Could your thermostat be stuck open or part open ? Seems odd to have your motor run cooler than the opening temp of t-stat? Do you have a temp gun?

cdnpont wrote:

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Just checked my oil in my 350, and it really looked filthy black. So I just had it changed. When I put it away last fall, I added a little oil, and it looked pretty clean. I run Mobile1 10/30.

I've had it out for the last 3 weeks, and have put some pretty fair miles on it. Now, with the aluminum rad, even on the hottest days, even stuck in traffic, she never goes over 200. But when it's colder out, the temp can vary between as low as 150 up to 180. It's an AutoMeter mechanical temp gauge so I believe it's accurate. 

The engine has, I believe a 190 degree T-Stat. Do I have T-Stat options...say to 210 degrees on this motor? Will this actually solve it running too cold?

 

My gut tells me that this is just way too cold to actually burn anything off, and is not doing the engine any good.

Any thoughts?

 

Cheers Mark

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         Most guys would kill for a cooling system that keeps the car at 150-180-200   Stop fussing and drive it like you stole it    oh  and buy some good oil  like Pennzoil Platium

You're right Carl...maybe I shouldn't worry. It's a nice thing to have...great cooling when it's roasting out. But on a day like today, I'll be lucky to see 180 at idle, down to 150 at cruise.

I don't think the T Stat had the hole. It's was a GM part if I remember right. An the fan is off. Decent heat from the floor when called for. Doesn't feel cold.

To me, if you are seeing 150 at crusing speed that stat is not working. You should have more engine heat than that.

One thing to keep in mind though, in the 60's the standard GM stat was a 180 for a long time in a lot of applications. 195 was considered borderline overheating. We started running engines hotter to try to improve on efficiency and emissions, so I've been told.

73SC wrote:

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The sending unit should be in the head not the intake. 

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You'll see about a 20 degree Farenheit difference between the head and the intake, with the head being the hotter of the two.

After I installed the BIG BLOCK for added torque and incredible acceleration, I worried about heating issues so I got a IR hand held. they work great. My factory gauge is ok up to a point then it goes wonky. I used the IR to set the gauge with resistors. I ran gauges simultaneously at intake and head and as Clint pointed out the head gives a higher reading and actually a truer reading of what is going on and is generally the factory location for sending units anyway. I also run a 190 stat but as other have said this is mainly for emissions. What I found was I needed a higher capacity rad so I got aluminum high capacity three core and the problems were solved. In your case I believe it is your sending unit location and perhaps a bad stat.  

Sounds like a bad motor, I'll come and get it.