Engine running HOT!
Jim Kilday
Expert Adviser
I had the engine in my '46 Commodore rebuilt this summer by Terry Harkin in Watertown, SD.
We test drove it last week and it was running much hotter (on the temperature gauge) than it was before it was rebuilt. Prior to the rebuild, it was at about the 3/4 mark on the gauge, now it is past the last mark on the gauge--I would say it was definitely red-lined.
My mechanic used a laser thermometer on the engine at the end of a test run with the car's temperature gauge red-lined and the laser registered 190 degrees at the front of the engine and 200 degrees at the rear.
I think it has a 185 degree thermostat in so assuming the laser thermometer is operating properly these temps don't seem to be out of line to me.
My mechanic suggested that a rebuilt would run somewhat hotter because of increased friction of the new parts--rings, etc., but I find that logic a bit of a stretch. I can't see how the temperature gauge could be malfunctioning but I sure don't want to do anything that would risk damaging a very expensive engine rebuild.
Any thoughts and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
We test drove it last week and it was running much hotter (on the temperature gauge) than it was before it was rebuilt. Prior to the rebuild, it was at about the 3/4 mark on the gauge, now it is past the last mark on the gauge--I would say it was definitely red-lined.
My mechanic used a laser thermometer on the engine at the end of a test run with the car's temperature gauge red-lined and the laser registered 190 degrees at the front of the engine and 200 degrees at the rear.
I think it has a 185 degree thermostat in so assuming the laser thermometer is operating properly these temps don't seem to be out of line to me.
My mechanic suggested that a rebuilt would run somewhat hotter because of increased friction of the new parts--rings, etc., but I find that logic a bit of a stretch. I can't see how the temperature gauge could be malfunctioning but I sure don't want to do anything that would risk damaging a very expensive engine rebuild.
Any thoughts and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
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Comments
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I am definately not able to observe your engine... but if the laser thermometer is operating correctly I would be looking for reason why the installed meter is working the way it is.
We use these types of temperature reading devices to keep track of multiple engine areas while testing overhauled aircraft engines and accessories. Highly accurate, they are the souce of key inputs used to track test temperatures and a fail safe system used to stop testing if a temperature is out of tolerance.0 -
For one thing, put in the correct t-stat ( 160 degrees ) Sometimes using a t-stat that is a little too hot will let the engine get hotter than it can normally handle. The car could be getting so warm that there just isn't enough air flow through the radiator to cool the engine down.
Bob Hickson0 -
Jim Kilday wrote:
You should never run a 180 thermostat in a Hudson, bad news. Put a 160 degree in right away. Hudson temp gauge reads as follow, first line 140, second line 160, third line 180 and the forth line is bad news. You should also restrict the by pass that goes back to the water pump. With todays gas, you need all the flow to the radiator. Until you run your engine for at least 500 miles the rebuild will generate heat. Walt.I had the engine in my '46 Commodore rebuilt this summer by Terry Harkin in Watertown, SD.
We test drove it last week and it was running much hotter (on the temperature gauge) than it was before it was rebuilt. Prior to the rebuild, it was at about the 3/4 mark on the gauge, now it is past the last mark on the gauge--I would say it was definitely red-lined.
My mechanic used a laser thermometer on the engine at the end of a test run with the car's temperature gauge red-lined and the laser registered 190 degrees at the front of the engine and 200 degrees at the rear.
I think it has a 185 degree thermostat in so assuming the laser thermometer is operating properly these temps don't seem to be out of line to me.
My mechanic suggested that a rebuilt would run somewhat hotter because of increased friction of the new parts--rings, etc., but I find that logic a bit of a stretch. I can't see how the temperature gauge could be malfunctioning but I sure don't want to do anything that would risk damaging a very expensive engine rebuild.
Any thoughts and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.0 -
Are you sure the water jackets in the engine are actually filled with coolant? that's one thing to check if there's a new thermostat and all that you may have filled the radiator and not the water chambers. Encountered this problem two weeks again on my swapped-in engine.0
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Another suggestion is to ensure that all the panels above, below, and on the sides are in-place to prevent air flow from going 'around' the radiator instead of thru it.....0
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Have you checked the side jacket, that it has the correct holes in the inner plate to distribute water to each end of the block? I agree with fitting a lower-rated thermostat. A newly rebuilt will tend to run a little hotter, but not that much.
Geoff.0
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