shane92g Posted August 20, 2010 Share Posted August 20, 2010 Hello all, my question: Is it normal for a 454 big block engine to operate at temps of 230? I believe this is causing my engine to shut off when in reverse as I attempt to back uphill in the garage. I always felt the engine ran hot and just installed gauges today when I got back home a short 10 - 15 min ride, the engine temperature was at 230 and exceeded that number once I finally got the car garaged and turned off. What are your thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wallaby Posted August 20, 2010 Share Posted August 20, 2010 That's too hot. Water boils at 210, and if under pressure, will go even hotter before it boils. I start to worry if my 454 gets over 200. It's always going to rise after you turn off the engine because the water stops circulating...that's normal. As for the engine shutting off, that sounds like something different. The engine torques the opposite way when the car reverses...maybe it moves enough to short out a wire or something? Try reversing with the hood open and your foot on the brake. Does the engine move a lot? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shane92g Posted August 20, 2010 Author Share Posted August 20, 2010 Thanks for the reply wallaby, I'll check the reversing action tomorrow as the enigine temperature has me worried. I'm going to have the thermostat and water pump checked ASAP! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shane92g Posted August 20, 2010 Author Share Posted August 20, 2010 but again this only seems to happen as the engine grows hotter. Thanks again... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyDavey Posted August 20, 2010 Share Posted August 20, 2010 down by the sea shore in So.Cal water boils at 212 but maybe Sactown is below sea level.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chevyss Posted August 20, 2010 Share Posted August 20, 2010 What is a normal temp for the BBC? I just installed a new set of gauges and the temp hits 210. It has a 195 thermostat in it. Could not having a by pass hose have something to do with temp? I plugged it off because everytime I got on the car it would blow off. Maybe is should change the thermstat????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cali Z28 Posted August 20, 2010 Share Posted August 20, 2010 It also depends on where you have your guage hooked up to, is it in the head or the manifold? If your sensor is in the head you could be getting a hotter reading due to being close to the exhaust manifold or header. My BBC runs around 180ish (sensor in the intake manifold), but it will reach 210 stuck in traffic and not moving. If all the parts seem ok (water pump, radiator is it a 4 core?) I would certainly get a thermostat that opens quicker, before I went to an electric water pump I ran a 160 thermostat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chevyss Posted August 20, 2010 Share Posted August 20, 2010 Water pump is new and the radiator is a Be-cool with two electric fans. Think I'll change the thermostat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wallaby Posted August 20, 2010 Share Posted August 20, 2010 Sensor placement is a good point: I also had higher readings when I used the sensor in the head. [insert joke here] Modern cars use high temerature thermostats to improve efficiency, but they also have computer controls to regulate ignition timing and fuel ratios. Our antique systems don't have that control, and running hot tends to make them ping and have trouble with fuel delivery. I think the standard thermostat options for our cars was 160, 180, 195. I always considered the 195 to be the choice only when 180 just wasn't enough to get good heat from the heater. You're right Dave, water boils at 212...I guess mine here has minerals in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam (Bones) Posted August 20, 2010 Share Posted August 20, 2010 I run a 160 stat, and only two electric fans, in traffic it gets to 195 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyDavey Posted August 20, 2010 Share Posted August 20, 2010 Royce, one thing I've noticed with the 502 is that it is very sensitive to air in the system, you need to run the by-pass. What kind of pump are you running now? Jack the car up on the left side and it will help get the air out. Keep working at it until you are sure you have all the air out of the system. As Scott and Mark mentioned make sure you use the intake for the sensor. You can go to a lower stat which will keep it cool longer but if it's a hot day or in traffic after a point the stat doesn't matter, it's still gonna run hotter. 210 won't hurt anything but something in the 180's/190's would be better. What is your coolant mix? The more water you run the cooler it will be. In your area for the summer I would drop the mix to 10% anti-freeze and change it back for the winter....Davey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chevyss Posted August 22, 2010 Share Posted August 22, 2010 I'm running an Edlebrock long snout alumn pump. When we put antifreeze in it I think we put it 50/50. I heard of that issue with air in the system. I'll check it out tomorrow. I'll put a 160 in it. When winter comes I'll put it back to 50/50. Thanks Davey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amsterdam84 Posted August 22, 2010 Share Posted August 22, 2010 Sorry if this is a hijacking but I have a similar problem. SBC 350. I'm running a 180 thermostat and when I start the car and it warms up it will go past 190 and climb to 230-240+ then drops to around 190 depending on how im driving it. I've replaced the thermostat once already with the same temp and still get the