I realize that every over heating problem as a story of it's own so here is mine. 455 (old motor do not know actual mileage) no temperature gauge, just the idiot light. Brand new 4 core brass/copper radiator, brand new heater core. Cooling system was flushed well recently. 180 degree thermostat. New coolant. Recently rebuilt water pump. 7 blade steel fan with heavy duty diesel clutch fan. Original fan shroud in place. Dyno map and dyno pad recently installed. I just drove it tonight due to cooler temperatures at night but I could feel the heat from the engine compartment coming up on the left side of the driver side door. Its a 68 442 4 speed with a dealer replacement 455 (so I was told but no numbers on the block). Any ideas?

 

Is the idiot light coming on? The heat you feel at the door may be a hole in the firewall or bad weather strip.

 

+1.

I missed the part where you had any reason to believe it was overheating.

You mention that it has a 180° thermostat. That means it's 180° inside the engine compartment, and that air blows out past the windshield, doors, and floor.

- Eric

 

I don't read an overheating problem here.

No puking of fluid or steam listed in your description.

Also no actual temps listed. Why do you think its over heating?

 

The idiot light does not come on. When I stopped the car and raised the hood I could hear fluid bubbling up. Perhaps the first thing that I should do is to get a temperature gauge hook up. There was an unusual amount of heat coming from the engine compartment.

 

If the idiot light is not coming on then I doubt you are overheating. Unusual compared to what? All engine compartments get hot, hoses get hard, and metal parts will remove skin if you touch them.

I'd get an inexpensive mechanical temp gauge and hook it up. This way your dealing with facts and not speculating.

 

My apologies to every one. Today I borrowed an infrared thermometer (Westward 6JG66A) drove the car about 30 minutes, I got a reading at idle of 171, drove it another 30 minutes and got a 178 reading (97 degrees was the "cabin temperature" which is only about a few degrees more than the outside temperature) then I took another reading of 180 degrees (engine at idle) and the finale reading was about a minute after I turned off the engine which was 191 degrees. I don't know what the ideal engine temperature (68 455) is supposed to be but considering that we are flirting with 100 degree temperatures at the moment, I am happy that nothing was wrong and stupid me I worried about nothing. 442 happens.

 

No problem, I would still hook up a mechanical temp gauge and you can monitor it in real time. I never worry about temps after the engine is off.