I pondered the diameter of the coolant outlet housing, ("gooseneck") on my C1500, which also has a 350 engine. It's a heck of a lot larger on the C1500's 350 than on the LT1, and the C1500 runs cool.

Make some observations, do a little math, and maybe you can come up with something.

 

What is the area of the opening in the T-stat? On a 350 you can move the coolant to fast and not cool the engine.

 

I've heard that too

 

Don't know, you'll have to go measure yours. All stats aren't the same.

 

Your C1500 has a larger radiator and an actual grille, vettes have no grille. I think this is where the difference is, that and the radiators in C4's are too thin/too low capacity.

 

Just install a 160 thermostat. I heard its good for 100 hp.

 

and keep it running at 160 too

 

Not possible! Maximum cooling occurs with maximum coolant flow! That is how thermostats work, they control coolant temperature by controlling flow rate. More cooling occurs with a more open thermostat and thus higher flow rate of coolant.

 

If the coolant doesn't stay in the air cooling chamber (the radiator) long enough to let the passing air cool it down.... how can the coolant reduce the engine temp?

I think it's all relative.. The size of the radiator...the amount of air flow....the flow rate of the coolant

just my $.02 worth

 

I think a lower thermostat is enough, but try it and let us know

 

How come you don't think about the coolant that is in the block picking up heat also? The rate of cooling in a radiator is determined basically by the temperature difference between the air passing through the radiator and the temperature of the coolant inside the radiator. The larger the difference, the more heat is transferred. As heat is removed from the coolant, the rate of heat transfer DECREASES because the temperature difference decreases. If what you believe is true, then thermostats would work backwards, as the coolant temp increases the thermostat would close!
You need to take a course in heat transfer and thermodynamics !

 

not true, old wives tale attempting to explain external observation without complete data...heat transfer quantity is fully dependent on 'flow rate X temp change'...more flow will increase engine cooling (excepting utterly extreme high rates which will never be found here)

'production' automotive water pumps are 'centrifugal' type, designed to operate at low engine speeds, against the outlet restriction (aka 'discharge head') of t-stat/etc, with pump feed/inlet of certain size/restriction (research 'net positive suction head' or 'NPSH')...production pump 'impellers' are typically nothing more than a sheet metal stamping, 'open faced', running clearances are 'generous'...at increased engine/pump speeds, AND/OR where pump outlet restriction is reduced by t-stat removal/etc., these impellers will NOT move more water but will instead 'cavitate', and move NO water, and the engine will overheat.

 

Maybe I do.. I'm no expert like you!!! But you need to take a course in comprehensive reading!!! Because your smart azz rant makes it clear that you didn't understand at all what I was saying..
The point I was trying to make to the OP was there are more factors involved than just the diameter of the coolant outlet.
Your comment about "What I believe is true" is idiotic..

 

My comprension is fine, I answered your first question.

 

No need to insult people, most of us are here to learn more about our vettes and get honest opinons on certain subjects. Think about it next time.

 

Redrose
years ago while wrenching on dirt track race cars it was proven on our cars that not running a T-stat the engine would run hotter than having a T-stat or reducer in place. Dose your post explain why that is true OR how this is wrong If I understand what you wrote that it is not that the coolant is traveling to fast but is the lack of head pressure that causes the engine to over heat Trying to understand.

Joe

 

I do not know who jfb is. But I do know that he consistantly posts valueable information here. Who ever jfb is, he has earned my respect from what I have learned from him.

BTW........ Thanks jfb for all your postings here. My vette would not run as well as it does without your help.

Corvette Mike

 

Without a thermostat and driving on public roads at posted speeds will almost always result in the coolant running at too low a temperature and lower than with the proper thermostat in place. Most cases of higher coolant temperatures without a thermostat occur when the car is being operated at high hp and high rpm. In those cases the high rpm causes coolant flow high enough to cause cavitation (bubbles being formed where the coolant experiences turbulance). Coolant that has bubbles in it, that coolant is a very poor conductor of heat and the iron parts of the engine the temperature rises and conducts heat to the coolant that doesn't have bubbles and the coolant temperature leaving the engine into the radiator is at a much higher temperature. Using a thermostat with the butterfly removed, or installing a restrictor plate slows down the coolant flow to where it doesn't cavitate but has high coolant flow and keeps the engine coolant temp low and lower than with a good thermostat because the good thermostat wide open causes slightly more restriction and thus lower coolant flow.
On the road at posted speed and no thermostat and overheating, is due to coolant flow too high (even without high rpm) and cavitation occuring, but almost all cars at posted speeds and no thermostat will experience lower than normal coolant temperature.
There, no one needs to take thermodynamics nor heat flow classes!

P.S. Remember the knocking sound you heard in buildings that had hot water radiator heat? (elementary school for me). That knocking was caused by water flowing fast enough to cause bubbles, usually at 90 deg bends (lots of turbulance), and the knocking is the bubbles collapsing after the place where turbulance is (at the 90 deg bend). It sounds just like someone banging on the pipe with a hammer. That is cavitation.

 

In case anyone is interested the "outlet" being discussed is actually the inlet from the radiator.

 

A couple of months back I removed my thermostat for a few weeks. The temps were lower than normal.