454 overheating possibly?

[68black_betty]

my 454 is will not cool down according to my temp guage, it started about a week ago, letting it idle to warm up usually it hits 190 and the themrostat pops but lately it would just continue to heat up until i started driving it then it would go back down to 190, that was about a week ago, over the last few days it would heat up even after the thermostat popped but it would bounce back and forth from about 220 to 240, i replaced the thermostat and its still doing it, im gonna go pick up a temp gun today to see if the engine is really overheating or my gauge is just went out, but a bigger question of mine is before this all started happening, as soon as the thermostat popped it would kick out hot air with the heat on, bout a week ago it would hit 230 as i said but the heat wouldnt come on til you started driving, it would just be kicking out cold air, has anybody haerd of this or had that happen to them, im not losing coolant at all, and its not really burning oil anymore than a normal big block

[QKENUF4U]

do you have one of those valves in your heater core hose ? maybe its not opening and allowing it to circulate correclty ?

[68black_betty]

nope no valves, you can feel the hoses when the thermostat pops, and it doesnt feel like anything is backed up

[GASoline71]

Stock original 40 year old radiator?

Gary

[68black_betty]

haha im pretty sure im doing a radiator flush today to see if thats it, i just dont get why the heater is only blowin hot air when it wants to

[cdowns]

have you checked coolant level

[eightbanger]

Could be something as simple as a blockage, try flushing the heater core.

Do the heater hoses warm up when the stat is open and the rad is hot? if not then it could be a waterpump issue.

[68black_betty]

yeah the heater core starts spittin out hot air once i start drivin, i ran the temp gun on the block and it isnt overheating, so i believe it could just be faulty guage or sensor, but i noticed after drivin to a friends, there was some coolant splash on the hood so im thinkin blown head gasket right now, has anyone heard of heater problems from a head gasket, also bout to flush the radiator hoping its not a blown head gasket

[Shyguy]

Does your engine have a bypass hose, about 4'' long, from the water pump to the intake.
The one on my 454 split and was blowing coolant onto the hood and air cleaner.

[eightbanger]

Didn't want to mention head gaskets as it was the scary option, but yes, what you describe with the heater can be a symptom of blown HG if thats the case you should see a brown foamy type deposit on or around the oil filler cap, and you would find you need to keep topping up your coolant.

[68black_betty]

checked the bypass hose, no cuts or holes changed it out anyway, according to the temp gun my engine is overheating at all, and im really hopin it aint the head gasket, wouldnt be a big deal to me except i have a set of heads gettin done in the shop and i get them back in a cuople of weeks, so i really dont wanna change out a head gasket just to change it out again in a few weeks, just flushed the radiator and bout to take it out see if its still doing it, i really think it may just be the engine temp sensor though

[eightbanger]

i really think it may just be the engine temp sensor though

Fingers crossed for ya.