Another overheating thread

[twobjshelbys]

Originally Posted by elmariachi

Based on my experience with that other thread:

- You have to rule the gauge and the t-stat out first. You can buy a little handheld IR gun from Summit Racing, several models under $50. That will tell you a lot about temps if you are doubting your gauge and don't have a backup.

- Remove the t-stat, jack her up and burp her real good. Then start it with the cap off and the tank 1/2 full and see if you have consistent flow. Then put the cap on and see if you have the same temp swings.

At this point you'll have a good handle on your gauge, the water pump flow and whether or not the temp swings are continuing. THEN you can start chasing whether its the engine or the cooling system or both.

And by the way, a buddy showed me his nifty little combustion gas tester AFTER I paid the local radiator shop $50 to test mine. He has been using it for a couple years with good results: http://www.lislecorp.com/tool_detail.cfm?detail=1332

Thanks! I've followed your saga hoping it was the same, but it doesn't seem so.

What I really need to know is what are the expected steady state temps? I reckon - only logic telling me - that the oil and water temps should track pretty closely - +-10*C or so, but that one shouldn't be really high and the other really low. The gauges tell me I'm cooling the engine with the oil cooler. I am going to find one of the IR temp spotters - it will tell me alot.

I was disheartened when I pulled the cap on the tank this morning and it was empty, but slightly encouraged when it was half full after sitting for about 1.5 hours. The cap was too warm to take off without a glove (or a cloth) but didn't steam when I opened it. Can there be that much expansion/contraction?