Operating temperature

j-mac · Post by **j-mac** » December 20, 2006, 1:33 pm

In the cold weather my truck just won't heat up when I'm driving around town... it'll die at any light if I don't keep the revs up or pull the choke out a little. It's not until I go for a rip on the highway that she's ok.

She never really gets hot though... at least, according to the temp gauge on my dash. Even sitting in traffic in the summer. It never reached the 160 mark. It stays around 140 most of the time.

So yesterday I went to replace the thermostat - had no idea what was in there from the POs. Turns out it's a 180, looks new and does work, but who knows if it's working at the right temp or not. Since Lordco gave me the wrong thermostat :roll:

I have to take it back anyway. (Which, by the way, is really frustrating when you've only got one vehicle.) So was thinking of throwing a 195 in there instead. See how that is. Maybe just throw some cardboard in the grille.

Just wondering what other people experience. Is this kinda par for the course? (I've got the 223 straight 6.) Do these things ever get hot or does everyone die in the cold!

douglloyd · Post by **douglloyd** » December 20, 2006, 1:51 pm

It's pretty hard to generate any heat without the T-stat. And you need to defrost windows first before heading out on the highway to warm it up.

I'd stick with the 180, just check to make sure it is facing the right direction. You can test these with a pot of water on the stove and a thermometer. The little plunger will slowly withdraw, opening up a ring around the seal for water to run thru.

Doug

Johnny Canuck · Post by **Johnny Canuck** » December 20, 2006, 1:57 pm

It used to be fairly common out here where we'd get 40 below in the winter, for people to change out to 195's for the winter.
However, I would think that unnecessary out on the coast... where snow is something they get elsewhere.

I am thinking maybe your heater core is plugged or something, instead.
When I was a kid, our scoutmaster had a '57 with a 223, and the heater in that thing would cook you out of that cab on the coldest day while ICEFISHING.... basically the identical heater setup to a Slick.

ICEMAN6166 · Post by **ICEMAN6166** » December 20, 2006, 2:58 pm

i run a 195 stat all the time in everything.my y block takes a while to warm up especially with the fe radiator in the cold.wont hit 180 on the gauge until its been on the road a mile or 2, never seen it go past 190 even in the summer.no problem with the heat, it starts flowing warm around the 115 mark at the low end of the gauge.
any restriction to flow in the heater core and in the cowl or plenum will greatly reduce the heat output.
i have used cardboard before but only at extremely low temps.coolant tested to -85 but whats the temp of the air going thru the radiator @ 65 mph when its -40 outside?
the low limit on starting engines really should be -25F, any lower and it gets real hard on the old y's and fe's .yet we do it with aids of various types- block heater, battery bag, oilpan heater, i have and have seen many straight 6s with headbolt heaters.a plugged in truck will get you to about -40, any more and i see no point in trying.

Slick Fan · Post by **Slick Fan** » December 20, 2006, 4:46 pm

Definitely check your thermostat operation in a pan of water, as posted above. Otherwise, I'm guessing your heater core's partially or mostly plugged.
I've had good luck reverse flushing a couple heater cores by unhooking both coolant lines, then clamping a garden hose onto whichever hose is not hooked to the water pump. Turn the faucet on full blast & watch what kind of crap goes blowing out the other hose. :shock:

Then I put the garden hose on the other coolant line & flush it that direction too...usually get some residual crap that way too. Hook the hoses back up, fill with desired antifreeze amount & there's usually heat again! :thumright:

The Big M · Post by **The Big M** » December 20, 2006, 4:49 pm

ICEMAN6166 wrote:coolant tested to -85 but whats the temp of the air going thru the radiator @ 65 mph when its -40 outside?

Are you referring to driving at 65 mph, or a howling wind whipping at a parked truck? :shock:

Either way, it'll actually still be -40. Air passing through the radiator will obviously increase the rate of heat transfer, but the coolant temperature will not drop below the ambient temperature of the air.

Similarly, if the truck is parked overnight with its nose into the wind it will cool down to ambient faster, but it won't drop below. Windchill doesn't affect vehicles in the same way it does humans.

SCIENCE!!!

j-mac · Post by **j-mac** » December 30, 2006, 1:11 pm

Happy new year (almost) and thanks a lot for the responses... it's a busy time of year so I haven't been able to get back to it until now. By heating up I was refering to the engine not the cab. I did drop the thermostat in a pan and that was how I knew it was functioning already. I already have a 195 thermostat to put in... but the parts store gave me the wrong gasket. I tried to monkey it in but that didn't work. Made one out of a Budweiser box in a pinch to see if that would work... it almost works.

