Cool/Heat: Overheating

[Rafe Hollister]

I just ran my 56 powerHawk today after it sat in repairs/mods for 8 months with no coolant. It's 65 degrees out, I just drove the car 3 miles. It has a new aluminum radiator, electric fan, and hoses (new shroud mimics the one on the 88 Camaro donor car). I did not run the fan. (I once drove my car with stock shroud but no fan, it got up to 200 a few times but mostly stayed normal). I have pure distilled water in it (now that I know it doesn't leak I'll put in coolant). As I'm working on replacing the gauges, my coolant temp gauge is not working. But when I got back, things seemed way too hot!
So I gotta figure out the temp gauge. I plan to replace the thermostat with a 180 tomorrow (that's what's in it now). I replaced the water pump a few years ago.
Can a thermostat go bad sitting dry?
Do I have air in my system?
Any other advice?
Thanks,
Rafe Hollister

[medium_jon]

I wondered if there was just air in places. I’ve heard that after a drain and a refill that you would need to refill after running the engine.

jon

[christophe]

I would use an infrared thermometer in various places of the cooling circuit to check it's condition.

[Rafe Hollister]

I did on my next drive, thanks for the idea.
Rafe

[Rafe Hollister]

I've heard stuff like that also. Since I posted, I have removed the thermostat and that area was full of water. I tested it with meat thermometer in heating pot of water. It begins to open just past 180.
What's this I hear about drilling a little hole in something to let trapped air out?
I have an infrared thermometer that I use mostly to play with the cats, I'll try it on my cooling system tomorrow.
Rafe

[StudeRich]

The small "Hole" is drilled in the Thermostat.

[jackb]

Is it possible your cylinders need to "wear off" sitting crud on the walls ?

[JoeHall]

It needs a fan

[bensherb]

I second that !

[jackb]

Define: "seemed way too hot" ?

[Rafe Hollister]

After 2.5 miles I couldn't touch the radiator and it felt like a sauna when I lifted the hood.
Rafe

[mbstude]

I just drove the car 3 miles. It has a new aluminum radiator, electric fan, and hoses (new shroud mimics the one on the 88 Camaro donor car). I did not run the fan.

Turn the fan on.

[JoeHall]

Did anyone mention to have a working fan in place before you even start the engine again? It's kinda important, unless you wanna destroy the engine.

[Tired iron]

Yep, Thom...you need your fan on! Highway cruise could have it off, but anything slower than that you will over heat quickly.

[Jeffry Cassel]

That is where it is supposed to run. Newer cars run 200 to 210 degrees so if you took fan out of an 88 Camaro, that is where it is gonna run!

[Rafe Hollister]

OK, I've been driving the car with no thermostat and the fan on, no issues! When I bolted back the thermo housing, I also added over a gallon of fluid, and that much did not leak out. I just connected my new SpeedHut water temp gauge, so when my new thermostat arrives tomorrow, I will be all ready to mess around with fan on and off.
Rafe

[Tired iron]

Consider adding a tiny LED and drop resistor somewhere unobtrusive on or below the dash and wire it parallel with your fan. That way you can see when your fan is running. I have done that on various rigs and it is helpful and interesting to when the fan is on since you can't hear it when you're driving.

[bensherb]

You'll also need to add a diode to the circuit if you don't want the led to light when the fan is off and you're at freeway speed. The wind turning the fan at freeway speed will generate enough power to light the LED, though not quite as bright. This probably only happens if you have a "Bypass" switch to bypass any thermal switch and turn on fan manually.

Yes, I have LED indicator lights to tell me when the fans are running and also have a bypass switch and thermal switch.

[r1lark]

Hmm, sounds like an adjustable coolant temp switch wired into the fan would be a good idea. That way you won't forget to turn the fan on and off manually. What if someone else had to drive the car and didn't know to turn the fan on (and is one of those who don't watch gauges because they are used to new cars that will have Siri or Alexa tell you "Your car is overheating, stop now").

[Jeffry Cassel]

180 degree thermostat is what we used to call the winter thermostat. Back when, you put it in in October and took it out and put in a 160 degree thermostat in the spring. If you were to leave it in, your car would overheat in July and August.

[Rafe Hollister]

I'll remember to pack an extra thermostat gasket next time I drive inland from the coast. If it's running hot, I'll just take the thermostat out.
Rafe

[bensherb]

Thom lives on the north coast of Ca. it's still winter there; compared to here it's always winter there ! About 270 miles northwest of me, as the crow flies, and 30-40 degrees colder. I'd be surprised if it's not raining there or at least overcast and gloomy; it seems to be the norm. Hi Thom!

[Rafe Hollister]

It rains 101 days per year on average. It gets up to 80 maybe twice all summer. The temp drops below freezing at 3:am maybe twice a year. I'm not big on heat and harsh sunlight, at my age I don't thermo-regulate so well. When I go inland I take plenty or water and a spray bottle. I remember a few years ago a Studebaker guy broke down in the desert... and died a short distance from his car.
Rafe