not running a high volume water pump
*not running a high flow thermostat
- Make sure you aren't losing any coolant. (I had pin holes in the radiator and expansion tank.)
- Drill two .250" holes in the skirt of your 180 degree thermostat.
- Run 93 octane fuel (in any engine with higher than a 9:1 compression ratio)
- Run 80/20 distilled water to antifreeze ratio and add a full bottle of Water Wetter
- Run vacuum advance from manifold, not from carburetor (this made a really, really big difference in the operating temperature). While you are at it, replace all the caps on your carb vacuum ports with new ones. (Costs less than $5)
- Set ignition timing to 36 degrees at 3000 rpm. I got my best results by setting the time to 36@3000, then making several very minor adjustments until the car to run smoothly.
- Make sure your lower (vacuum side) radiator hose has a coil in it so that it doesn't collapse under pressure.
*not running a high volume water pump
*not running a high flow thermostat
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 216
Likes: 0
From: Eugene OR
I have had a lot of cooling problems with my '72 small-block and everything described here has been part of the fix (aluminum rad, timing, vacuum, chin spoiler, electric fans, high-flow water pump, water wetter). The only thing that I changed that was not mentioned here (and may be helpful to you) was the lower rad hose. I put in the one with the spring to make sure it doesn't flatten out and reduce coolant flow.
You can find an example of the BB version here:
http://www.ecklerscorvette.com/corve...1969-1974.html
Good luck!
You can find an example of the BB version here:
http://www.ecklerscorvette.com/corve...1969-1974.html
Good luck!
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 15,892
Likes: 42
- Run vacuum advance from manifold, not from carburetor (this made a really, really big difference in the operating temperature). While you are at it, replace all the caps on your carb vacuum ports with new ones. (Costs less than $5)
- Set ignition timing to 36 degrees at 3000 rpm. I got my best results by setting the time to 36@3000, then making several very minor adjustments until the car to run smoothly.
- Set ignition timing to 36 degrees at 3000 rpm. I got my best results by setting the time to 36@3000, then making several very minor adjustments until the car to run smoothly.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 145
Likes: 13
From: Athens AL
