Engine Temp Concerns

[Mr. Fixit]

The other day when I was about 2 blocks from returning home from a quick ride, I smelled coolant, looked at the temp gauge and it was above 240, then I was suddenly wearing some on my face. I pulled into the driveway and immediately noticed that the lower radiator hose had blown off of its neck. I let everything cool down, put the hose securly back into place and properly re-filled the system with coolant and distilled water.

Since then, each time I warm up the engine from cold, the temp goes up one time to about 225 and hovers there for a minute or so, then quickly drops to 190 (operating temp) when the thermostat opens. It will not go up again above normal unless I wait until the next day and repeat the process. I checked the t-stat and it seems to be operating when I put it in very hot water. Any suggestions?

Thanks,

 

[Duke]

You could try and drill a small hole in the outside edge of the thermostat so it will bypass a little bit of coolant.

 

[ellis8500]

Get a new thermostat. Once they've overheated they are not reliable.

 

[2old2fast]

Steve , where is your sender located, head or intake?

dave

 

[Mr. Fixit]

Get a new thermostat. Once they've overheated they are not reliable.

I wasnt aware of this. Thanks..

 

[Mr. Fixit]

Steve , where is your sender located, head or intake?

dave

It is in the head.

 

[2old2fast]

Don't know if this is the case ,but
A.you may not have noticed this before [mine's always been like this]
B. the sender is "seeing" temp in advance of the stat.
Either way, as long as it drops off & stabalizes'[sp.] I wouldn't be too concerned.

dave

 

[ellis8500]

Be sure you put the thermo in with the pellet side toward the engine. It seems like it's opening suddenly instead of gradually as it should do. It should be fully open at it's rated temp. Any time I've had an overheat condition I've always spent the few bucks that it takes for a new thermo rather than rely on one that has been over-stressed. Cheap insurance. Just did the same on my step son's car.

 

[Mr. Fixit]

Don't know if this is the case ,but
A.you may not have noticed this before [mine's always been like this]
B. the sender is "seeing" temp in advance of the stat.
Either way, as long as it drops off & stabalizes'[sp.] I wouldn't be too concerned.

dave

Good point, I may just be more focused on it now and it could have always been this way as you stated. In either case, I think I will just go ahead and change it.

Thanks,

 

[Mr. Fixit]

Be sure you put the thermo in with the pellet side toward the engine. It seems like it's opening suddenly instead of gradually as it should do. It should be fully open at it's rated temp. Any time I've had an overheat condition I've always spent the few bucks that it takes for a new thermo rather than rely on one that has been over-stressed. Cheap insurance. Just did the same on my step son's car.

It is in correctly, but I will change it just to be sure.

Thanks,

 

[Golly]

I always drill about a 3/16'' hole in the thermostat anyway to bleed out any air pockets in the system when it's being filled with coolant.
Yep, and a new thermostat is cheap insurance,

 

[rbsWELDER]

Steve , where is your sender located, head or intake?

dave

Dave,

Where do you recommend locating the thermostat?

Mark

 

[2old2fast]

Is this a trick ? Usually the thermostat goes in the thermostat housing... If you mean the temp sensor, I like to put it in the int. man. right next to the thermostat, depends on your intake... dave

 

[rbsWELDER]

I did mean sensor location.

Mark

 

[Mike]

Installing the temperature sending unit in the manifold will likely pull the big gap in temperature readings prior to the thermostat opening back to a normal level.

Leaving the sending unit in the head is showing you temperatures where they are most critical.

It's a coin-toss.

 

[2old2fast]

My thought is that in the manifold , you're seeing the whole engine , while in the head you're really only seeing that side.. now ,if you had a sender in both heads w/ 2 gauges .... Hmmmmm

dave