jaunty75

Interesting. I've encountered too-hot-to-touch dipsticks before, but I'm not sure that this would be a symptom of an engine running too hot. Even an engine running at normal temperature is too hot to touch with your bare hands. So if it was running some number of degrees above normal, the engine would still, as far as your hands are concerned, just be hot too hot to touch.

The dipstick handle sticks way out away from the engine and should be cooled enough by air circulation. In my experience, a too-hot dipstick has more often than not been caused by the dipstick handle being too close to something else that gets hot.

captjim

Quote:
Originally Posted by captjim
........ Is this a 350 or 455? ........

Doesn't matter unless it is not the original engine or cooling system.

You are right, nobody has ever built a 455 too tight causing internal friction and heat issues.

88 coupe

nobody has ever built a 350 too tight causing internal friction and heat issues.


If I replace my dual 3" exhaust with a 1" single, how much increase in power can I expect?

If I replace my .500" fuel line with the original .312" tubing, how much ET/speed improvement can I expect?

I just replaced my ¾" main water supply with 1½" pipe and experienced a marked increase in flow and volume at the tap. Where did I go wrong?

Norm

71 Cutlass

Jaunty,
I merely mentioned the dipstick temp to point out that w/out overflowing radiator, but yet hot dipstick, I'm making an "educated" guess that temps must be normal at this point (not too hot, not too cold). Of course, as I said, you may have prodded me to me to get a definitive reading on the actual temp.

jaunty75

Simple application of the mechanical energy balance. If the upstream pressure remained the same, the pressure at your tap is decreased. You can't get something for nothing. Your increased volumetric flowrate comes the price of a lower outlet pressure. Those hot showers won't be quite as tingly, and your lawn sprinkler won't throw the water quite as far.

captjim

Quote:
Originally Posted by captjim
........ nobody has ever built a 455 too tight causing internal friction and heat issues.

nobody has ever built a 350 too tight causing internal friction and heat issues.

Once again, Norm, you are arguing for it's sake. We both know that with the much longer stroke of a 455 and the problems with Speed pro clearances that this is a MUCH more common problem with 455s than it is with 350s.

Nilsson

I have to wonder if the thread starter found what they were looking for as far as a possible solution.

citcapp

Same here,

Most likely gave up and moved on when he figured out his thread was hijacked.

71 Cutlass

Original post was concerning thermostats and heating issues...so in a way the topic has remained on target, just a few extra battles the original poster probably never intended to endure...and extra "scientific" info to boot.
What's so ridiculous is that I live so close to Tony (orignal poster), I ought to just go down the road and see what I can do to help...if he wants me to.

jaunty75

But that's what makes it interesting!

88 coupe

Upstream (actually downstream) pressure from the city water supply, and the pressure at the tap, are unchanged. The available volume at the tap has increased due to the reduced restriction of the larger pipe.

Which, according to this, is the opposite of what should occur.




I thought we might be finished with your childish personal attacks.

If, instead of using [b], [/b], [img], [/img], [i], and [/i], you were to use the same [quote] and [/quote] code that comes with that little "quote" button at the bottom right of the post, you would be far less confusing.

From the opening post:
I would expect a competent shop to choose clearances that fit the customers actual needs, not a generic guideline.

Looking for ghosts is a poor substitute for a proper diagnosis.

Norm

jaunty75

You can't get something for nothing. If what you're saying is true, you could increase the outlet pipe diameter to any arbitrary size, get as much increase in the volumetric flow as you want, and it would be at no cost.

Let's look at this another way. You put your thumb over the end of the garden hose. The water comes out faster so you can spray off the sidewalk. But the quantity (mass) of water coming through per unit time cannot be changed because the amount of water entering the piping leading to your house is not changed. This is because that depends on the diameter of the inlet pipe at the bottom of the municipal water tank and the pressure due to the weight of the water in the tank, which is a function of its height, which is presumably constant.

Therefore that increased velocity that you're getting through the garden hose comes at the price of smaller mass (or volume) flowrate. The total amount of water passing through the hose has to stay constant.

So going the other way, as you suggest, and changing your pipe diameter from 3/4" to 1.5", means that the opposite will happen as compared to putting your thumb on the hose. You'll get water filling up that increased pipe diameter just fine, but it will come out at a slower velocity.

You can verify this by timing how long it takes to fill a gallon bucket. Using the smaller diameter pipe means that the water will come out at a higher velocity, but the volumetric rate is reduced. Using the larger pipe diameter means the water will come out a slower velocity, but the volumetric rate is increased. In either case, the time necessary to fill the gallon bucket will be the same.

captjim

Not "chasing ghosts", but getting as much information as possible. Engine size is an issue. Also, though a shop may be quite "competent" there is the fact that using the listed Speed Pro clearances has caused issues on 455s in the past. Ask any EXPERIENCED Olds builder and they will verify that the listed clearances are too tight and will probably cause galling/scuffing. Not a red herring, a fact to consider.

Anything anyone else posts is "childish", but not you, right? Look at the last half dozen threads that you have participated in, every one becomes contentious. Look at the number of those threads that you are not involved in, wait, there are none.

Let me get this right, my posting style is confusing??? Are you serious?

88 coupe

Yes.



So much for the childish personal attacks:

Seems that I have chosen a poor analogy.

There would be no "cost" as long as the supply had sufficient pressure and volume to support the increase.

An easy assumption to make and, in this case, quite justified.

To clarify:
The pipe to the house is the one that was changed.

In this case, the increased velocity is incidental to the release of pressure to the atmosphere. Not so in an automotive cooling system where (except for changes in water pump speed) pressures are constant in an enclosed system.

If flow could be increased by reducing tube size, it would occur after the coolant left the tubes. If it did occur within the tubes, it could provide a little support for the "water moving too fast to be cooled" myth.

Norm

jaunty75

Whatever you say, Norm.


How about another beer?

daviidwilson

Personally, if my engine is stock and the thermostat called for in the service manual is not keeping the engine running at the correct temperature, I would be looking for the cause of this, rather than trying to cover over the problem by installing a different thermostat. Poor cooling can be due to a number of reasons, the most likely of which is clogged or corroded coolant passages in the engine and/or radiator

dc2x4drvr

A 10.5 comp. motor is not stock.

bkeese

I've changed the radiator, thermostat, hoses, electric fan, after market aluminum fan, etc. I think it was built too tight.

Many years ago I had my 62 vette motor rebuilt professionally, same radiator as before a spun the bearing, with thermostat and without, it would overheat sitting still and was fine move on a hot summer day. I concluded that the engine rebuild was the problem. It was the only thing that changed. I hoped it would loosen up, but 2 years laterit was still a problem and I sold the car. That's one way to fix the problem.