Howdy all- I have a 1954 Oldsmobile Super 88 Sedan with rebuilt 324 rocket engine. Runs fine but on the highway or straight away cruising the engine temp goes down towards cold. Sometimes the motor hesitates just for a quick second, like a quick miss when its running cold like that. (though that could have been needing new points yet it only did that when the motor was starting to cool while driving without stopping) I have a 195 t-stat installed. The radiator cap is 7 pounds. I even put cardboard in the grille to keep it warm. What could cause this? Perhaps I have the carburetor running lean that would cause it? I am coming from a 1951 Plymouth Flathead six... never had this problem. Any suggestions on keeping the motor WARM?
Your in the 40’s as for temp in Chicago right? Check to see if thermostat is stuck open even if it is new.
Place some cardboard in front of your radiator until you figure it out. It’s not good on your engine to run around cold.
Are you sure the gauge is correct? Maybe install another gauge temporarily or use a temp gun to verify the dash gauge is reading correctly. Take out your thermostat and put it in a pan of water on the kitchen stove with a candy thermometer in it. Watch the candy thermometer and see what temp the thermostat opens at. It should open around 195. (You may want to wait until your wife is gone to do this).
^^^^^ On that note. On our red 56 Chevy the factory temp gauge works every now and then only in the summer. The tiny windings of copper wire on the gauge are suspect in this case. Do have secondary mechanical temp gauge.
perhaps I'll go and get another 195 from Napa and see if that one works. I did put this current t-stat in a boiling pot of water and it opened up and when I removed it from the water it closed. I did use a IR gun on the housing and the temp sending unit and it said it was rather cool...about 170 at the sending unit.
perhaps the gauge itself is off. Maybe I'll try a secondary gauge and see what that ones says. tomorrow is supposed to be cold!
I have one of these. Ill plug it in see what it says. https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p...MI9-T9i5qUkQMVizgIBR3aBTyQEAQYAyABEgK0ePD_BwE
The gauge isn't going to affect the operating temp of the engine, if it isn't working right it will just read wrong. Being as it is only hitting 170 or so with a 195 thermostat I am thinking that the thermost is having issues especially if the cardboard trick brings the temp up and you get heat out of the heater. I used to block off the whole grill on my 48 in the winter with a 180 thermostat and sometimes a 195. That thing is so drafty that even wearing insulated carharts I would get cold.
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