454 Running Hot

Red Racer wrote:
Jimmy, The 160 thermostat will most likely help you out on flat ground, but when under a big load (towing, grades, etc) you will most likely end up on the hot side of the gauge again. Most experts will tell you that the only thing a lower temp thermostat will do is just make it open earlier. True, but a lower temp stat is a big benefit when you have the other cooling system parts to support it like a 2 row aluminum radiator (if you can find one the same size as you have now), some sort of high flow water pump, the correct cooling fan and clutch, and a fan shroud that has no leaks, in that no air can leak through it without going through the radiator If you can achieve all of that, the 160 will help you.

The Water Wetter is actually made by Red Line, though Royal Purple makes one as well I believe. To take full benefit of this stuff, you cannot run any glycol based coolants with it because it cannot make coolant "wetter". Only water. Even then, you might see a small drop in temp on the grades but most likely not in a no load situation.

if the 160 you put in solves your issue, run it and be done with it. If it doesn't, remember that big block chevys (or any large engine) aren't known for running all that cool anyway, in any vehicle. I had a 1992 GMC dually for a while, and the 454 in it ran much the same as the one in your MH in terms of engine temp.

I was hoping that if it started out cooler that it would run cooler overall. It recovers very quickly.

I did get the Royal Purple brand of "water wetter". It's something-ice. It did say that best results are with tap water, but I can't forego the freeze protection of glycol so I have a 50/50 mix.

Hopefully it will do okay. The good thing about I-80 in my neck of the woods is that there are plenty of exits. If it gets hot, I can pull off and chill.