What happens when the temp hits 287 degrees?

[gchemist]

You pray that the engine does not die!!! Yes my 305 survived yet another radiator hose mishap. The first time the temps hit 245. This time since the hose at the intake was the problem all the water was spilled quickly. Not a pretty sight when you see oil smoke coming up from under the truck in traffic. I manage to get off to a side road and wait for help. 287 degrees when I turned off the motor! Put the hose on, filled the radiator, added 1.5 quarts of oil and started her up. Then hot rodded to get to work. WOW is all I have to say. I could hear the water boiling inside the block. I thought the motor was finished. To my surprize it started right up without missing a beat. Heck I think it idles better now too. Oh, well. I parked it until I can change the oil, water and oil pressure sending unit. I love the oil I use. 20/50 Castrol GTX!!! That oil helped my 163000+ mile motor survive yet another possible failure. Oh, good thing I run a seperate tranny oil cooler too.

[ocbaud]

you should have let it die

[GMC1tondually4dr]

Should have let it die!?!?.. .....Naaaah!!!!

It can't be killed now

Its all clearanced, loose and ready to rock, the immortal 305 lives!!!!!!

Just my .02
CCDually

[1FaastC10]

immortal 305? HA! i think that sorry piece is WAY beyond immortal, i've been waiting to see a post where it kicks the bucket for almost 3 years... i might actually dump some cash into my 305 and drop it into the big truck temporarily.

[76HighSierra]

Originally Posted by 1FaastC10

immortal 305? HA! i think that sorry piece is WAY beyond immortal, i've been waiting to see a post where it kicks the bucket for almost 3 years... i might actually dump some cash into my 305 and drop it into the big truck temporarily.

I gotta give props. If it's survived this much, it is without a doubt, the toughest 305 I've ever seen. 99.9% of them are nothing but boat anchor material. Sounds like you have a good one. :p

[Destructo]

I had one in my old GMC that had been through hell of something probably like 10k mile oil changes, there was so much baked oil built up under the intake in the lifter valley I had to pull it out by the hand ful literally and then vacuum it out. She still ran but not that great but got the GMC around and I beat on that thing too, it was actually my first truck and I had headers, exhaust and a holley carb on it and beat it, had a knocking wrist pin but that didn't stop trips to the 5k rpm mark hehe. Never died far as I can tell, I sold the truck for 1400 bucks and it had no rust.

[apstguy]

My trusty 305 had an oil pump fail. 144,000 miles and it runs like it is brand new. You just can't kill these things. Power sucks but you can't kill them!

[SanitysBane]

the PO of my truck killed mine by never chaning the oil in it, the return holes in the heads were plugged solid. all of the rod bearins were starting to spin, good thing or else i would be drivin' around in a boring old stock 305.

[Grim Reaper]

May not have actually got that hot. Might have got a steam bubble by the sender as it was puking out coolant.

The early 90's engoines had some flow problems with the surpentine set up. They would cavitate the coolant a a steam bubble would form at the sender. My old company van had this happen. funny thing is it waited til it had 10k on the clock before developing this problem. You could drive down the road and it would swing from Normal to read line and then back down. It has 10 k on it then and It had 100k on it when it got sent to anohther shop.

[383drvr]

I have over 300,000 miles on my 305 and all it does is smoke some. Still runs like a top and has decent power still. Its been run out of oil, no water, leaned, etc. just while I've owned it. Cant kill it!

[Grim Reaper]

Originally Posted by 383drvr

I have over 300,000 miles on my 305 and all it does is smoke some. Still runs like a top and has decent power still. Its been run out of oil, no water, leaned, etc. just while I've owned it. Cant kill it!

hehe. My sister had a Toyota corolla like that. Leaking oil real bad. SHe brought it by for me to see if I could fix it. Pulled off the oil filter. Last oil change the brand filter was different and the oil seal was a little different location. They didn't clean the flange.
So I cleaned flange put on a new oil filter. He oil light didn';t work either. I figured burnt out bulb. Pull the dash...nope it's good. I look for the sender...Hay the wire is off. Plug it back up I get light with key on. I start it and the light stays on. I shut it off. I check the dip stick. Nothing showing. I pull the drain plug and about 1/2 a quart rolls out.

