E-Bodies.org Cuda Challenger Forum

Hi guys,

I noticed my car which come from Arizona didn't have thermostat in the cooling system.
So i added a new thermostat Gates 195°F. (I tested it, and did a small hole in it)

On my first test drive, after 10 miles the needle of the  temp of the gauge was at 1/2 until 3/4.
Without thermostat i was always at the bottom of the gauge just upper the first lines.

I stopped and checked under the hood. No leak, but my upper radiator hose was hard.
Yesterday i was worring about a bad air purge of the system, so i did it again (Heat control on into the car, cap removed of the radiator, running while 15minutes at least, but it was too late for a test drive)....but after a short night maybe i am worring for nothing about the temperature that my gauge is showing?

So upon to you, do i have to worry about the hard hose or the new operationg temperature ?

My radiator is a 26" Champion aluminium, 0.9bar (13 lbs) cap.

Thanks

Does your car run any differently? If it is running hot it will be very noticeable when driving.

Are you using the stock gauge to check the temp? Typically I have found those gauges aren't that accurate and I would suggest you get an aftermarket one. Mine is mounted, together with RPM and oil pressure gauges under the console, discreetly out of sight but where I can still easily see them when driving.

Just for reference, here's a picture I saved from a rallye dash gauge.

@Jay Bee (https://forum.e-bodies.org/mlist/jay-bee_351) Is your digital temp gauge a temperature gun? Where did you take the reading. My rallye gauge sits on the lower line of the "rectangle" during normal driving and goes up a little if I'm sitting in traffic. What is the best temperature for best performance? I should shoot it with a heat gun.

Quote from: WCC on April 15, 2018, 01:41:13 AM
Does your car run any differently? If it is running hot it will be very noticeable when driving.

Are you using the stock gauge to check the temp? Typically I have found those gauges aren't that accurate and I would suggest you get an aftermarket one. Mine is mounted, together with RPM and oil pressure gauges under the console, discreetly out of sight but where I can still easily see them when driving.

I didn t drive it a lot but i didn t notice any change.
Stock gauge and sending unit isn't old!

Thanks

Quote from: Jay Bee on April 15, 2018, 07:25:32 AM
Just for reference, here's a picture I saved from a rallye dash gauge.

This tzmperature gun could really help me...

If it runs constantly between 185 and 210 that would be normal.

Murray, that's not my picture. I captured it from cc.c about 3 years ago before Photobucket removed all of them.

After searching there it looks like it was posted by Katfish. If they are his, maybe he'll chime in as to where those reading were taken from. For some reason I'm thinking it was at the thermostat housing.

FYI, my rallye gauge reads like yours except at the border crossing when it's about 3/4 up the sweep.

Quote from: RUNCHARGER on April 15, 2018, 08:40:20 AM
Your engine is now operating at the proper temperature to make more power and wear much less. Running too cold is really bad for an ICE. Running no thermostat is a really bad idea, running straight water is another really bad idea.

Ok, yes that's why i absolutely wanted to install a new one... Because the weather here is definetly not the same as in Arizona!  :haha:

I used to see the needle very low on the gauge but in fact it was probably too cold! This winter after a cruising of 80 miles i could put the hand on the radiator and it was barely hot...that what décided me to check if i had a thermostat.

@RUNCHARGER (https://forum.e-bodies.org/mlist/runcharger_192) , About the upper hose became hard, is it normal? System under pressure?

Thanks for help

Quote from: dodj on April 15, 2018, 10:28:57 AM
The hose should be hard. The system pressure is relieved by the rad cap if it gets too high. 16 pounds I think. (7.2kg)

Ok thanks to confirm.
My cap is 0.9bar so 13 Lbs if i am right

It seems that i get stressed for nothing....  :bricks:

Just saw this thread, I took those pics with an IR gun pointed directly at the thermostat housing.

I've just ordered one!

Will check the temp at the same place.

Thanks

13lb cap should be fine. Hose will be hard when engine is warm. The gauges usually read in the middle at normal operating temperature. I wish they had #'s but they probably wouldn't be accurate anyway.

Thanks all for your help!

:thankyou:

If it helps . . . I have have attached a couple of pictures that I captured of my warm up.
I wanted to capture both my oil pressure and block temperatures together.
440 w / 180 degree thermostat and a Champion 22" radiator.
Temperatures were taken with a IR gun directly on the engine block.

First - 70 psi @ 150 degrees
Second - 60 psi @ 170 degrees
Third - 50 psi @ 180 degrees
Fourth - 40 psi @ 190 degrees
Fifth - 34 psi @ 200 degrees

Wow, perfect @Claudia (https://forum.e-bodies.org/mlist/claudia_139)
That's very helpful!

Thanks a lot!

:twothumbsup: