[BajaGTO]

Well...I didn't get much love in the Street section so I will try asking it here.

In my GTO I have a 389 with a mild build that has maybe 100 miles on it. I am hesitant to drive it because the rally guage reads hot after a small amount of normal street driving.

I bought a handheld infrared thermometer and went for a ride today. The rally guage is definitely off, but the handheld was reading 200 - 205 at the gooseneck and at the temp pickup with the car not running after about a 5 mile ride.

Question - Is this a normal reaction to a newly built and tight engine?
Question - What should i do to cool this thing down?

New cooler thermostat (currently running a 185)
New radiator cap?
Last resort - Pull water pump off and look at the divider plate

Are there any forum members in the Kalamazoo, MI area that I might be able to meet up with and help me trouble shoot this thing? I really want to enjoy it, but I don't want to ruin it.

Thanks!

I should also mention that I am running Valvoline 20W-50 VR oil and the car has never puked more than a couple of drops of coolant.

[Flatfish]

I am no expert, but I would first install a good coolant temperature gauge so I would know what the temperature of the coolant actually is, even if the gauge is only temporary.

When my mild build 389 tripower was new, it ran right at 200 degrees with a 185 thermostat. As the motor got a few hundred miles on it the temperature settled to a constant 195. I also have a Flow Kooler water pump and a repro fan shroud. I switched from 15W40 oil to Brad Penn 0W30 oil, seeing no need for the heavier oils. I think Pontiac said to use 5W20 winter and 30W summer in early GTO engines. My engine temp will still creep up on a hot day but it seems to have stabilized from when the engine was new. I had the same experience when I rebuilt my inline chevy 6 cylinder engine. It ran cooler after a few hundred miles and when I got rid of the junk rebuilt water pump with wrong impeller clearance.

I know this is not much help and you have probably read all the overheating threads, but I would start with an accurate gauge so you know your engine temps while rolling down the road and when sitting at idle. That will tell you a lot right there.

[GT182]

Baja, do a good flush of your radiator and engine. You never know, or are able to see, what's in there. A bottle of Water Wetter added won't hurt either. You didn't say if you had a fan clutch or shroud. If not I suggest adding them both. And if you have a flex fan, MHumbleO is to get rid of it and use a real fan... 6 or 7 blades.

Worst case senario is to have your radiator recored.

[BajaGTO]

I have an original fan...7 blade I think. And I am running a fan clutch. What's a good reliable aftermarket guage?

[Old Goat 67]

Call these guys and ask them for the CORRECT sending unit for your car.

http://www.lectriclimited.com/mainpage.htm

I put one of theirs in my 67 and it is RIGHT ON!

Charles

[Flatfish]

I have Autometer 2 5/8" full sweep gauges (oil press, water temp, volts) in my car. They are the most obvious non-stock items on the car, but they let me know what's gong on under the hood with extreme accuracy. I can see a one degree change in engine temp. The auto meter web site shows the hundreds of variations available. I think they are available at Advance Auto or Autozone but it might take a day or two to get them. I probably spend too much time looking at them, but idiot lights and factory gauges just do not do it for me. I have too much invested to risk damage to my engine. I'm sure you know the feeling if your 65 is overheating.

[BajaGTO]

Originally Posted by Old Goat 67

Call these guys and ask them for the CORRECT sending unit for your car.

http://www.lectriclimited.com/mainpage.htm

I put one of theirs in my 67 and it is RIGHT ON!

Charles

I am pretty sure I got mine from there. Or, I got them from our site sponsor...not sure

[BajaGTO]

Originally Posted by Flatfish

I have Autometer 2 5/8" full sweep gauges (oil press, water temp, volts) in my car. They are the most obvious non-stock items on the car, but they let me know what's gong on under the hood with extreme accuracy. I can see a one degree change in engine temp. The auto meter web site shows the hundreds of variations available. I think they are available at Advance Auto or Autozone but it might take a day or two to get them. I probably spend too much time looking at them, but idiot lights and factory gauges just do not do it for me. I have too much invested to risk damage to my engine. I'm sure you know the feeling if your 65 is overheating.

Yeah....I am thinking of going this route. Do you have a pic of your install? How hard was it to run the wires and what not?