Want to run something by you. Is this normal? - Third Generation F-Body Message Boards

Checkerbelly · 11-22-2009, 02:30 PM

I have a carbed '85 Z28 that I bought this summer with a belt-driven fan and stock radiator. The temperature gage on the dash board only has a few tick-marks on it; 100 degrees, 220 degrees, and 270 or something....red line.

Well the car seemed to want to sit somewhere between 100 and 220 degrees. If I had to guess I'd say 170 or 180 degrees. Sometimes it would get close to 220 degrees if the weather is warm. Sometimes it would get hot, sometimes it wouldn't. Real sporadic. My buddy told me 220 is too hot. I figured I better do something about it.

Yesterday I pulled the thermostat and put in a 180-degree thermostat and I replaced the radiator with an aluminum one. Drove it around and now the car wants to sit just under 220 degrees. I'd say between 190 and 210 degrees. Hard to say because the temp gauge sucks. I think the thermostat I pulled out was a 160-degree one. Haven't had hot enough hot weather for me to really test things out, but it seems fairly stable at 210 degrees. Sometimes getting CLOSE to 220.

Is it going to be OK for me to run the car at 210 degrees? Should I put the old thermostat back in? Should I stop worrying and just have fun with the car?

Thanks for any advice.

Scorpner · 11-22-2009, 02:42 PM

Accuracy isn't very good with the stock gauges. Could check a mechanical gauge with some boiling water. Walmart has them for $10-$15. I did this temporary while breaking the engine in and it sat around 190, never moved from there.

bakes85 · 11-22-2009, 03:19 PM

they sell cheap temp gauges at autozone you could try

Checkerbelly · 11-22-2009, 03:27 PM

Thanks, I'll try that. What temperature SHOULD I be shooting for? What's too high?

bakes85 · 11-22-2009, 03:31 PM

well i have heard that 200 - 220 is actually normal for some third gens.

Checkerbelly · 11-22-2009, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bakes85

well i have heard that 200 - 220 is actually normal for some third gens.

Ok good.

8t2 z-chev · 11-22-2009, 05:24 PM

the stock gauges often develop a bad connection where
the metal clips that the gauges push into are clipped to
the printed circuit,causing erratic readings-several ways
to fix this problem.(could also be wiring problem under
the hood,the sender and the gauge itself are usually
accurate and reliable

)with the 180* thermo and belt
drive fan,you should run at 180* most of the time.