1969 camaro 454 big block

Hello everyone i finally got my dream car 1969 camaro and i love it.  I was wondering if you guys have ome info for me. The car has a huge motor 454 bb crate in it and it gets really hot like around 210 or so i want to cool it down cause if she get to hot she wont start back up until she cools off to about 190. Please let me know what i can do. Hope fully get some pic up tomorrow. Thanks 

Change the Thermostat to a 190.

how about running engine ice in with your coolant its suppose to lower your temp by 20 or 30 degrees

Remember to not run too much antifreeze. It's the water that keeps the engine cool, not the antifreeze. As the name implies, it keeps the motor from freezing and corrosion too. Drain the entire system, pour in 1 gallon of antifreeze and fill the rest with water.

Another idea is that your water pump is old or bad. Or, the block could be old and the water passages blocked up like clogged arteries and the cooling is less effective when the water can't get through.

Do you have a fan attached to the motor or is it electronic?  If the other suggestions fail you might want to consider upgrading the fan too.

Thanks for the ideas guys i will try the engine ice. And yes it has an electronic fan.

The electronic fan could be going out.  I would try cleaning it up or checking the connections.  Also you may want to consider replacing it.

thats a easy one...sounds like your timing is too far advanced.......check your timing,might want to add a cylinoid shield on the starter if it dont have one,its obviously bad or getting really hot from no shield,but if your timing is too far advanced it will make the starter start hard and run hot......

Others mentioned some of these but I'll list them

Faulty gauge, you could actually be running hotter....or cooler.....

Timing to far advanced

T-stat not opening properly, causing blockage

weak water pump

radiator slightly clogged

slow fan speed

high compression engine ( tough to cool, system has to be well thought out)

fan shrouds missing, the fan shroud directs air over the engine, very important, always over looked

weak radiator cap. pressurized system raises the boiling point of the system

Not enough fan, small electrics might not push as much at idle as needed.

Too small of a radiator, coolant not actually getting cooled enough.

I'm fighting a slightly similar problem with my car, I start to climb to 210 at idle and I know it's because I don't have enough fan, and the shroud is not present because I haven't found one I'm happy with, and I have the timing bumped up a tad.

Also, where is the sending unit for the coolant gauge located? I've noticed a 10 degree difference on my car. The gauge, mounted with the sender in the head, middle area, runs hotter then the ECM's coolant gauge. Which is mounted next to the T-stat housing. So with mine, the head is at 210 while the intake is 200...

nice truck you got....

quote:

ORIGINAL: tommynos

nice truck you got....

Thank you.

the first things i would do are make sure the fan is pushing properly, drain the rad and put in 1 gallon of antifreeze followed by straight water, then i would replace the thermostat witha very low one, maybe like a 160, cause thats when it opens, not where the engine will run at. if that does not fix it you may have clogged passages like one of the guys said

What size Rad is in the car?

I  2 have a 69 with a big block 454 I have a brand new be cool radiator with  dual fans all new.My temp gauge is also brand new as is the thermostat and fluid.Big blocks tend to run at 200 -210 all day long my sensor is set to kick the fans on infact at 210. never has it over heated anything over 210 then you have issue's

quote:

ORIGINAL: money3000

Hello everyone i finally got my dream car 1969 camaro and i love it.  I was wondering if you guys have ome info for me. The car has a huge motor 454 bb crate in it and it gets really hot like around 210 or so i want to cool it down cause if she get to hot she wont start back up until she cools off to about 190. Please let me know what i can do. Hope fully get some pic up tomorrow. Thanks 

  this sounds like an igniton module to me big blocks tend to run 200 210 .I had some probs eariler this year with exactly what you have described I changed the ignition module I havent had any problems since

mine runs around 195,Don't know if the 3 core rad has anything to do with it.

quote:

ORIGINAL: 74454bb

mine runs around 195,Don't know if the 3 gore rad has anything to do with it.

you have a 3 gore,wow i only have a 2 gore,i mean core....i too have the be-cool radiator..... a ignition moduel ussually just goes dead and wont start ive never had any fair warning,if its starting hard its your timing or starter dragging,may need a mini starter if its higher compression..

of course i run those ultra powerfull small blocks,mine never goes over 180 in town,in florida and mine is a highly built 400,set-up at 10 ta 1...

man My ignition module gave me fits for over a month b4 I figured it out.everytime it would get around 200 210 it wouldnt restart until it cooled off for like 30 minute's replaced in havent had the problem since.It took all of 20 minutes and less then 50 bucks problem solved

Lots of good info,  I read some place that 190 to 210 is fine for a small block. But ??? on a big block. I would think it would be the same. Note new cars all run a lot hoter.

I was wrong, mine runs around 200 and 210, I had to look a little closer.

quote:

ORIGINAL: 74454bb

I was wrong, mine runs around 200 and 210, I had to look a little closer.

most big blocks run 200 210 its normal if the car wont start when its at operating temp but will start when it cools down change the ignition module would be my advise from my own experience

quote:

ORIGINAL: MichiganMan

quote:

ORIGINAL: 74454bb

I was wrong, mine runs around 200 and 210, I had to look a little closer.

most big blocks run 200 210 its normal if the car wont start when its at operating temp but will start when it cools down change the ignition module would be my advise from my own experience

ahhh no, most big blocks don't run that hot. most engines don't run that hot normally..period!
 
newer cars run that hot because they need to so they can burn more efficiantly to pass emissions but their clearances are different than older engines
 
another problem people have is that they try to run too cool of a thermostat. if you try to run too cool of one and the engine can't dissapate (sp?) the heat quick enough, the stat will constantly be open and you will only keep getting hotter. sometimes if you can't keep your engine cool, you can run up to 10 degrees cooler, by running a thermostat 5 degrees hotter than you are currently running, because it will stay closed longer and give the coolant in the radiator longer time to cycle and cool down  

after watching mine it runs around 195 to 205, depending on how hard I am on the gas....everything on the car is new except for the intake and carb....I get the readings from the heads..and the headers heat the engine compartment  alot..I would like to run about 180 to 190..

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ORIGINAL: 1969 SS

quote:

ORIGINAL: MichiganMan

quote:

ORIGINAL: 74454bb

I was wrong, mine runs around 200 and 210, I had to look a little closer.

most big blocks run 200 210 its normal if the car wont start when its at operating temp but will start when it cools down change the ignition module would be my advise from my own experience

ahhh no, most big blocks don't run that hot. most engines don't run that hot normally..period!

newer cars run that hot because they need to so they can burn more efficiantly to pass emissions but their clearances are different than older engines

another problem people have is that they try to run too cool of a thermostat. if you try to run too cool of one and the engine can't dissapate (sp?) the heat quick enough, the stat will constantly be open and you will only keep getting hotter. sometimes if you can't keep your engine cool, you can run up to 10 degrees cooler, by running a thermostat 5 degrees hotter than you are currently running, because it will stay closed longer and give the coolant in the radiator longer time to cycle and cool down  

here is another thread with the topic on operating temp's for big block's... as I have said it's Normal http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=114812

Wow thanks for the great info guys. As for the ignition module I currently have a MSD 6A p/n 6200 and a MSD blaster ss ignition coil p/n 8207. Do i need to replace both? Or will the MSD 6A be fine? Please info in this would be great. Here are some pics.

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