No one can find the correct gasket. I spent 30 minutes on the phone with one guy trying to find it... I gave the old ripped one to a friend, and when he took it in to another "reputable" parts store he said they matched it up to a 262 - NOT a 223, and that no one makes them anymore. I have absolutely no faith in parts stores and personally I don't believe them - I think it's a 223, and I have a feeling that the gasket HASN'T been discontinued.

How can I figure out what's going on? In the meantime I just got some proper gasket material and I'm going out to do some arts and crafts with it now. (I just hope I'm strong enough to push the truck back up into the garage when I'm done breaking it.)

That's the next hurdle...

Johnny Canuck · Post by **Johnny Canuck** » December 30, 2006, 1:22 pm

Yep thats the best thing to do. I have a bag of various size and material gasket sheets came from Canadian Tire. Cost like six bucks, comes in handy when you have to make a gasket.. not too hard to do really.

ICEMAN6166 · Post by **ICEMAN6166** » December 30, 2006, 1:37 pm

fel-pro makes complete gasket sets for those engines, i have a 223 kit for my truck over in the shop i can get the # off the kit.
could be it is a 262? got pics?
you can still get complete rebuild kits i found these one day when looking around

http://www.greenbaypartsworld.com/oldenginekits.htm

Johnny Canuck · Post by **Johnny Canuck** » December 30, 2006, 1:43 pm

Prolly not a 262 unless it's a '64

DocDave · Post by **DocDave** » December 30, 2006, 6:13 pm

Be CAREFUL!
When I had my 63, I was freezing to death one night. I pulled up to a garage with my buddy and bummed a wrench. Bad idea. I was 20 miles from home at 9:30pm in -30 weather and no spare cash. Of course I broke the housing putting it back together (I was only 16, and not real bright) :oops:

Long, Long night tryin to stay warm. :shock:

Next day I finaly got another housing from the local yard and got it together.
Hope it works out better for you.
Dave

j-mac · Post by **j-mac** » December 30, 2006, 7:30 pm

Thanks guys. Well I've never made a gasket before... I'll let you know how successfull it was after the gasket goop sets.

I took pics of the engine before I started... please excuse the mess!

[albumimg]1340[/albumimg]
[albumimg]1339[/albumimg]

Paul Merrell · Post by **Paul Merrell** » December 30, 2006, 10:22 pm

I put a clutch fan from a 1980's thurderchicken on my truck and also used the fan shroud did have to do some modifying but it works great and don't have to listen to the fan. And I also run a 185 thermostat

j-mac · Post by **j-mac** » December 31, 2006, 3:35 pm

Cool. Thanks guys. Arts and crafts gasket making turned out successful. No leaks, and I was happy to see her get warm after 6 minutes.

Now that I've elminated battery issues, idle set too low, and engine not warming up - I'm thinking I must have an issue with the generator itself, the wiring, or maybe the regulator? My generator light used to come on when I slowed down or would stay on when the engine was cold.

Just now it came on after it was already running for a while. I checked all the wires and cleaned the contacts on the regulator - fired her back up and got no generator light and it stayed off. Then I turned her off and back on again right away, generator light came on right away and stayed on regardless of revs.

Wiggled the wires around, started it up... light came back on again right away and stayed on, but this time it went off when I gave it a real quick high rev, and then stayed off when I let it idle again.

So what are the potential problems with generator/regulator? Or is there something else I'm missing? Can I *SAFELY* take apart the generator to see what's going on in there - I mean, am I gonna break something easily? Or should I try replacing the regulator? Or can it be adjusted?

I'm also kind of skeptical of the wiring - there's lots of chunks of electrical tape and patchwork going on all over the truck and I have no idea what's what. If someone tells me it's really not that bad then I'll believe you. :wink:

Seriously, you guys have no idea how much I value this board. I'd feel all alone without it. I've actually learned a ton - 6 months ago all I knew how to do was turn the key, and even that was difficult before I figured out how to use DW 40.

ICEMAN6166 · Post by **ICEMAN6166** » December 31, 2006, 4:27 pm

i had that problem long time ago when i first got my truck,a brush in the generator was stuck in its holder.i freed it up and it worked for several more years.however ,i had no other wiring issues like the taped pieces on yours.
go through the harness one part at a time and see what looks bad, things that are not connected properly will cause many headaches.wire nuts, loose butt connectors and wires twisted together and taped, romex wire,telephone wire, all sorts of stuff i have seen before.

the generator is not too difficult but if you are going to take something apart that you are not sure of, take pictures as you go.helps for later reference.