same result. Is this a sticking thermostat or something else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heckeng Posted August 22, 2010 Share Posted August 22, 2010 Mike, it sounds like it could be a sticky thermostat, or really slow flow causing it to take a bit for the cooler coolant to get into the engine and cool it down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amsterdam84 Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 So did I get a second failed thermostat? It did that before and replaced it with the current one. Perhaps my water pump is giving out. Should be less than 5 years old though...hmmm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GM POWER Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 Hi ! installed a 160 degree and drilled a hole 9/64 where indicated on the picture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wallaby Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 Mike, I'm going to guess that your temp sender is in the head? If the sender is located closer to the thermostat in the intake, it will give readings closer to what the thermostat actually sees and it will probably display numbers that seem more normal. Is the temperature spike a "one time thing" that happens as the engine warms up, but then settles down to normal after that? I've never seen a water pump that quit moving water...a bad water pump is usually one that leaks or has a bad bearing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monte70car Posted August 23, 2010 Share Posted August 23, 2010 I have the stock sender in the head and one by the thermostat both read about the same unless I'm in traffic. Think I'll see what time my thermostat opens and turn my elec. fans so it gets on at a good temp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shane92g Posted August 24, 2010 Author Share Posted August 24, 2010 I installed a 160 thermostat and the temp drop down to 190/200. It will rise to 210 as the car sit and idle but has not went pass. Im planning to also to replace the current radiator in the very near future, any suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GM POWER Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 Hi ! installed a 160 degree and drilled a hole 9/64 where indicated on the picture. Hi! Shane92g If thou drills a hole like on the photo, the temperature should it take between 185/195 degree Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
420ponies Posted August 24, 2010 Share Posted August 24, 2010 Hi,355 cubes, 3row copper radiator, 180 thermostat.Was 2row radiator 192 thermostat.when hot it was 210-220 now its 180 all the time.it did climb to 190 in the traffic in Carlisle but was not going any higher.mix is 50/50.with the added coolent I think its doing the trick.I put the 180 in it with the 2row and it was running 195-200 mostly.it has a 18 1/4 " 7 blade flex(wide blade fan) on it with the factory shroud.sending unit in the cylinder head, drivers side,yes next to the header.I think it gives you better indication of coolant temp in engine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc8oye Posted August 25, 2010 Share Posted August 25, 2010 mark had it right... in the ideal world, you want the engine to run as hot as it possibly can to improve effeciency and emissions. but w/o the computer control as he said, it's difficult to control pinging, and then you also have to deal with fuel boiling. If your engine runs hot only while sitting still, you don't want a cooler thermostat, you want a better radiator fan, and/or radiator. if it runs hot all the time while moving, you have a t-stat, or again, your radiator is undersized (or you have a timing issue) my monte use to climb pretty high sitting still, then I added a second fan and it still climbs a bit.. but not anywhere near as bad, and runs about 175 all day long on the freeway with a 160 t-stat.. (using a stock-type copper/brass small block rad) as for your extreme overheating.. make sure you don't have a reverse rotation fan!! if you are running serpentine belt setup, usually you will need a reverse rotation water pump and fan to go with it. get the biggest and baddest aluminum radiator you can afford in the car... it never hurts to have too much radiator Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shane92g Posted August 27, 2010 Author Share Posted August 27, 2010 Good Information, thanks everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amsterdam84 Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 Is the temperature spike a "one time thing" that happens as the engine warms up, but then settles down to normal after that? I've never seen a water pump that quit moving water...a bad water pump is usually one that leaks or has a bad bearing. Almost forgot about this thread. It will do it once while warming up. After that the temps stay relatively level. I do think I have a coolant leak somewhere as I find I'm topping it up. Seeps out the upper rad hose and the plug in the intake that near the stat. Sorry if this is reviving a topic from the dead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc8oye Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 kinda sounds like an air pocket.. I had one engine that used to do crazy things with the water temp.. it'd continuously do a slow climb, then a quick drop.. slow climb.. quick drop... then one day I drained the cooling system a little bit for something.. I think I wanted to re-route the temp gauge tubing or something.. and I took the time to burp it really well.. let it cool, then added more coolant. and it stopped after that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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