Long story short, I replaced radiator hoses, thermostat and antifreeze last year. My car is a 1972 Cutlass Supreme Convertible with the original 350 Rocket, all stock. The thermostat was a 180 degree Mr Gasket High Performance. Last week we had a break in the weather ambient temperature was around 55 degrees) so I took the car out for a drive. On the way home I noticed steam coming out of the hood while running down the highway. I looked down and the Hot light was on (very dim). I pulled over and opened the hood. The car was very hot, boiling over. I trailered the car home and after it cooled down, found the thermostat stuck closed. I replaced the thermostat with a 180 degree ACDelco Professional and changed the oil and filter (since it was close to being due). As hot as the car got, I was concerned about the head gasket so I did a block test and it did not show any signs of combustion gas. There is no sign of water in the oil or oil in the antifreeze. The car is running fine, no white smoke out of the exhaust. Is there anything else I should check? Hopefully I just got lucky!

TIA
Will

 

Same thing happened to me on a secondary road. Boil over and started bucking at a stop sign. Looked down at the temp yikes 230!. Shut it off cooled it down added water from a friendly guy on the corner and took it home. Replaced the T Stat with a 192* HD Stant and a full flush n fill with premix.

You are probably OK and caught it before any damage was done. These engines are tough. Do flush n fill on the coolant if you didn't already? That should be done every 2,3,4 years.

 

These kits are handy to flush the cooling system.

 

Don't sweat it. My mom regularly overheated the 350 on a daily basis in the 80's and it kept chugging. It takes quite a bit to distort these suckers.

I would recommend adding a cheap temp and oil pressure gauge temporarily while settling down the new engine.

 

Thanks guys. I did do a flush on the coolant system. I am going to keep on driving it and hope all is good!

 

Yes, a nice set of Stewart/Warner gauges is a must. Did this in 1986.I've since replaced the oil line as it got brittle.

 

Cast iron motors are a lot less sensitive to a short-duration overheating. I've done this more than once on an Olds motor over the last 45 years, and never had a problem once the original overheating cause was repaired.

 

Thank Joe. I appreciate the response.

 

230 is NOTHING. The sensor for the "HOT" light probably doesn't close until 240--265 F.

 

ya now that I looked at the picture I posted that needle was at the 4 o'clock position so ya 260.