318 running temperature -how hot is hot??

[class87]

From: DampDude007  (Original Message)
Sent: 6/14/2006 6:41 PM

Well,after 5 weekends of 70 to 80 degree weather, ole Karma just keeps plugging along,the factory dash temp gauge freaked me out a few times going all the way to the right for no reason at all,so I thought it was toast,I put in a regular temp gauge to see what was going on, I have a 190 degree thermostat in and it has been pretty solid running at 190 while the factory gauge was just flakin out,so one mystery solved. Now the last 2 weekends it has been 90's out and my temp has been 190 to 220 degrees,so when should I get concerned?? I just kept going it seemed to be fine, I got home checked the anti-freeze in the morning,it did not seem to be missing any. So how hot is to hot to run?? Just curious at what temp to pull over and let her cool down?
Thanks
Dude



From: denisondc
Sent: 6/14/2006 7:54 PM

At first guess, those would seem like symptoms of a radiator that was marginal due to deposits inside.
How long has it been since the radiator was out for cleaning, and how old is the fan clutch? Does yours have an a.c. on the dash with a condenser ahead of the radiator?
I think your 318 should run at a steady temperature. My experience with aftermarket temp gauges is that they can be off by 10 or 20 degrees, from one unit to another. But I dont think your coolant temp should increase by 30 degrees just because its is 90 outside. That doesnt leave enough margin for driving in temps over 100. When the reading was at the highest, had you just gone up a long grade? That might explain a reading that much higher than the 190. Even in creeping traffic my water temp doesnt go up - since my fan clutch is only 4 years old, and still very effective.
For a short term solution, you might want to try using a lower percentage of antifreeze, as water transers heat better than ethylene glycol. I use about a 20% mixture. If we were ever going to drive it in sub-freezing temperatures i would need to increase the percentage of antifreeze.



From: DampDude007
Sent: 6/14/2006 8:10 PM

The engine now has about 2500 miles on it and the radiator was flushed and boiled at that time,about 2 years ago, so it is pretty clean,as far as goin up an incline,I was going up and down and flat,it seemed to fluctuate in these higher temps,going up and down did not make much of a difference,maybe 10 degrees,then flattened back out to 190ish, the antifreeze is probably about 50/50 mix. It was just weird going down the road,I guess I should have mentioned,when going 55/60 mph it seemed to be steady,when I started going up to 65 mph,it seem to get warmer.  I just need to watch it I guess, when I am crusing down the road listening to a little Neil Young,I really don't pay much attention to the gauges.
Dude



From: Im-still-Lefty
Sent: 6/17/2006 12:05 AM

I agree with Denison, even the best radiator cleaners on the market won't make a radiator perform like new. Short of having the radiator core replaced, it likely is not as efficient as it once was. Also, a thought on the fan clutch, fan clutches have a normal life-span of 5 years. After that, they begin to lose efficiency. fan clutches fail in two ways, one is to lose fluid and remain in a free-wheeling mode, causing over-heating when at low speeds or idleing. the other, occours more rarely, and is when the fan clutch refuses to release, this causes the fan to turn at full speed all the time. this will cause poor milage, loss of power, and over-heating at high speed, mainly due to the fan actually interfereing with the normal "ram air" effect at highway speeds.
Here's the easiest way to tell;
1: A properly operating fan clutch will engage and disengage regularly, as the engine heats and cools. You should be able to physically hear a difference in fan noise, as it engages and disengages while the engine is idleing. A fast idle (1,000 rpm) can be used for this test.
2:  A good fan clutch should spin roughly 1/2 a revoloution, when spun by hand and engine is warm. more indicates a worn out clutch, and less indicates a locked clutch. I do highly recommend that you first shut off the engine! lol
3: When the engine speed increases past about 3,000-3,500 rpm, the fan clutch should disengage on a warm engine. This simulates the engine running at high-way cruising speed, when the fan should not be engaged.

As for anti-freeze, most manufacturers recommend a 70% mix of anti-freeze & water (30% water, & 70% anti-freeze) for the maximum freeze/boil-over protection.
I personally use a product called "20 Below", available in the sports-car accessories section at most auto parts stores. It is a heat-transfer improver, that is added to your cooling system. It will usually drop operating temperatures by 10-20 deg. Be sure to read the instructions, some brands work with anti-freeze, and some require flushing & refilling with just water (no anti-freeze).
 


From: denisondc
Sent: 6/17/2006 8:14 AM

My fan clutch is the regular full-time viscous drive kind. If I try to spin the fan with my hand, it moves about one blade before it stops. I can continue turning it with my hand indefinitely, but there is always the slight viscous resistance. The old one I replaced in 2001 was probably original. If I spun the fan as hard as I could it would turn maybe 3/4 of a turn.
My experience with radiator cleaners is that they dont do enough to be worth my time. I removed my radiator for cleaning the first time when I bought the RV in 1991, and again in 2001 (it needed recoring that time and cost about $500). I will take it out again for cleaning in 2010 or 2011. At that same time I will -again- replace the fan clutch, belts, both radiator hoses, the thermostat, fuel pump, heater hoses, new ignition wires, put in a rebuilt water pump, and maybe another rebuilt alternator. When the radiator is out of the way it is Sooo.. easy to work on the front of the engine, standing in front of the RV. Then I can have another ten years (and hopefully another 40,000 miles) of peace of mind.



From: DampDude007
Sent: 6/20/2006 1:05 PM

Thanks,I will have to take a look at the fan when I get a chance and double check my anti freeze percentage,I just put all my tools in storage,I have a trip in a few weeks,I just want to make some since of it all before I take off again.
Dude



From: ClydesdaleKevin
Sent: 6/24/2006 11:56 PM

A word about temperature...

Make sure your dash guage is functioning, first off!...lol!

I spent a bloody fortune, replacing EVERY part of my cooling system, before realizing my dash guage was toast...a mechanical guage revealed a nice 180 degrees after replacing my water pump, thermostat (Summit Racing 160 skirted), fan clutch, and recoring the radiator...the dash guage still reads PEGGED!

Anything less than 200 degrees is good.

More than that sustained, and you should look into the reasons why.

We are now towing a full size 1985 Dodge Ram 150 Van, using it sort of like a trailor with plastic tubs for our spare clothes, etc., and even in Florida in the heat of summer, 99 degrees plus, the guage is reading less than 190ish, more like 180.

Start with the guage and sender.

Kev



From: DampDude007
Sent: 6/26/2006 10:30 AM

10-4
I did put in a new mechanical,before I spent the $$,I took her to her new storage spot( my dads driveway) it was 95 out and the temp stayed steady around 180ish as long as I was going 60mph on a flat road, if I went to 65 she got a little warmer,like 200ish, I slowed down to 60mph and the temp went right back to 180ish. So I guess for now, I will let it ride,I just moved and all my tools are in storage at the moment. I think it will be alrght,it does have a failry new short block in it,probably around 2000 miles on it, that may have something to do with it also.
duder



From: ClydesdaleKevin
Sent: 6/26/2006 10:32 PM

Good deal, Dude!!!  Glad to hear the mechanical gauge worked out!  I don't regret replacing all my cooling system components, since I had the cash at the time, and now its good for the next 30 years...lol...but it was a smack on the bottom when I realized it was just the guage.

Kev