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?