First of all, Tim, I was not telling you that it was dangerous to run your engine at 200 degrees. I was raised in the deserts of Barstow Calif ( now in charleston SC) and with my early experiences we found that a STOCK 283 V8 motor (195 or 225 HP) was engineered to run at 180-195. At 200 it was typical for there to be an overheating and you would have signs it was time to stop runnig the engine until you cooled the engine or found the heating dilema. Generally speaking this took place around the 200-210 mark (engine heating rises too quickly then you can have boiling until the engine has a chance to work on designed operating temps). Each car had its on little operating niches and would perform as such. You have coolant in it the Radiator, it can still boil, but, it depends on miles on engine, trans, service performed.. well you get my message. I'm not trying to be an expert here,but, I'm 58 and been playing, building and racing since I was a teenager, so without me there to hands on your car to draw my own conclusion and solutions... (One example is my 65 chevy P/U LB fleetside I've been running since VM, it, now, has a SB 400 that has Dyno at over 486 HP, That truck is all about porting, gearing and raw Hp to the rear (411 R/E) wheels). I can only operate on what I hear from you guys. Oh yes this is America, so, you don't have to except what I say,but appreciate this... I've only tried to help my fellow man, you included. I hope you find your cars niche before it gets too costly. Smitty Subject: [Chevelle-List] Operating temperature
> Gents, > Smitty, I appreciate your input, but I simply can't believe that anything > over 200 is dangerous. Perhaps you were running straight water with a low > pressure cap. I drove my Elky down from Seattle to Tucson in May with just > the warning light, and it came on once while stuck in Las Vegas traffic. It > was hot that afternoon. I never lost coolant with the pressure cap (16 lb) > and I do not have a cracked head or blown head gasket. The car ran fine > cruising on the highway and it still does (great with the HEI distributor I > put in down here.) > > When I arrived in Tucson, I put the gauge in and noted that in the heat of > the day it would run at 230, way too hot, and more when stopped at a light. > But that experience told me that the warning light probably didn't come on > until 240 or 245. Why would it: you won't begin to lose coolant until what, > 250? I never did. > > The aluminum crossflow rad I installed brought temps down 20 or more > degrees. > > I agree that sustained high-speed driving at elevated temperatures is hard > on the engine. I simply want input on what that point is. Perhaps more > directly, I suppose I need information from other desert dwellers how hot > their vehicles run under load in the heat of the day. This information will > let me decide whether I need a high-flow water pump or other improvements. I > haven't had the chance to seek out the local car clubs, but that is probably > where I should look. > > Finally, I simply refuse to believe given my experience that the venerable > 283 is as delicate as Smitty warns. A 20-degree operating range is absurd > for an engine rebuilt with late-80s head gasket technology. Or so I hope. > :-) > > Respectfully, > Tim Moebes > 66 El Camino > > -----Original Message----- > 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 > > > ----------------------------------------------------- > 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]