Don't know how long it was without oil but my sistert was delivering Pizza at the time. So 100,000 miles later it finnaly puked a ring.

[383drvr]

Thats like what I went through with my Dad's Volvo. Did an oil change, pulled the plug and less than half a quart came out. I'm like WTF??? Cant kill those Volvo B23's either.

[gchemist]

I'll have an update on Thursday. I'm doing the maitenance on Wed. I'm driving the truck to a machine shop. I'm getting a quote and hopefully a deal to start my 355 SB. The poor engine has just been sitting in a barn too long. It's time to wake it up. The truck was only 400 miles from it's 3000 mile oil change. Oh, well. I'll use Castrol GTX in all my vehicle from now on. I'm not sure on the steam pocket theory. I just saw the temps gradually rise to 287. Then probably slightly higher after I turned if off. I had to wait to open the hood so it could cool off. Temp outside was a near 95 anyway. I'm going to a 180 thermostat and drive it till it dies.
Remember she was almost dead once too.

But you sure could not tell from this pic.

[Tom]

man G I too have been waiting for your post saying its finally dead and this AFR headed 355 is actually built, had my hopes up on this one

[Grim Reaper]

Originally Posted by gchemist

I'll have an update on Thursday. I'm doing the maitenance on Wed. I'm driving the truck to a machine shop. I'm getting a quote and hopefully a deal to start my 355 SB. The poor engine has just been sitting in a barn too long. It's time to wake it up. The truck was only 400 miles from it's 3000 mile oil change. Oh, well. I'll use Castrol GTX in all my vehicle from now on. I'm not sure on the steam pocket theory. I just saw the temps gradually rise to 287. Then probably slightly higher after I turned if off. I had to wait to open the hood so it could cool off. Temp outside was a near 95 anyway. I'm going to a 180 thermostat and drive it till it dies.
Remember she was almost dead once too.

But you sure could not tell from this pic.

Just don't use 10w40. It ALL crap unless it's synthetic. GM will void your warranty if they find you ran any brand 10w40 it's that bad.

[Kendhul]

Originally Posted by GMC1tondually4dr

Should have let it die!?!?.. .....Naaaah!!!!

It can't be killed now

Its all clearanced, loose and ready to rock, the immortal 305 lives!!!!!!

Just my .02
CCDually

Yep, ive been waiting for mine to die, but it wont. The oil pan drain plug backed out some how and dumped all the oil out of the engine and roasted the coolant so it ran with no oil no coolant for 20+ miles freeway speeds in 95 degree weather. I was just gonna run it home because i had a 350 sitting in the garage. I changed the oil oil filter flushed the coolant and replaced it and it started right up. It burns alot of oil now and over heats frequently. but its still not dead and i drive it everyday.

[crackajacka]

the only reason i got rid of my 305 was a chipped piston lol. but it did run good with a rv cam and flat top pistons lol

[cliffsta]

Originally Posted by 76HighSierra

I gotta give props. If it's survived this much, it is without a doubt, the toughest 305 I've ever seen. 99.9% of them are nothing but boat anchor material. Sounds like you have a good one. :p

Hey Now!! My 1980 C10 has the original 305 with the original carburetor, although the carb has been rebuilt once and it needs to be replaced right now in a bad way. The truck has over 145,000 miles, probably closer to 150 because my dad drove it for a living. Granted the 305 isn't the best motor for these trucks, but the only 2 that are better for a 1/2 ton is the 350; a 454 is overkill unless I were racing, and i don't. I think the 305 is a reasonable choice for 1/2 tons; it may not make that much power, especially if it is 1980 or before, but torque is still good, and it also is better than any of the 6 Cylinders.

[gchemist]

Hey, that boat anchor will smoke some stock 350s.

I drove the truck around yesterday. I changed the oil, added some water and added a new 180 thermostat. To my surprise I already had a 180 thermostat. What a POS!! The truck would run from 190-205 in traffic with the A/C on and electric fans running. Yesterday in 97 degrees it never went over 186. I'm buying modine thermostats from now on. I'll be taking it easy for a few days. If I see no problems then I'm getting back on it!!