Dan and Tom. I've owned many a chevelle and the 283 called for a 180 degree Thermostat. If your temp goes over 200 you could have boiling and steam, this a warning to stop and let your enigine cool down. We use to leave the engine running and spray water into the front of the Radiator until she cooled down enough to get the Rad. cap off (NEVER add water to a HOT engine with the motor turned OFF, This will surely crack you block), covering the cap to keep from getting yourself burnt, then we would add water to top her off. You reach the 220 mark and you've cooked the head gasket and probably cracked a head as well. Hope this will help, Smitty in SC ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dan McIntosh" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, December 13, 2002 4:56 PM Subject: Re: [Chevelle-List] 66 283: temp gauge AND idiot light
> How about a brass t-fitting in the port? > I think around 200 is normal operating temp, and 220 is really bad. My > Impala runs around 195 most of the time, but then again I don't drive it in > Arizona!! > > Dan McIntosh > 64 Impala SS > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Tim Moebes" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Friday, December 13, 2002 5:29 PM > Subject: [Chevelle-List] 66 283: temp gauge AND idiot light > > > > Group, > > > > I recently installed a temperature gauge in my 1966 El Camino so I could > see > > how hideously hot it was getting in the Tucson heat this last summer. > > (Funny, the vehicle was fine up in the Pacific Northwest.) > > > > As you know, the temperature port for this early vehicle is located in the > > intake manifold adjacent to the thermostat housing. It does not have a > > temperature sensor in the heads like later models. > > > > Not seeing another available port, I simply disconnected the wire for the > > temperature light and left it for another day. Is there a solution that > will > > allow both the gauge and light to function on this vehicle? There does not > > seem to be another available port. > > > > There is a smaller-diameter plug toward the back of the manifold in front > of > > the distributor. Does anybody know if this is an oil or vacuum fitting? > Any > > advice or suggestions would be appreciated. > > > > A second question: How hot is too hot for sustained driving in the desert > > heat? I installed a larger radiator which has greatly increased the > > vehicle's cooling capacity, but I would like to know the opinions of the > > group as to what temperature is really safe. The engine is a smooth but > poky > > 283 4-bbl originally rated at 225HP. It was rebuilt in the late 80s > without > > any performance pieces. > > > > Thanks, gents. > > > > Tim Moebes > > > > > > ----------------------------------------------------- > > To Unsubscribe please visit www.chevelles.net/list.html > > To start a new topic, send mail to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > ----------------------------------------------------- > To Unsubscribe please visit www.chevelles.net/list.html > To start a new topic, send mail to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ----------------------------------------------------- To Unsubscribe please visit www.chevelles.net/list.html To start a new topic, send mail to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
