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V8 Temps, Should I be concerned

someguy360

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Hi Guys.

First day of warm weather back in SA today, had some issues with the 5 litre.

Pottering around town today and the temp was hovering between 1/4 and 1/2 this didn't worry me too much.

Then I got on the freeway, during the 10km uphill stretch at 100km/h the temp was sitting at around 3/4 (maybe a little over 3/4)....it went back to 1/4-1/2 when the freeway leveled out.


I have plenty of mates with 304's and they all seem to sit around 1/4 around town where as mine hovers between 1/4 and 1/2 depending on traffic.

I understand the 304 cooling system has had little changes since the 60's and probably isn't up to todays conditions but I seem to be the only one in my group having this many issues.

I have replaced:
* New Radiator
* New Thermostat
* New Hoses
* Flushed coolant
* New fan Clutch

Any ideas, should I be worried?

I remember last summer the engine bay got so hot it started misfiring as the coil and ignition module were too hot to touch after the uphill stretch on the freeway, after puling over and letting it cool down it was fine.

I don't think there is any head/head gasket issues.....there is no coolant mixing with oil, the rad/overflow isn't bubbling, power is still there etc.





Thanks
 

wraith

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Does it actually seem hot to you? Is it making any noises? Could be a dead coolant temp sender giving you false readings. Or the water pump has had it but they usually leak before giving up the ghost.
 

someguy360

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Does it actually seem hot to you? Is it making any noises? Could be a dead coolant temp sender giving you false readings. Or the water pump has had it but they usually leak before giving up the ghost.

It does seem pretty hot, every component in the engine bay feels a lot lot hotter than it did say a week ago when it was 20 degrees outside e.g ignition module, coil, leads, engine covers are 3rd degree burn kind of hot
 

wraith

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Radiator cap working as it should? If the cap isn't right it can cause issues as well. What thermostat did you go with?
 

someguy360

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Radiator cap working as it should? If the cap isn't right it can cause issues as well. What thermostat did you go with?

As far as I know it was just the standard tridon thermostat.....the radiator cap seems fine, this was also replaced with the radiator

Come to think of it, even at night when its about 7 degrees outside the car still gets up to 1/2 going up inclines
 

IRON8

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mine was fluctuating a bit aswel, was seized thermostat and air pockets in the cooling system, as for the temp gauge sitting in between 1/4 and 1/2 thats exactly where mine sits, she gets warm pretty quickly when at traffic lights, gauge doesn't move but notice the lack of power when taking off, just heat soak i presume..
 

someguy360

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mine was fluctuating a bit aswel, was seized thermostat and air pockets in the cooling system, as for the temp gauge sitting in between 1/4 and 1/2 thats exactly where mine sits, she gets warm pretty quickly when at traffic lights, gauge doesn't move but notice the lack of power when taking off, just heat soak i presume..

Hmmm, could be worth replacing the thermostat then.

Another thing when the A/C is on the temp picks up a lot quicker even though the thermo fan for the condenser is running at full speed......not sure if its normal or not
 

wraith

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The clubby sits on just below a quarter most of the time. Even sitting in traffic it's no where near the half way mark.
 
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