Cooling issue...too cool

[OldCrLvr]

Does anyone here have issues with their set up running too cool?

I designed my setup for Cast Iron heads and it cooled it nicely even on a 100+ degree day. When I went to Aluminum heads it cooled too good in cold weather. I'll give you an example. Today I took it for a spin into town to get fuel. It was 47 degrees out and I drove a bout 5 miles round trip most of which was 45mph. Hell, my electric fans never even came on the hottest it got was 160. I was thinking of that ol trick where you put a piece of cardboard in front of the radiator.

[LiveAnimals]

Maybe it's the too cool for school driver . I remember seeing a particular Willys Wagon at work with a piece of cardboard in front of the rad to warm it up a bit.
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[OldCrLvr]

Originally Posted by LiveAnimals

Maybe it's the too cool for school driver . I remember seeing a particular Willys Wagon at work with a piece of cardboard in front of the rad to warm it up a bit.
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Really? Does it have a fresh lift on it? Blue & White? Driven by a short balding guy that lives in Lincoln? Smartass! On a serious note it is the same situation except mine is worse.

[LiveAnimals]

Yup Chuckles Ham Hawkins would be that guy. Maybe it's the truck saying drive me more
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[OldCrLvr]

It does. But its fighting me all the way.
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[oldschool53_BBC]

what degree thermostat are you running? 160 on a non smog engine is not too cold. IMO..

[OldCrLvr]

Currently it is a 180. In this case changing the thermostat wouldn't help, I dont believe. I took it for a drive for about 20-25 minutes cruising through the nearest town and it only got over 160 once at a long stop light. It was about 52 degrees out. In the summer it is a dream to drive. It will run 180-190.

[Alex Hayley]

I have exactly the same issue. I was going to attempt the cardboard trick but unless I misunderstand the situation, how would cardboard help if the engine temperature does not even get to 180 degrees to open the thermostat and circulate the coolant? In that case, what is keeping the engine so cool? Just air circulating around it?

[OldCrLvr]

In my situation this engine is .040" over and has always run pretty cool even when it was in my Chevelle with a crappy radiator. When I freshened it up and put it in my C/10 I installed a 31"x19" Griffin radiator. After that even on hot days I didn't run much past 200° Switching to aluminum heads it ran even cooler because of the superior heat dissipation to cast iron.

As for the cardboard. Have you knoticed that diesel (tractor trailer) trucks will have a good portion of the grill opening covered in the colder months? Same effect but more trashy with cardboard. It will keep the air from passing through the radiator. Thus not cooling as well. I wasn't serious about the cardboard but people do it. Like Kam was pointing out, a person who works at our shop does this.
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[71swb4x4]

OldCrLvr, what Alex is saying is that without the thermostat opening the radiator isn't doing anything. So stopping air flow through the radiator won't make the car run warmer. Now if said air is also circulating around the engine and cooling the engine, then the cardboard may help.

[OldCrLvr]

Well yes he is correct. Sort of. In my case there is water that is bypassing albeit at a slower rate with the hoses going to and from the heater core. I'm trying to think of how a stock/factory setup flows and having a brain fart. Even when the upper hose is blocked off by the thermostat my radiator warms too.

I guess the main thing is that I'm not the only one who has warming issues in the cooler months.
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