" GRUMPY? I'm having problems with my SBC 350 overheating just a little when I travel on the HIWY more than 20 miles.
Normally it would stay at 180 deg. Now it's going up to 190 deg and when I get off the expressway it goes up to 200 deg, some times 210 deg.
What is the safe operating temperature for a Chevy Small Block?
Id suggest checking your ignition advance and timing and level of coolant and oil, as a first step.
those temps are about normal here in florida, but that doesn,t mean you can,t reduce those temps if your concerned.
oil temps should generally be about 15 degrees higher than coolant temps and as long as coolant temps don,t generally exceed about 220F-230f degrees while running you'll be fine,the more efficiently you can transfer heat to the outside air flow the easier it will be to reduce engine temps.
I generally try to keep my coolant temps in the 190f range , but in slow traffic on a hot day they can and do go up.
you might want to look into adding a larger more effective fan and shroud or larger aluminum multi core radiator or auxiliary oil or trans cooler, both of which reduce the heat load on the radiator.
if your concerned adding a larger capacity oil pan, and an oil cooler can easily reduce engine temps, a salvage yard can supply an electrical fan assembly fairly cheaply.
many people find that adding a more efficient fan design or an additional electrical pusher or larger pull fan helps reduce temps. swapping to a higher capacity alternator has been shown to speed up electrical cooling fan speeds and reduce engine temps, in many cases.
(1) the larger the heat transfer surface area the better the system tends to operate, but a minimum of about 1.5-2 square inches of radiator fin area exposed to effective air flow per cubic inch of displacement is generally required
(2) oil does much of the initial heat transfer in the engine, keeping the oil cooled to no more than about 15F above the coolant temp, reduces the heat load on the radiator coolant, so adding a high capacity 7-8 quart oil pan and fan equipped, remote mounted oil cooler can dramatically reduce engine operational temps.
adding an aux oil cooler with its own electrical fan,
and ideally a transmission fluid cooler with its own electrical fan,
would significantly reduce the heat load on the radiator and engine coolant
(3) air flow rates are critical so a well designed fan shroud and a fan(s) easily capable of pulling 3000 plus cubic feet per minute in air flow is very helpful
https://www.amazon.com/VIOFO-Circui...ocphy=9012039&hvtargid=pla-586493323860&psc=1
as mentioned you could use a fuse power tap,, but.. Ive generally just found a source for a switched power with a multi meter,
or tapped off the battery terminal and added a manual switch...depends on what I was trying to accomplish, Ive generally run 10 ga wire to a relay is any significant amp loads were anticipated,
and soldered in a relay and fuse as required.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/...MI-rP_gp6F5AIVyAOGCh3PWAB_EAQYASABEgKCevD_BwE
https://www.amazon.com/PACK-AMP-Wat...DJGHS4MHT2D&psc=1&refRID=SDXCB01E5DJGHS4MHT2D
https://www.amazon.com/Ehdis-Truck-...=B01KFKEHMG&psc=1&refRID=SDXCB01E5DJGHS4MHT2D
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Normally it would stay at 180 deg. Now it's going up to 190 deg and when I get off the expressway it goes up to 200 deg, some times 210 deg.
What is the safe operating temperature for a Chevy Small Block?
Id suggest checking your ignition advance and timing and level of coolant and oil, as a first step.
those temps are about normal here in florida, but that doesn,t mean you can,t reduce those temps if your concerned.
oil temps should generally be about 15 degrees higher than coolant temps and as long as coolant temps don,t generally exceed about 220F-230f degrees while running you'll be fine,the more efficiently you can transfer heat to the outside air flow the easier it will be to reduce engine temps.
I generally try to keep my coolant temps in the 190f range , but in slow traffic on a hot day they can and do go up.
you might want to look into adding a larger more effective fan and shroud or larger aluminum multi core radiator or auxiliary oil or trans cooler, both of which reduce the heat load on the radiator.
if your concerned adding a larger capacity oil pan, and an oil cooler can easily reduce engine temps, a salvage yard can supply an electrical fan assembly fairly cheaply.
many people find that adding a more efficient fan design or an additional electrical pusher or larger pull fan helps reduce temps. swapping to a higher capacity alternator has been shown to speed up electrical cooling fan speeds and reduce engine temps, in many cases.
(1) the larger the heat transfer surface area the better the system tends to operate, but a minimum of about 1.5-2 square inches of radiator fin area exposed to effective air flow per cubic inch of displacement is generally required
(2) oil does much of the initial heat transfer in the engine, keeping the oil cooled to no more than about 15F above the coolant temp, reduces the heat load on the radiator coolant, so adding a high capacity 7-8 quart oil pan and fan equipped, remote mounted oil cooler can dramatically reduce engine operational temps.
adding an aux oil cooler with its own electrical fan,
and ideally a transmission fluid cooler with its own electrical fan,
would significantly reduce the heat load on the radiator and engine coolant
(3) air flow rates are critical so a well designed fan shroud and a fan(s) easily capable of pulling 3000 plus cubic feet per minute in air flow is very helpful
https://www.amazon.com/VIOFO-Circui...ocphy=9012039&hvtargid=pla-586493323860&psc=1
as mentioned you could use a fuse power tap,, but.. Ive generally just found a source for a switched power with a multi meter,
or tapped off the battery terminal and added a manual switch...depends on what I was trying to accomplish, Ive generally run 10 ga wire to a relay is any significant amp loads were anticipated,
and soldered in a relay and fuse as required.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/...MI-rP_gp6F5AIVyAOGCh3PWAB_EAQYASABEgKCevD_BwE
https://www.amazon.com/PACK-AMP-Wat...DJGHS4MHT2D&psc=1&refRID=SDXCB01E5DJGHS4MHT2D
https://www.amazon.com/Ehdis-Truck-...=B01KFKEHMG&psc=1&refRID=SDXCB01E5DJGHS4MHT2D
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...per-vs-aluminum-in-radiators.4230/#post-11173
http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/leaking-freeze-plugs.846/#post-1621
http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/copper-head-gaskets.827/#post-1231
http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/preventing-leaky-head-bolts-studs.50/#post-59
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...-system-mods-that-help.2187/page-2#post-54400
http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/sealants-and-threads.805/#post-45066
http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/parts-prep-cleaning.6255/#post-41064
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...ans-cooler-on-a-c4-corvette.10514/#post-44478
http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...flow-rates-and-heat-transfer.9880/#post-37712
viewtopic.php?f=57&t=149
viewtopic.php?f=57&t=7774
viewtopic.php?f=57&t=5607
viewtopic.php?f=57&t=2756
viewtopic.php?f=57&t=176
viewtopic.php?f=57&t=1540
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