454 Running Hot
So I just got back from my 2nd trip in my '84 Allegro. First trip was 300-miles RT in high-80 degree weather. Engine temps fluctuated but didn't enter the red zone until the last couple of mile from m...
Forum Discussion
justlou wrote:
Was the replacement engine out of an RV or passenger car? If it was from a passenger car it will not have a camshaft suitable for RV application. An RV camshaft builds torque in a different RPM range than a passenger car application and your engine may be working too hard on the hills causing it to run hot.
I didn't actually see it, but I was told that it came out of a custom-made, antique rollback. It's a GM Performance crate engine. I checked the VIN and it's a truck-spec engine with a 1990 build date. Head stampings come up as truck-spec too. It had an undersized QJet on it so I put a stock-spec, rebuilt QJet on it. Now it has NO problem power-wise. It pulls it along quite nicely. It will pull it up the hills at 55-60 MPH but the fact that it can do it doesn't mean I should push it that hard. Slowing down a bit might allow it to run cooler.
And...at Autozone the only options are 195 and 160 in thermostats. I'm going to go with the 160.
