Help! SBC temperature too cool

I need a little help here fellers. I've got a 9.5:1, 383 street motor in my Model A with deuce grill shell, new '32 Walker Cobra Z series, 16" Spal fan, no hood, new Procomp hi-volume pump, new 195 Stant stat, 15lb Stant cap and new Vintage Air heater. The engine runs too cool now. I had it out the other night, 31 degrees F, and around town at 40mph she ran about 145 degrees with the heater shut off. But, when I took her out on the interstate and drove for 30 miles at 70mph she ran at 180 with the heater on! Then returned to town where she ran at 145 degrees again. The fan never came on and the temp gauge has a dedicated ground. I like driving this time of the year, but I can't seem to get the temp where it needs to be and I'm freezin' my *** off with the heater not as hot as it should be. Anybody got any ideas other than some cardboard in front of the radiator?

Thanks in advance
Unkledaddy

 

Is the T-stat stuck open?

 

i'd say you stat is not closing all the way, are you sure your water level is up as well, if your water is low it never makes it into the heater core.

 

It's full of coolant? you double checked?

Might want to look at the thermostat, there's a possibility it got something stuck in it jamming it open?

 

its the stat man

 

My 383 stroker motor does the same thing.

I was driving home last night and ran it 3,000 RPM all the way home on the freeway trying to warm it up. Once I got off the freeway it warmed right up and you could watch the needle move as the t-stat opened and closed.

Good luck

 

Well I took the stat out and checked it. It's opening fully at 195F and the housing is O.K. So, I drained the radiator of the summer blend (about a 30/70 mix, provides freeze protection only to -7F) and replaced the almost 2 gallons with a 80/20 blend. I'm hoping to get about a 50/50 blend and maybe that will bring the temperature up. Thanks for all your replies. And Flat Black......mine runs 180 on the hiway at 3000rpms, but only gets up to 145 around town. The antifreeze/water ratio maybe the key.

 

The stat's not working. Get a good one. Robert Shaw/Stant. Maybe a hotter one from a later model car that's designed to run hotter for emissions, just for winter time?

 

I've had the problem for years with OT cars that ran big radiators. Currently have the problem on my stock 454 pickup with it's mammoth "camper special" radiator and oil coolers, and on an OT car with an aluminum stock car radiator and high flow water pump.

The stat's working right. But with that high flow pump and a good radiator, every time it opens a tiny bit there's a huge flood of icewater. The radiator runs so cold that the heater core is almost sufficient to cool the motor, especially if one heater hose returns directly to the radiator. My OT car has a digital temp gauge sensitive to one degree and you can literally watch the thermostsat work, unlike with a needle gauge. I've messed with thermostats and flushing and every other trick in the book over 20 years of fighting it. This is just how it is with a car setup for brutal summer cruising.

Cardboard is the answer my friend. I would NEVER give somebody **** for having cardboard behind a hot rod's grille. Just means you're using it right.

 

I would try a different thermostat first. Then look at closing off some surface area of the core. Use something better than cardboard though, maybe some thin ply with the fasteners that go through the core that come with after market thermo fans.
I wish I had your problem!

 

You could always get a cool grainy vinyl cover sticthed up for the outside of the grille, big rig style. Would be a strong statement to the world about how you use it.

 

I like Shiftys idea!! That would be cool, that way you could vary the airflow in seconds.

 

I'm on the vinyl cover. Make it out of denim look like Levis with a zippable fly to control airflow, or vinyl with teeth and a zipper. COOL!

 

I recall seeing pics of old cars with those covers, wouldn't suprise me if they were sold as an accessory. Since you've got the most popular grille shell ever, maybe somebody repops em or an original can be scrounged up??

If you do build, consider looking at those big rig covers to see what kind of hardware they use to hold the folded panels in either position. Holding them tight to prevent flapping and having several coverage options, is the key to success. I sure wouldn't want zippers flapping around, even though it'd look cool.

plan B- Make yourself a sheetmetal grille cover with some round holes, bonneville style. Start with a few holes and work your way up to where it's sufficient, but can still be used on a 60 degree day without causing overheating. Now paint and pinstripe the insert and run it 5 months of the year.

 

get a 400 block to go with the 400 crank, that should keep it warm! if not, go for a big block.