MY truck is the coolest!!!

[69GMCLonghorn]

Just had to brag a little bit.


This is on the original radiator that's only been rotted out once in 40 years (about 6 years ago)! The temp when I left work was 104°!!! I just drove 20 miles in mixed traffic, then 70 MPH @ 3000 RPM. The temp gauge just sat right at the first line, whatever that might be, and never moved!

Doesn't it make you feel sorry for all the overheating FORDS out there?!

[vectorit]

yep, my burb temp gauge sits right there during hot weather driving all the time. If it moves past, I know there is something wrong.
What T-stat you running? mine is a 180.

[bmacd]

Are you sure your gauge and sending unit are working correctly. Mine read at the notch below H but a few time but my mech. gauge was right at 175-190

[69GMCLonghorn]

I'm running a 160° T-stat, and the gauge appears to be reading correctly. When I got the truck, it had a 180° T-stat and would read just a hair over the first line. Once I put in the 160°, it hasn't moved beyond where you see it. I would say if you're running at the line below the H, something's not quite right.

[kxnomore]

That's cool man! LOL

I like the blue guage cluster too.

[69GMCLonghorn]

I'd like to find another blue gauge face, but no one seems to make them. Mine is getting pretty bad. I'm either going to have to try and paint it myself or go with something different if it gets much worse.

[67ChevyRedneck]

I thought this was going to be a "I've got A/C now!" Thread

But this is cool too

['72customdeluxe]

That's exactly where my temp guage sits at 102 or so degrees here aswell. Does anyone know what the silver canister hanging off a stock compressor is called? It decided to crack right as soon as the temps started hitting the 90's this year and dump all my freon. Maybe it was my fault

[lofly'a]

that canister is a muffler i think, it cuts down some of the compressor noise...

[Lated]

Pretty sure the canister is a dryer for the AC.

[mrein3]

The "can" on the hard part of the line off the compressor is a muffler. The can in front of the core support is the receiver/dryer.

If your hard line can broke you need a new set of lines. If you open the system - and yours already is if your hard line broke, you need a new receiver/dryer too.

[68C10withA396]

My gauge reads 190 when driving and 210 when sitting in heavy traffic. electric helper fan dropped it down by 20 degrees. i've got a mild built BBC 396 so that may make a difference. Any input to drop it more?

[69GMCLonghorn]

Originally Posted by 68C10withA396

My gauge reads 190 when driving and 210 when sitting in heavy traffic. electric helper fan dropped it down by 20 degrees. i've got a mild built BBC 396 so that may make a difference. Any input to drop it more?

I'm not sure how old your radiator and/or engine is, but if you take it to a radiator shop, there are a few things they can check pretty quickly and cheaply

1) Check the radiator to see if it's plugged and deal with it accordingly.
2) They can do a back flush on the block. It removes a lot of surface scales and gunk that might have built up over time. This can do SO much for your temp issues. I've had this done on another car and NEVER had heat probs afterwards!
3) The obvious: check the water pump
4) They can also check and see if any exhaust gases are passing into the coolant. If there is, it usually means a crack and/or a head gasket is blown. You know what you're in for at that point.

[prostreetC-10]

I'm not a radiator expert but keep in mind too that a motor can run too cool. This is why you will hear people say "get it up to normal operating temperature". I think your motor needs to have a minimum temp to promote health cylinder combustion. I highly doubt, if I understand your post correctly, that you motor is running at 104*.

[texanidiot25]

104 is IMO too cold. Engine probab;y isn't running efficiently at that level. Hence why motors have lower MPG when warming up, and in cold weather many times. Too cold and it doesn't burn fuel efficiently.

This is why later 70s and 80s cars run hotter stock, than older and current cars. It was a cheap trick to get better emissions.

[69GMCLonghorn]

Sorry, I guess I didn't clarify... The AIR TEMP OUTSIDE was 104°... I'm assuming the truck is running at 160° since that's the T-stat I have in it and it warms up until it opens and just sits there... So it's getting warm enough... My cylinders are healthy as Jack La Lane... wait, is he still alive??

