My car runs so cool

[Mike_R]

After I got to work today, a 18 mile drive on surface and highway I can open the hood and grab the hose to the radiator bare handed and it is not hot. The temp gauge only goes up slightly to around the 4:00 position. Nice for florida.

[winstontj]

After I got to work today, a 18 mile drive on surface and highway I can open the hood and grab the hose to the radiator bare handed and it is not hot. The temp gauge only goes up slightly to around the 4:00 position. Nice for florida.

What thermostat/radiator/hoses are you running? Too cool can be a problem just like too hot. There is a normal operating temperature but I don't know what it is.

[Mike Self]

lowers gas mileage and allows gas to percolate down into the oil during a slow warmup. It also will allow contaminates into your oil faster.

I suspect your thermostat isn't functioning properly. They are designed to fail in the open position, so as to prevent overheating. To test, remove the 'stat, and look at it cold.

Is it open? If so, it's bad.

If not, tie a string to it and suspend in a pan of water on the stove so that it doesn't touch the pan, with a thermometer in the water. Observe the 'stat. It should begin opening when the water starts to approach the temperature marked on the 'stat's housing and should be fully open within a few degrees of the marked rating. If not, replace it.

cheers

mike

[Biscuit3]

Yee. I know when I'm driving down the highway at 120km/h and I see Karl's needle that low, I get a sigh of relief. But then in the back of my mind, I know that it's not as good as I'd like it to be. These cars are notorious for overheating here in Sydney, and Karl can be very impatient at times whist waiting for the stop light to turn green.

But in saying that, if you are driving at a faster speed and you see that the needle is in the position you say it goes to, it's not bad. Duh guys, air runs through the engine and when you put your foot down, the fan spins faster. However, if the needle was still low when are you stopped for a long period of time or driving slow, that might be bad and you should check it. If the needle is low after going fast and then rises back up when you drive at a slower speed, I don't see any problem with that.

As I see it, always aim for 50/50.

[winstontj]

Yee. I know when I'm driving down the highway at 120km/h and I see Karl's needle that low, I get a sigh of relief. But then in the back of my mind, I know that it's not as good as I'd like it to be. These cars are notorious for overheating here in Sydney, and Karl can be very impatient at times whist waiting for the stop light to turn green.

But in saying that, if you are driving at a faster speed and you see that the needle is in the position you say it goes to, it's not bad. Duh guys, air runs through the engine and when you put your foot down, the fan spins faster. However, if the needle was still low when are you stopped for a long period of time or driving slow, that might be bad and you should check it. If the needle is low after going fast and then rises back up when you drive at a slower speed, I don't see any problem with that.

As I see it, always aim for 50/50.

Not to start an argument but I'd think that the ideal goal is to keep the needle as steady at the 3:00 position as possible. In researching MegaSquirt/EFI and having installed an electric fan with temp relay I think it's possible to achieve an even keel 99% of the time. Harder with the belt driven fan but still possible. I had to play around with a few different thermostat/thermo switch combinations but eventually I got it right. I do also have a summer and a winter combination. I have Mr. Ingraham's WONDERFUL radiator and when I drive above 50mph (or in the winter) I can see the gauge drop a weee bit down to where the thermostat starts opening and closing to regulate engine temperature. I consider this ideal as the thermostat is doing what is was designed to do. When I drive REALLY FAST (above 80mph) the needle climbs up to exactly 3:00 and sits between 3:00 and 2:30-2:45 position.

When I stop or drive slow the needle climbs up to about 2:00-2:15 and then the fan turns on and it goes down. I have a "Fan ON" and a "Fan OFF" switch. The fan off switch keeps the fan running till the coolant reaches the thermostat's temp. (no point in going cooler) It goes up and down in traffic but on the highway, or driving slower, or in stop and go the needle sits at 3:00.

I'd say for optimum fuel economy and for the life of your motor it's best to not have your coolant/engine temp going up and down.

Can someone chime in and provide the correct or ideal operating temperature for the M10 carbureted motor please?

[Biscuit3]

As I see it, always aim for 50/50.

Not to start an argument but I'd think that the ideal goal is to keep the needle as steady at the 3:00 position as possible.

When I stop or drive slow the needle climbs up to about 2:00-2:15 and then the fan turns on and it goes down. I have a "Fan ON" and a "Fan OFF" switch. The fan off switch keeps the fan running till the coolant reaches the thermostat's temp. (no point in going cooler) It goes up and down in traffic but on the highway, or driving slower, or in stop and go the needle sits at 3:00.

I'd say for optimum fuel economy and for the life of your motor it's best to not have your coolant/engine temp going up and down.

I guess when I was typing "50/50", I didn't make it clear enough that that is the same as the "3 o'clock" position.

I think you just bit yourself in the ass with your own reply, however, that could just be me. You made yourself sound hypocritical. If your needle goes up and down like I'm assuming you think the rest of our cars do, maybe you should fix your's as well.

[TJs692002]

So what happens when the needle only raises to the 3:15-3:30 position.

Is that too cold?

[Delia]

lowers gas mileage and allows gas to percolate down into the oil during a slow warmup. It also will allow contaminates into your oil faster.

I suspect your thermostat isn't functioning properly. They are designed to fail in the open position, so as to prevent overheating. To test, remove the 'stat, and look at it cold.

Is it open? If so, it's bad.

I just got my car back after a new water pump, t-stat and radiator rod-out. Still ran "hot."

Turns out it was the gauge. A new instrument cluster ground has the temp back down. Now it reads in the middle of the gauge when I'm climbing a hill or sitting in traffic. Otherwise it reads a bit cooler.

I agree that too cool may be damaging, but IMO, too hot is far worse. Oil breaks down at high temps and that means increased friction and wear.

I know that sounds like a commercial, but it's my $.02

Delia

[winstontj]

I think you just bit yourself in the ass with your own reply,

I meant to imply that any movement in my gauge is slight, say between 2:00 max and 3:15 min. And that it's well controled rather than the "up to the red and down to the blue" that some describe at times. But yes you can take it as I bit myself in the ass - that's fine with me