Does your Grille get hot?

[100mph]

Anyone notice their grille getting fairly hot after only a short drive?

I'm just finishing putting together my 69 SWB 402BB and took it out for a 10 minute run, idled for a few minutes, shut it off, went to pop the hood and the grille was almost too hot to touch.

Water temp was reading normal, fan was sucking in (thought maybe it was blowing out) and otherwise everything else seemed fine.

Is this normal? Is it just acting like a big aluminum heat sink?

Thanks!!

[bigguy69]

i wouldnt think that would be normal.

[100mph]

Thanks... so yours doesn't get hot?

['72customdeluxe]

Mine doesn't at all

[mdwilf]

I wonder if it is getting hot from an electrical short? My first thought was "fan blowing wrong way", but you said that was not the case.

[100mph]

hmmm.... yeah, fan is sucking in, nice and cool between the grille and rad and I'd assume an electrical short would have done more than heat up the grille (like catch something on fire or at least blow a fuse).

Raining here now but I'll take it out again and try to figure it out but if anyone else has any input or suggestions I'd love to hear it.

[dan42]

Mine does not get hot either - is there any way something it is touching something that is conducting the heat from the motor?

[100mph]

Originally Posted by dan42

Mine does not get hot either - is there any way something it is touching something that is conducting the heat from the motor?

That's kind of what I'm starting to think but what would be different about mine than yours?

The rad and rad support get pretty hot too which is pretty normal (I think?) - did I miss some insulating 'mounts' for the grill, is the hood latch just conducting the heat from the rad support to the grille?

Just can't figure out why I appear to be the only one??

[pat 70/71]

how hot is your weather at the time this is happening? would understand the outer grille getting hot from the sun? I would try wrapping the headers maybe larger cfm fan? best of luck, Pat " my grille does not get hot " are you running a shroud?

[GruntMoanCough]

Maybe post a pic or two, someone might see something wrong. Just a thought.

[100mph]

Originally Posted by pat 70/71

how hot is your weather at the time this is happening? would understand the outer grille getting hot from the sun? I would try wrapping the headers maybe larger cfm fan? best of luck, Pat " my grille does not get hot " are you running a shroud?

Outside temp is about 65F and not sunny at all. Running an electric fan that seems to keep the engine temp normal and running stock manifolds (for now).

I appreciate everyone's input!! I'll take it out this week with a temp gun and see if I can't trace the heat backwards from the grille - the heats got to be just transferring through to the grille but the mystery is why just on mine???

[LowBow]

is it a factory grill or aftermarket metal piece?

[retodd7711]

Originally Posted by GruntMoanCough

Maybe post a pic or two, someone might see something wrong. Just a thought.

X2.
Hard to figure out without a pic.
I have never noticed the grill on my 71 getting too hot to touch.
305 with stock manifolds and I don't run a shroud.

[pat 70/71]

Hey 100 mph, just a quick note, the main electrical to the cab runs over the core support. it could be that your wire loom has a short & somewhere its contacting metal. try to go over that section of the loom you might find the short . thats where I would look first. best of luck, Pat

[chevysittinsidewayz]

Originally Posted by pat 70/71

Hey 100 mph, just a quick note, the main electrical to the cab runs over the core support. it could be that your wire loom has a short & somewhere its contacting metal. try to go over that section of the loom you might find the short . thats where I would look first. best of luck, Pat

good thought, just turn the key on and wait to see if the grille gets hot, if not i would make sure coolant isn't staying stagnant in the radiator after the engine warms up; even if its only moving a little it could heat up the aluminum grille

[bigguy69]

i am with everybody else, i would look for a short myself. i have run the trucks i owned pretty hard before and popped the hood. didnt feel hot. i would unhook the battery if it is going to be sittin for awhile. i would hate for it to start a fire and burn down your truck until you could figure out what it is.

[special-K]

Does just the grille get hot?Is the core support hot?And,if it`s some crazy short it should get hot w/o the motor running,right?

[100mph]

Thanks guys!!

I'll look for an electrical issue but it's all new wiring and have had that much together for months and never noticed anything till I took it out for a run

core support is hot too bit figured that's normal??

I'll get back to the shop (it's at my buddies) and investigate more

I'll post back what I find during the week

thanks again!!

[vectorit]

Mine doesn't get hot at all.

But, have you made sure that your radiator rubber bushings are good? These are the rubber troughs that the rad sits in, and then there are two on the top as well.

Just throwing this idea out there too. But do you have the stock cast iron exhaust? If so, do you know if the heat transfer flap is working correctly? This is the flap that is on the passenger side, and is opened with a thermostatic spring once the engine temp has reached it's trigger point. If it's broken, or stuck then I would think that it would cause more heat in the engine compartment.

[pat 70/71]

100 mph , We took our truck to a cruise night tonight 20 minutes one way @ 35 mph got home checked my grille and it was hot! we must remember radiators radiate heat! ( the outer grille was real warm to the touch) my truck runs great and has no problems with over heating. 100mph, if your truck runs well and the fan turns on I think your fine do not stress over this & have fun your truck will let you know when it needs service ..Pat

[100mph]

Originally Posted by pat 70/71

100 mph , We took our truck to a cruise night tonight 20 minutes one way @ 35 mph got home checked my grille and it was hot! we must remember radiators radiate heat! ( the outer grille was real warm to the touch) my truck runs great and has no problems with over heating. 100mph, if your truck runs well and the fan turns on I think your fine do not stress over this & have fun your truck will let you know when it needs service ..Pat

Thanks Pat, it does make me feel better that I'm not alone LOL. I'll check it out more this week though but yeah, the truck seems to run great, fan turns on when it should, temp stays normal etc