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Engine temp

1K views 8 replies 8 participants last post by  z/27 camaro 
#1 ·
I just picked up a 69 camaro with a 327 that i would say is moderately built. It has a 180 degree thermostat and if the temp gauge is right the engine runs at about 210 i have read some articles saying that it should not be above 200. Is this common or should i replace the thermostat. This is in cool weather about 50 degrees.
 
#3 ·
To give u some idea of Chevy temps....the idiot light is 235 *
if under 220 u are OK thu a cooling sytem in good knick will run the car 190 to 210 under very heavy load...
And follow Jim's advice...Dont get caught
 
#4 ·
Funny, I did that Sunday when I was putting the finishing touches on the Flex-a-Lite FLX180 Black Magic Extreme Fan. I think the meat thermometer was reading 5-10 degrees different than the gauge. Then again the gauge in the car was reading the temperature in the intake manifold next to the t-stat while the meat thermometer was in the side tube of the radiator next to the probe. If there is a big difference in temp you know it's the guage. If not, then replace the t-stat. I have a 160 in my car now and I replaced the leaky copper & brass radiator with an aluminum radiator.


Oh yea don't tell her you stuck it through the ride of the radiator or in the radiator when it made contact with the coolant.

That's about the only thing that went right on Sunday while working on this thing. I'll spare the details about the other stuff for anotherthread.
 
#7 ·
Since the meat thermometer is on the "cool side" of the rad, expect it to read somewhat lower, perhaps 10-15 degrees. Be sure not to even check it until the thermostat opens, you'll see the coolant start to "move".

If your guage is reading a stable temp at 210, I'd expect it's slightly inaccurate. Cars that don't cool right generally do not have a stable temp guage, may runn hotter sitting idling than at speed, or other variations depending on the source of the cooling problem.

Cars that are cooling "right" will run right on the thermostat rating, once it's warmed up, it stays right there.
 
#9 ·
what temp should the thermostat be in a SB camaro?
i just took out a 160* thermostat and put in a 195* thermostat. didnt check what the old one was till after i changed it.
so what temp thermostat is right??
thanks
 
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