<VV> Normal engine temp?

[Bruce Schug]

On Sep 30, 2004, at 7:52 PM, RKAT wrote:

> What temp should a Corvair 140 run at? I've never had a guage in a
> Corvair, now with the Corsa, I can actually keep an eye on it. While
> idling in the garage (yes, doors open), it got up to almost 300. It
> didn't seem that hot. Is that too high?
>

This is awfully hard to tell, since popular opinion is that these 
gauges are not very accurate.

I suggest you start with the basics. If your heads haven't been 
THOROUGHLY de-flashed, they should be. I know this is hard to do 
without disassembly, but if it hasn't been done it will contribute to 
higher temperatures. Be sure all your sheet metal and seals are intact 
and your thermostats working correctly. In the summer, the winter plate 
should be in place over your oil cooler. The engine should be clean. 
Your crankcase should be full and everything else up to par. Your carbs 
should be jetted properly; not too lean. Your car should be tuned with 
the proper distributor curve and advance. If all these are met, your 
engine should operate at reasonable temperatures. Understand, long 
periods of idle may cause temperatures to rise. Don't think of the head 
temp gauge as absolute, but rather a point of reference. In other 
words, if everything is up to par and your engine idles at 300 degrees, 
that's probably "correct" for your engine with your gauge. If all of a 
sudden it starts idling at 350, something has probably happened that's 
not good.

You might also note the temperature at cruising speeds. Drive the car 
at 65 mph on a flat road for half an hour and see what the gauge says. 
Stop and lift the engine lid. Does everything seem okay? Is the engine 
smoking or crackling, as if it's hot? If not, again, it's probably 
okay.

Finally, you might consider installing a good oil temperature gauge. I 
pay more attention to my oil temp, than my head temp. You'll find the 
head temp changes relatively fast compared to the oil temp. The head 
temp goes up, and s-l-o-w-l-y, the oil temp will follow. You go up a 
hill and the head temp goes up. You go down the hill and the head temp 
goes back down. But, because these are short situations, the oil temp 
won't change much. I trust my oil temp gauge much more than my head 
temp gauge.

Bruce

Bruce W. Schug
CORSA South Carolina
Greenville, SC
bwschug@charter.net

CORSA member since 1981

'67 Monza. "67AC140"