just completed a engine swap 305 out 355 in
new water pump single elec fan with 176 in 166 cut out
180 t stat engine wants to run above 200 I just completed break in (had to spray water at radiator to keep it below 200) has only miles to muffler shop.
and again was climbing faster than I wanted.

should I take the radiator and get it cleaned or am i waisting my time with this 1 row rad single fan on this engine package.

buying an alum aftermarket is out of my budget but I dont want a new radiator just like what i have. anyone know of 2 row that will drop right in?



thanks chris

 

Thats not too hot at all, my 86 305 tpi runs at 220 on hot days. It's normal for v8's to run that hot. More modern all aluminum ones wont run that hot, cause they are aluminum and cant take the heat.

 

Get a 160 degree thermostat, that should bring things down some. You can also buy Royal Purple Ice, which is a coolant additive that drops temperatures an average of 10 degrees.

If you REALLY want control of your fans, you can rig up a manual switch like I did. Run the fan motor to a keyed power source, with a toggle switch in between. You can put an inline fuse in as well to protect the fan. Then just flip the switch whenever you are idling, or just keep it on constantly like I do and run at around 170-180 average, never going above 200.

 

dont get a 160 degree thermostat. read this post i give an explanation on what a thermostat does.
post 8

http://web.camaross.com/forums/showt...ght=thermostat

 

I don't understand your post. Bottom line is that the 160 degree thermostat effectively opens 35 degrees cooler than the 195, providing the engine with coolant sooner, regardless of the difference in temperature between the block and the coolant. At the end of the day the block would be hotter if a 195 thermostat was left in.

 

coolant is always circulating through the block regardless of whether the thermostat is fully open or not. the difference is the speed at which the coolant is circulating. the faster the coolant circulates the less heat it picks up and the hotter the block is. just changing the thermostat will not make your engine run cooler itll make the coolant run cooler. it might appear to be running cooler based on a gauge but that gauge is just reading coolant temp. also i think most people will agree that a 195 thermostat is too hot. but you have to do more than just change the thermostat, like change the temperature that your fans turn on. i hjave a 180 degree thermostat in my iroc and my fans turn on around 185 or so and my car runs pretty cool. as for you not understanding my post i thought it was explained quite well as i learned it from a teacher and a book. and remember the thermostat starts to open at the specified temp and is not fully open till later.