Hmmm.. Cooling system probs after new motor...

[UnderPressureGT]

What does this sound like to you guys??

I have a 160 tstat and i know for a fact that it opens at 160 degrees... however, the temp will climb up to as high as 190-210... once its at 210, i woiuld try to drive faster and leave it in 5th, and then itll eventually go back to 190..... Why is this running too hot???? sure its not overheating, but its something thats bothering me...

My cooling system consists of

SVO high flow waterpump (1 week old)
Ron Davis alum radiator (1 yr old)
160 Tstat
zirgo 3300 cfm electric fan.....

what gives here??????? it sounds like a fan problem, but i dont get whyyyyyy

 

[5spd GT]

Personally I would try a 180* thermostat (Motorcraft or Mr. Gasket) for better overall cooling performance. I would burp the system as well just to cancel out another variable. Run the car at idle with the rad. cap off and pump the radiator hose to get any excess air out (could be trapped air bubbles)...

 

[HISSIN50]

I agree with David. Also is it running hot while mostly stationary, or in mixed driving?

Are you sure the system is holding pressure? And the fan is coming on when it should?

Good luck.

 

[UnderPressureGT]

its getting hot in mixed driving.. it stays at 180 from a dead idle and nothing else but once i start to drive, it gets higher... fan is always on..

 

[bluevenom867]

Hmm...check your radiator,maybe?

And what do you use for cooling,strait water or water w/ anitfreeze?

 

[UnderPressureGT]

50/50

 

[bluevenom867]

Well,it aint the coolant then.

Only other think I can think of is that maybe the svo pump is too much for that t-stat (pumping to fast,not transfering the heat to the water).

 

[olymaster]

your radiator cap could be shot
no pressure in system can cause this
coolant has to be under pressure for proper cooling

 

[emeraldcoupe]

is this a "new" engine, like fresh rebuild? how many miles? the engine will run a little hot until it's broken in

 

[UnderPressureGT]

fresh with 49 miles on the clock now.....

There IS pressure in the system.. when i flip the lever on the cap, it goes back into the overflow..

 

[88GT17MA]

yes new engines will run hot, I'd change the t-stat to 180 and keep an eye on it.

 

[HISSIN50]

FWIW, I am not one to buy into the "no t-stat or too-low-of-a-temperature T-stat will cause the car to run hot" idea.
The system is self-regulating and closed. Some say the coolant is flowing quickly through the radiator (what some folks claim - implying that the coil does not contain the coolant long enough to reject heat). But that also means the coolant is not in the block long enough to heat up as much as it would otherwise.

Otherwise, assuming the motor went together alright (with regard to surface matings), I am not sure what to suggest. Does Mike have any ideas?

Good luck.

 

[willys1]

Joe r u running under drive pullies? Do you use cats?

 

[UnderPressureGT]

no underdrives and no cats.....

i have a probable cause of it running this hott..... The guy today, who fixed my intake leak, told me that i have a 195 TSTAT because he read the numbers on it..... Sure that could do it, but even on my old motor, it never opened that hot..... Tomorrow, ill see at what temp it opens at..... i mean that could explain it.... it goes up to 195 and dropps to 190, or climbs to 200...... Only weird thing is.. I can swear on my old motor i had a 160.. i even remember buying it and never seeing my motor get this hott.... weird??

 

[HISSIN50]

no underdrives and no cats.....

i have a probable cause of it running this hott..... The guy today, who fixed my intake leak, told me that i have a 195 TSTAT because he read the numbers on it..... Sure that could do it, but even on my old motor, it never opened that hot..... Tomorrow, ill see at what temp it opens at..... i mean that could explain it.... it goes up to 195 and dropps to 190, or climbs to 200...... Only weird thing is.. I can swear on my old motor i had a 160.. i even remember buying it and never seeing my motor get this hott.... weird??

That explains it a bit. 210 with a 195 stat is nothing (some stats dont open all the way till a bit after their rated temp). I would toss a quality 180 (or your temp choice) Mr Gasket (fully balanced, opens fully sooner, has a bleed hole, etc. Very nice products) or other high quality stat in there, and see how you do.

Good luck.

 

[UnderPressureGT]

update.... 180 put in today.. turns out that the old one really is a 160...... still have the same problem.. it runs pretty hot.. The temp range is between a steady 195-200 to 210... why is it running this hott??? The only thing else i have to do probably is put another fan on the oposite side of the rad and use a pusher/puller setup...... The fan i have now is advertised at 3300 cfm! I dont get it! 3300 is more then enough to stay cool right?!! this is a crock... The fan is the only thing i can thing of... the whole cooling system is new

 

[HISSIN50]

If you remove the rad cap and use a cooking thermometer in the water neck to monitor coolant temps, does the cooking thermo read the same as your gauge? Unless something is really wrong, I dont see how your temps are so high or your gauge is funky.

Good luck.

 

[UnderPressureGT]

could the fan just not be enough?? ill try the cooking thermometer tomorrow.....

From a cold start, it will idle for a while at 182 degrees with the thermostat opening and closing.. but once i start to drive, it will climb up a bit..... im clueless here..