Coolant??

[casaleenie]

I was under the impression that you got better summer cooling using an antifreeze and water mix... After reading some of the posts, I'm seeing that some of you run straight water with some Water-wetter in it..

What temp thermostat should I use with a SA 351W ?
I'm all over the board with the water temps and don't know what's in the car now without pulling it out... any recommendations?

AL

[clayfoushee]

Al, I have the same question with my 427. I'm running 150 at constant speed with air flowing over the radiator, but as soon as I hit a long stoplight, the temp is very quickly 190. The fans (mine are wired for manual on and off) knock it down a little, but in prolonged stop and go traffic, they just barely keep it at about 190 even when the temp is in the 50's. Fortunately, I've never seen it get any higher than that. I'm running a 50/50 mix right now.

Clay

Unique 9299, 427FE side oiler, top-loader (close), 3.31 rear

Annapolis, MD

[clayfoushee]

Al, I have the same question with my 427. I'm running 150 at constant speed with air flowing over the radiator, but as soon as I hit a long stoplight, the temp is very quickly 190. The fans (mine are wired for manual on and off) knock it down a little, but in prolonged stop and go traffic, they just barely keep it at about 190 even when the temp is in the 50's. Fortunately, I've never seen it get any higher than that. I'm running a 50/50 mix right now.

Clay

Unique 9299, 427FE side oiler, top-loader (close), 3.31 rear

Annapolis, MD

[Brent]

I would run antifreeze all year long. You might run a milder mix in the summer and stronger in the winter if you drive the car year round or if your place of storage for the winter is not heated. I think a 50/50 is a good year round mixture.

In a performance engine operating temps at or slightly above 200 is perfectly normal.They will drop when running down the road but without air movement heat soak is almost impossible to overcome.Headers,camshaft duration,compression,timing,etc. are all a factor.

Brent

[clayfoushee]

Thanks Brent....that's pretty much what I've heard too. Still, I get a little concerned when I see it hit 190, but the fans do seem to keep it about there, even in the worst conditions.

Clay

Unique 9299, 427FE side oiler, top-loader (close), 3.31 rear

Annapolis, MD

[Brent]

Clay,
A 427 block is also a thin wall casting with a high nickle content and they will run warm. If you have aluminum heads it will probably like it better when it has a little heat in it anyway.

Brent

[clayfoushee]

Thanks Brent....I do have aluminum heads. It runs great at 190 and 150 for that matter....just don't want to see it get much higher than that. Don't really trust those SW gauges anyway.

Clay

Unique 9299, 427FE side oiler, top-loader (close), 3.31 rear

Annapolis, MD

[Brent]

I don't think anybody trusts them.

Brent

[casaleenie]

Brent,

Interesting about the performance engines running a little warmer..
I probably should have guessed that but I go nuts at a long stoplight..


AL

[eliminator]

Clay,

According to Butch Capps, the only FE engine builder I know thats not full of it. The FE will not run efficently until it hits the 180-195 area. Beacause of the intake design and heads it likes to be warm. I have an infared digital heat indicator and at the thermostat neck on the FE mine stays about 185-195 and my guage is pretty accurate acording to the digital indicator. Butch likes the 180 thermostat in the FE engine he has tried others like a 160 and especially in cooler weather the engine dosn't seem to like it. Mine has run in traffic at 210-215 and while I was boiling the engine didn't. I run 50/50 Prestone and one bottle of Red Line Water Wetter.

Eliminator

[rdorman]

I run nothing but distilled water and water wetter in the summer and switch to 50/50 prestone (green stuff) in the winter. Flush in the spring. I also run a 180 thermostat. Don't worry about the engine going over 200, or 220 for that matter. 240 you are getting hot! With a fourteen pound cap at sea level it will not boil over until 254! Ever have a car with an idiot light boil over? Now that is hot!
Rick

[Oldtimer]

Don't think SA puts a t-stat in their engines, a least mind didn't have one. Temps always ran up and down, I installed a 180 T-stat now stable a about 185-195 moving or stopped. Can't believe going up and down 30-40 degrees can be too good for the engine. S-W gauges are questionalable, they used to have good guages, but not now.

Rich

[Brent]

[:O] No thermostadt in a street engine is a BAD deal. Not only is the drastic change in temp bad but the water moves too quickly to soak up any heat from the engine and transfer it to the radiator. A motor without a thermostadt may actually run warmer than a motor with one.

Brent

[casaleenie]

Oldtime, Brent,

Both are interesting postings...Now I'm really confused....Pretty sure I've got a stat because it dumps the temp pretty quickly when it reaches operating temps... Then the temp goes to 140 and all over the board...

AL

[Oldtimer]

Sounds like you have no t-stat or a bad one, the temp shouldn't go all over the board. The T-stat should open at or about the rated temp then maintain it at or near that temp.

Rich

[Brent]

I agree.

Fast easy fix if it is.

You can't do much to a cobra for $5.00

Brent

[spd4me]

I read an article once about engine running temps and engine wear. Motors that ran below 150 degrees showed more ware on parts than engines that ran over 160. They said 180 to 200 was good.