454 Running Hot

[VileZambonie]

One other thing about your fans even if the polarity is correct, make sure the blades are not reversed. Many come set up as pushers and require the blades to be flipped and the polarity reversed to actually work correctly.

[Josh454]

Hmm, so I guess I am just trying to understand...In the first post you said it goes to 210 while going up a hill.  Later it was that it will boil over.  Does it boil over at 210?  What temperature does it get up to?

[choptop]

What shape is your radiator cap in? If its not holding correct pressure then the engine will boil over at lower temps. The pressure in the system is what keeps the coolant from boiling at lower temps.

[micahadams]

Its nothing simple like the cap. I have tried 3 different caps and I can feel the pressure in the system(squeezing the rad hose) when its hot

It will shoot up to 210 pretty quick up a hill, if the hill is long enought it will boil over. I think the hottest I have ever remember driving it at was 235 range. After driving it hot around 210, when I shut it off I can hear water boiling in the head/manifold area. It does not boil over at 210

My plan is to pull a valve cover and set up my magnetic dial indicator, bolt up a degree wheel and see what the cam timing is. The guy I talked to said the timing chain and gear are cast so the cam is retarded.

[micahadams]

I had tried everything, but my 454 would still overheat when I hit a hill. I finally decided to pull the motor and freshen it up.

The PO wasnt much for maintenance. The water ports going into the heat were completely sealed up with build up. Another reason running straight water is a bad idea.

[hotrodpc]

84 C30 454/th400

I have been having cooling problems and now I am ready to do almost anything to solve it. I have changed to a new aluminum 3 row rad, 160 stat, then changed to a 160 high flow stat, dual e fans, new water pump, new hoses, flushed the system 3 times, disconnected egr, then re connected it. Straight water, then tried adding water wetter. Not much has helped.

It will idle cool(160), run on the freeway cool, but anytime there is a hill or I am pulling my trailer it will climb to 210+.

I was talking to a guy today who said Chevy in the 80's needed to conform to smog laws and to get the motors to pass needed to retard the cam timing -9 degrees. I have also heard that 80's heads have small water ports.


Here is my question. Has anyone has a cooling problem and found a way to fix it? I am thinking maybe a cam change will help, or a adjustable cam gears. I haved owned several small blocks that ran fine. This problem seems to happen to a lot of BBC's

Sounds normal to me for a 454. My 454 is the same way. Its got a 195 T stat in it. runs the guage at about 200, but if I am towing and climbing a grade, its get to 230 or so and even 240 on a long grade. I knew my timing was a bit advanced, so I put it back where it was supposed to be, and now its normal to hit 220 climbing a grade, and as high as 230, but never seen it above 230 since I set the timing back down. You may check your timiing and see where its at. Sounds dumb I know, but it could be our issue. I also do not have have any Cats either.

[Captkaos]

Timing definitely impacts the temperature.

[hotrodpc]

Thanks for the back up Capt. Many don't beleive so, and why I said, I know it sound dumb. But that was the only thing I could think of could be my problem, and it seemed to cool it down about 10 degrees. But I think these 454's just run warm by nature. Also, 230 in not really overheating. With antifreeze and a 13lb pressure cap, your boiling point is raised up quite a bit higher, and running 230 should not hurt anything. But, an added trans cooler would be a good idea since the radiator tank is going to be hotter, and not be as effective as cooling the trans fluid.

[VileZambonie]

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[malibu795]

Timing definitely impacts the temperature.

so does biger cam and small exhaust valves., leaned out..

i have a 180* t-stat adn a 208/214* cam .475/500 lift(smallest aftermarket cam)  with 049 heads... with a 19" 6 blade mech fan i saw 210* in 4000lb vehcile cruising
valves were 2.06/1.72 rebuilt the engine went to 1.88 exhaust.. i am now runign within 1-2* of t-stat temp. BTW my coolant prob is in the cylinder head between #3 and #5 cylinder b4 and after engine build


aslo were is yout collant temp probp at? by the t-sate or in the cylinder head? the cylinder head will read hotter then the manifold  since it sitting between two exhuast ports..

also i would get a infra red gun and reading off the t-stat housing.