v8 t-stat, what else should i check Options

[smrz914]

So i took my t-stat out and put 3 1/8" holes in it. Anything i can/should chech while i'm in there?

[John2kx]

(QUOTE) My gauge shows above 260 and this is taken from the side of the block b/c the relay that turns on my fans is connected the the intake.

260 is too damn hot! Is this the way it has always run or a recent problem?

[QUOTE]What happens at extended idle?

[/QUOTE]Get's hot

So you have high operating temp. at idle as well as at highway speed? Just so we are clear on what you call hot........do you see 260F in both situations? If you start car and just let idle, will it reach same high temp. as while on highway?

[QUOTE]Are you using a expansion tank? Where is it mounted? Does the coolant in expansion tank always come back to same level after car is completely cooled off (over night)? If not, you've got some sort of leak (internal or external) that could lead to high operating temp.

(QUOTE) My expantion tank is mounted in the rear trunk. It seems to work properly and levels seem to be normal and consistant.

I would move expansion tank to engine bay and mount as high as possible. This will help eliminate air entering system during cool down. The long length of hose to rear trunk and its low mounting position is not the desired setup.


[QUOTE]Do you know how to burp system?

[/QUOTE] I hope so, no one ever gave me instructions and i think i have tried most posibilities. I even went as far as widdleing down a peice of hose so it fit's inside the t-stat opening and connected the other end to the bottom of a bucket. Then i ran the car and water worked it's way into the bucket and then a whole bunch of water entered the bucked and then vacated. So the water cycled up and down every 3 or 4 seconds. This is also something i find odd.

This is not the proper way to purge air from cooling system and may be the root cause of your high operating temps. This is the procedure:

1. Fill system from high point in engine bay. Leave radiator cap off overnight and let excess air excape. Top off system after allowing to sit overnight. Hopefully you have a radiator cap and fill point in engine bay mounted higher than intake manifold.

2. Start engine with radiator cap (in engine bay) removed. Watch water level at this location and how it flows now that you have bleed holes in t/s. You will see air bubbles work their way out of system at this point while engine is running. This will take about 5 minutes as engine gets up to temperature. Have radiator cap handy since water in system will expand as it warms up. Install cap with engine running as water level starts to escape at this point. DO NOT turn engine off at this point of procedure.

3. Take car out for a drive and get up to opeating temp. Turn car off. When fans are about to turn off (about 170F), open petcock at top of RADIATOR to remove air. You will see a mixture of water and air escape. When you get a solid stream of water, shut off petcock.

4. Do this a couple of times and you should be ready to hit the road.


[QUOTE]Who's water pump are you using? Since you didn't have bleed holes in your thermostat, there is a chance you damaged impeller if rpm exceeded 2-3000 before t/s opened.

(QUOTE) Interesting because my first one from Renegade hit the fan (one of the impeller blades came off so I went to my FLAPS and they found me a replacement out of steel and not aluminum. The pump is a suspect being that the shaft that connects the pully and the impeller might be slipping.

Hmmmmm.......the first damaged impeller was most likely caused by not having bleed holes in thermostat and running engine above 2-3000 rmp before t/s opened. Since you just drilled holes in your t/s, you may have performed the same damage again to new impeller. Unless you measured your old impeller with the new one, I would question if the clearances (impeller to water pump housing) are the same. If they are not, the water pump will not work as designed. Go after this last since it is the hardest of what I'm asking you to do.

[QUOTE]Have you checked all hoses to ensure no kinks exist in system?

[/QUOTE]The hose is either the green stripe hose that renegade recomends or preformed sections to make curves. I can't find any kinks.

The tightest turns in system are the hardest to see. Double check the hoses running from water pump to front of engine block. This is where you can run into trouble due to lack of visability in addition to tight fit at bulkhead. Run you hands along hoses going to front of block or check from underneath car to ensure no kinks are present. This one bit me once.

I'd still like to see recent pics of your installation as it would be more benefical than a brief description.

Other:

1. Have you altered the timing lately?

2. Changed air/fuel ratio? Both can effect cooling temperature.

3. Your method of measuring water temperature is not correct. Since water flows from water pump to block, then to heads and then intake, the desired probe location would be intake. Your 260F reading might be higher than what your seeing now.

4. What are you using to measure temperature? I've seen false readings caused by $10 gauges. Does your engine have that "I'm hot" smell after a highway run? If you are really running 260F, you should be able to smell it and even hear some weird sounds when engine is shutdown.

John