The effect of intake air temp on engine temperature.

[Ve8r]

this thread is on page 5 and I don't see any post by the op that the temperature on the gauge has been authenticated, this problem could just be in the sender or gauge

I posted Saturday i drove the car 28 miles at 55 mph and the temp gauge never went over 190. The car can be left all day idling with the A/C on and it will never go over 190. I am having problems at higher engine/ cruising speeds. If you keep the car at around 55 mph it does fine.
would you like readings with another temp gauge and sensor or would a laser thermometer be ok?

 

[Ve8r]

Running down the highway at 75mph, not sure a fan would have anything to do with it. I tried running a sender in the intake (small Chevy) and got erratic readings. Guess that's why temp senders were in the head from the factory. A couple things I would check is that the AC condenser is not clogged with dirt, leaves, etc. I have seen many packed with dirt. Running the garden hose through will wash it out. Also the mixture of antifreeze/water. The first car I built with a new engine, I put in all pure antifreeze. It ran hot. Local mechanic got a good laugh out of that one.

I'll try sticking the temp sensor in the head this weekend and see what kind of reading I get. The main reason I put it in the intake is that is where the factory idiot light sensor was located on this vehicle(which is now located in the thermostat housing).

 

[Ve8r]

Those parts store 3 core brass rads are known as restrictive junk. Either a big two core aluminum rad with 1" tubes or a 4 core aluminum version, a member on here runs a 10 to 1 Olds 403 with a Champion 4 core and it cools fine, another hard to cool engine. I assume no under drive pulleys?

Any suggestions on brand of radiator that is a known quality unit without breaking the bank? I know it's a lot to ask, but I would rather spend my money on family than a car.

 

[Ve8r]

If it overheats at speed with a core support airdam in place, either the radiator, the water pump or the thermostat are not working properly.

If all three are brand new and you are driving 70mph through a 110 degree desert with the A/C on and it reads 220, then the timing in the motor is too retarded

I am running 48 degrees total timing with vacuum advance hooked up. All is in by 2500rpm.
It's a Gm Goodwrench engine with the factory camshaft, edelbrock performer intake, and Rochester carb. It has a super low compression ratio and 76cc combustion chambers.
It's pulling 20 inches of vacuum at idle. 900 rpm idle while not in gear and 750 in gear.

 

[Texas82GP]

I may have missed it, and if I did sorry, but what trans? Since it is a high speed heat problem I'm wondering if it is heat from an auto trans? When towing with an auto I've had the experience that the faster I went, the more the temp gauge climbed. I'm wondering if it is an auto, is it a higher stall speed torque converter? I'm wondering if an external trans cooler would help. I think your cooling system is fine. The temp gauge could be validated with an infrared thermometer. I think you have plenty of advance. My ideas are heat from trans, coolant circulating too fast at higher RPM's for the radiator to do its job, or perhaps its a little lean at part throttle cruise. I doubt it is a lean condition since it's fine at 55. Hope this helps.

 

[UNGN]

Is the 3 row Diesel Olds radiator brand new or out of a junked 1980's Diesel Olds?

 

[Ve8r]

I may have missed it, and if I did sorry, but what trans? Since it is a high speed heat problem I'm wondering if it is heat from an auto trans? When towing with an auto I've had the experience that the faster I went, the more the temp gauge climbed. I'm wondering if it is an auto, is it a higher stall speed torque converter? I'm wondering if an external trans cooler would help. I think your cooling system is fine. The temp gauge could be validated with an infrared thermometer. I think you have plenty of advance. My ideas are heat from trans, coolant circulating too fast at higher RPM's for the radiator to do its job, or perhaps its a little lean at part throttle cruise. I doubt it is a lean condition since it's fine at 55. Hope this helps.

It has a 2500 B&m converter in a 400 trans. I have a trans cooler on it with a temp gauge. It never gets over 180.
It will not even stall anywhere near that speed with the low Po engine it has in front of it.😉 now with the old 455 that it used to have bolted to it definitely would.

 

[Ve8r]

Is the 3 row Diesel Olds radiator brand new or out of a junked 1980's Diesel Olds?

It was a new unit I purchased when I worked for ADvanced auto parts many moons ago.
I had the radiator checked about three years ago by a local radiator shop about three years ago. He claimed he removed the tanks and inspected it( you could tell the tanks had been brazed back on), so I have no real reason to not believe him. He said there was really no reason to clean it, he said it looked almost new internally.

 

[olds307 and 403]

The Champion rads are decent quality. I had the 3 core, wasn't big enough for my 403. Get this one
http://www.championradiators.com/American-Eagle-Oldsmobile-Cutlass-radiator-shroud-1978-1987
Or this one.
http://www.championradiators.com/store/3542644/Oldsmobile-Cutlass-radiator-4-row-1978-1988

 

[Ve8r]

The Champion rads are decent quality. I had the 3 core, wasn't big enough for my 403. Get this one
http://www.championradiators.com/American-Eagle-Oldsmobile-Cutlass-radiator-shroud-1978-1987
Or this one.
http://www.championradiators.com/store/3542644/Oldsmobile-Cutlass-radiator-4-row-1978-1988

Did you use electric fans or the original shroud with a engine driven fan?