How hot should it be?

mikeyb
mikeyb Senior Contributor
edited November -1 in HUDSON
Right now we have ambient temps of 87 degrees F, for Germany this is pretty warm. The old '49 behaves very well during this kind of weather but when idling in front of the traffic lights during city driving etc. the temp gauge moves from 'slighlty right from the middle' to 'about 3/4 to the right'. Is that normal or not? The engine seems to feel fine, I have no leaks except a bit of oil fume coming from the oil filler tube after stopping. When I take my laser themometer I can measure temps of 239F at the front end of the cylinder head, and temps of 203F at the block right under the head gasket. The radiator itself has a much lower temperature.

Is that normal? I mean, I can still switch on my electric fans for additional cooling while stopping... And these are temps of the head/block, not actual cooling water temps. But... My 59 Chevy Apache generally seems to run about 15 degrees cooler (in block temps). This is no flathead, though.

Would like to hear your thoughts! I still have to install Walt's thermostat kit... have it here but did not find the time to install it yet.

Thank you very much!

Mikey

Comments

  • mikeyb
    mikeyb Senior Contributor
    Hmmmm... 77 views but no one can tell me how hot a Hudson engine will normally run (head temp, block temp, water temp)? My problem is I have no one to compare... the next stepdown is about a 1000 miles from my place. So I really don´t know if it´s normal operating temp or not!
    Oh, my engine is a 1952 308 single carb.

    I would really appreciate your feedback. Thanks!

    Mike
  • Lee ODell
    Lee ODell Senior Contributor
    edited June 2011
    Good morning Mike.

    I bought a 52 Hornet last Oct and it had Walt's cooling kit and recored radiator already installed. My needle on the temp gage runs about 1/16th inch below the half mark. Sorry I can't give you the exact temp.

    Have a good day.
    Lee O'Dell
  • SuperDave
    SuperDave Senior Contributor
    I have a '49 262. Factory original radiator, I do have six blade curved fan because of the Airconditioning. Here in Florida it's between 85-90 F. most of the day. I have a 12 volt system so that may have an effect on the factory guage, but ideling in traffic it gets to 3/4 to 4/5 scale. My direct reading(non-electric) guage senses temp at the back of the head says about 180 F. Cruising the factory guage reads about 1/2 scale.. that is about 130 F on my good guage.Add 10-15 degrees when the A/C is on. I don't have a thermostat but plan to install one because 130 is way too cool for optimum performance.
    Hope this helps...
  • GrimGreaser
    GrimGreaser Senior Contributor
    That jives with what I get. I have a 180deg thermostat and my gauge stays right at the 3/4 mark. I'm also running 12V and have a full time electric fan pushing through a new Dodge radiator.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    Hudson temp gauges read as follow. First mark, 140 degrees, second mark, 160, third mark, 180 and if touch the forth mark, 212 and boiling. This is if your sending unit and gauge is in perfect condition. Running 3/4 mark is to hot for your engine, temp should be in the 160 to 170 range, with a 160 thermostat, because today's gas burns hotter. Walt.
  • mikeyb
    mikeyb Senior Contributor
    Thank you all. Walt, I have to say that I have converted the car to 12 Volts, so this may have an effect on the gauge. Also I still have to add your kit. It did get a newly rebuildt radiator, and while driving I am in the temp range that you mention, even on a long cruise in summer temps. It just gets hotter pretty quickly when idling, that's why I was wondering how actual head/block temps correspond with water temps at the sensor.

    Mike
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