Ideal motor temperature

[nawlins-tim]

My motor seemed to be dooing great. It,s a high performance 350 but has an old factory iron fan and clutch. Around the back streets (under 50 mph) It runs in the 180-190 range. real cool. Then on the highway and on longer runs down the HIGHWAY it was going about 205.And I am planning for any improvements I need to make this summer.
I want to hear what other small blocks are running. and any problems and solutions

 

[megaladon6]

i know it seems off topic, but what trans and rear gear ratios do you have?
205 is still ok BTW. but, you may not have quite enough flow. first fix would be a high volume water pump, then a larger radiator. after, of course, making sure that all components (including the block) are functioning properly and clean.
or, you can run Evans NPG+ coolant, in which case you want the indicated temp to be higher, and the coolant won't overheat until about 400*F+ anyway. i have the NPG+ in my car and it works well and i'll probably never have to change it. but it is expensive and there can't be any water in the system.

 

[megaladon6]

and a maybe stupid question. is it the original radiator and was it a V6 car?

 

[jrm81bu]

And where do you have the sender located? In the head or intake?

 

[Bonnewagon]

Never heard of an iron fan, steel maybe or aluminum. A good factory fan with a properly functioning clutch should be able to handle it. I much as I like a 4 row wide V-8 radiator, I used to run a 3-row narrow V-6 unit in my Malibu with Pontiac 400 and it was fine, never got over 195 in summer. The fan was a 19" stock Pontiac unit with a new ($40) clutch, the clutch being key.

 

[79loserbluebu]

Do you have anything added in front of the radiator? If it is cool in the city but not highway, it seems like you have an airflow problem.

 

[Blake442]

205* is absolutely nothing to worry about...
Most people strive to have their cars operate in the range yours is already in.

Too many people see the 180* rating on their thermostat and assume that it will keep their motor at 180*.
This is not the case, and also not what they're designed to do.
That is simply the temperature they open at that temp, and the water pump/radiator/fan do the rest.

I wouldn't even put a moment of thought into it unless it was creeping past 225* on a regular basis.

 

[nawlins-tim]

Really thats what I wanted too hear == numbers. But I am running a 3.42 gear. A th350 with a 2500 stall. The sender is in the center of the intake crossover. And my car is definatelly a 305 ci v-8 car and seems to be the origional radiator , which I thought was a 3 row to begin with.
I have had cars that every time out would hit 225* if I hit a little traffic. But that is just it mine gets hotter the longer I run on the HIGHWAY. Can't be an airflor problem cuz I have less airflow at 35mph and that is where it runs coolest. I live in New Orleans and we will hit some 95* plus temps this summer and I forsee a problem.
One last thing I was going to get my A/C running and I do have the condenser in front my radiator. I was considering a heavy duty/ towing fan clutch . I'm thinking my fan clutch is slipping (as it should) but seems the highway wind would cool the motor ,with a cowl hood. I don't know. Electric maybe. what next?

205* is absolutely nothing to worry about...
Most people strive to have their cars operate in the range yours is already in.

Too many people see the 180* rating on their thermostat and assume that it will keep their motor at 180*.
This is not the case, and also not what they're designed to do.
That is simply the temperature they open at that temp, and the water pump/radiator/fan do the rest.

I wouldn't even put a moment of thought into it unless it was creeping past 225* on a regular basis.

 

[megaladon6]

you are correct about the airflow. if you were overheating at idle/low speed it's a fan/airflow issue. at speed there's more than enough.
but, with 3.42's and a 350 you're turning, what? about 3krpm at highway speeds? if you have a stock radiator and water pump they just aren't capable of flowing enough coolant to keep the temp fully suppressed.
not that this is a problem at your temps. but if you were to want to drop them down, i'd start with an aluminum high volume water pump.
actually that's not true. just in case i'd start with flushing the coolant system if it hasn't been done in a few years.

 

[pontiacgp]

Do you have the stock shroud?