[texanidiot25]

Ah, that's way better.

Better than my old Firebird. It warmed up to 220*F during the summer. And that was normal for it. Cheap 80s tricks...

[prostreetC-10]

Agreed......that makes a big difference.

I S-canned my stock fan for the Flex-a-lite 18" in their 10,000 rpm series. That is the Fo-Shizzle. Dropped my temp by almost 20* in warm weather.

[michael bustamante]

Im runnig a 4 core rad and a seperate tranny cooler, with an electric 16" fan and mine never goes higher than this also, although one time the fuse blew and I had the truck idling and the temp went waaayy up! (oops) watch those fuses boys!!

[UltraBlue71]

I just put a brand new 4 row and water pump with a 180 degree t-stat and stock fan thats right where mine sits once its warmed up too.

[LOW DOUGH]

From what I understand your motor needs to get to 190* (operating temp) to burn of moisture in the crank case. I also been told it needs to run at 190* for about 30 min. to burn it out/off.

This is why short trips aren’t good for the motor. It never reaches 190*.

[69GMCLonghorn]

Originally Posted by LOW DOUGH

From what I understand your motor needs to get to 190* (operating temp) to burn of moisture in the crank case. I also been told it needs to run at 190* for about 30 min. to burn it out/off.

This is why short trips aren’t good for the motor. It never reaches 190*.

Don't believe it! You'll also get the story that the "SENSORS" on newer vehicles don't operate properly if the motor is below the melting point of metal... There may be some exceptions, but very few vehicles need to run that hot. I have a '95 Chevy truck that I have run with a 160 T-stat for 15 YEARS! It has always passed smog and never missed a beat and now has 190,000 miles on the original engine and trans. I'm convinced the cooler you can run the thing, the longer it will last. HEAT=KILLS

[LOW DOUGH]

Well, I will tell you that putting a lower t-stat than stock in a fuel injected vehicle WILL change the air/fuel mixture. The computer takes the temp it reads and adjusts the mixture from that reading.

Not saying don't do it. I had a 90 E350 with a colder than stock t-stat. Ran fine.

and the 190... Believe what you want. I have heard this statement from many reputable people. The moisture burns off at 190. Has anyone else heard this?

I also do run a 160 in my 71 durring the summer. It never gets warm enough in the winter for it.

[vectorit]

I think with the older stuff like our trucks, there is a lot more wiggle room to play with temps for performance.

My Dad has a 07 C6 vette that we have been modifying, and we needed it to run a little cooler with the new computer program. (We drilled a small hole in the T-stat to let it get a little cooler when it is shut) It would run like a beast, and gave the best numbers on the dyno. But a sensor in the motor caught the temp difference and put up a temp alarm on the dash, so my Dad thinking it was something minor took it to the stealer, and they put in a new one and the little red light went away. Even though the computer saw it running healthy.

They gave him a talkin to about messin with it, since they recognized the mod as an old hot rodding trick. Plus it's obvious the car isn't stock anymore.

[69GMCLonghorn]

Originally Posted by LOW DOUGH

Well, I will tell you that putting a lower t-stat than stock in a fuel injected vehicle WILL change the air/fuel mixture. The computer takes the temp it reads and adjusts the mixture from that reading.

Not saying don't do it. I had a 90 E350 with a colder than stock t-stat. Ran fine.

and the 190... Believe what you want. I have heard this statement from many reputable people. The moisture burns off at 190. Has anyone else heard this?

I also do run a 160 in my 71 durring the summer. It never gets warm enough in the winter for it.

Your point on the fuel injection is exactly why you CAN run a cooler T-stat on F/I motors. It adjusts for temp and barometric pressure differentials so you always get the proper air/fuel mixture. On the '69 Chevy C/20 that I grew up with, it ran hot a couple times and died because it ended up running too rich. If it was F/I, the computer would have compensated by leaning it out a bit... and I would have seized the engine from running it at 8000°, but that's a different story.