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it's cold outside

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hey Jack, good point on the location of the temperature gauge. any idea where it is on a '74?

if it's in the radiator I'll leave it alone, but if it's on the engine block, then I'll need to do something. if it's in the engine block, then that would indicate a problem with the thermostat, as the thermostat should stay closed until the engine reached operating temperature, then open and close to maintain that temperature.

is my thinking correct?
 
Another thing to consider. Many of the midget thermostats ahve an exta 3/16" hole or two in them. (I know mine does cause I put it there) this helps re-filling and bleeding the air from the cooling system. (At least on the 1500)

Whereas my temp sensor is right above that thermostat, so those small holes couls be enuf to throw it off in extreme cold too.
 
Think those cars with crossflow radiators have temp senders in the blocks. Some one with square bodys correct me if wrong pls. Yes thermostats have a bypass hole in them and it is just too big if it is cold. Don't fight it, block some wind from the radiator, everyone did it back in the day.
 
You are correct Jack about the temp sender. I believe that mine is on the passenger side near the front of the engine...
 
The temp sensors on your engine in the head, on the passenger side of the head at the front. Joe, nothing is wrong with your car other than it's cold outside, it could be a remote possiblty that your thermostat is stuck open, but most of the time they stick cloesed rather than open. Here's the deal, it's basic logic, the thermostat is designed to stay closed until the engine reaches the thermostat temp, if it doesn't then the thermostat stay closed, in cold weather and short drive of 30 minutes ar less, it's entirely possible that the thermostat never opens and temp never reach the thermostat temp rating. In order to understand the problem, you must first understand the operation, oh and that's not meant to be a rude remark, just a lesson I learned a long time ago, that has help me to sort through problems over the years. Whan I tech folks to work on engines, carbs whatever, I never teach monkey see, monkey do mechanics, but rahter teach them how something works, if they understand how something works, then they can improve upon it, if they don't understand that they are simply held to the advice of others, whether it be good or bad.
 
Hap Waldrop said:
I never teach monkey see, monkey do mechanics, but rahter teach them how something works, if they understand how something works, then they can improve upon it, if they don't understand that they are simply held to the advice of others, whether it be good or bad.
Click to expand...

I like it. I wish some of the guys that work'd for me could grasp this. Its more like Monkey see... monkey see... monkey see.... oops monkey do wrong.
 
Even though we have unseasonably warm 52F this morning, with a black piece of cardboard 8 inches wide vertically across the middle of the radiator my heater put out considerably more warm air this morning.

I'll have to wait a few days to see what happens after the weather cools down again.
 
you can always remove the thermostat, as you will not lose that much coolant, and boil check it.

Put it in a pyrex measuring cup, or some other such. Fill water at least one inch over the thermostat, nuke or stove heat. With a thermometer observe when the stat opens. Or it may be completely open cold, then you know it is bad.
 
Yup airpump bolt has to be removed.
 
This is completely doable. I'd be less worried about the smog pump and more worried about the T-stat housing being corroded to the studs.
 
I will open her up then, see whats inside

I know I can get everything apart, it the getting it back together that scares me !!

what would happen if I removed the smog pump? I imagine that's sucking up a lot of my power, no?
 
Removal of smog pump also includes blocking of air injector ports on the side of the head. You are probably lucky that the smog pump isn't locked up. if you don't have to worry about emissions testing in your area many folks remove the smog pump but not something anyone on this list will own up to more than likely. Some of the restoration books talk about removing smog equipment and timing and size of the bolts needed to plug the injection ports. Someone on this thread will have the correct bolt size. Also a new belt would be needed if air pump is removed. Timing may need tweaking as well.

Just make sure you soak those thermostat housing bolts with PB Blaster for a day or two. try not to create a bigger problem. You will likely find that the stud with nut corroded to the stud will simply screw out of the block. If again it is stubborn, sometimes some heat from a torch , heating and cooling will break things free. Keep an extinguiser handy if your done liberal applications of PB Blaster just in case.

Hey we've all been where you are at with our LBC's. A little courage is needed. Not likely you'll break something that cannot be fixed with a little bit of creativity and ingenuity.
 
Hap Waldrop said:
The temp sensors on your engine in the head, on the passenger side of the head at the front. Joe, nothing is wrong with your car other than it's cold outside, it could be a remote possiblty that your thermostat is stuck open, but most of the time they stick cloesed rather than open. Here's the deal, it's basic logic, the thermostat is designed to stay closed until the engine reaches the thermostat temp, if it doesn't then the thermostat stay closed, in cold weather and short drive of 30 minutes ar less, it's entirely possible that the thermostat never opens and temp never reach the thermostat temp rating. In order to understand the problem, you must first understand the operation, oh and that's not meant to be a rude remark, just a lesson I learned a long time ago, that has help me to sort through problems over the years. Whan I tech folks to work on engines, carbs whatever, I never teach monkey see, monkey do mechanics, but rahter teach them how something works, if they understand how something works, then they can improve upon it, if they don't understand that they are simply held to the advice of others, whether it be good or bad.
Click to expand...

hey Hap

well, I'm trying to understand how this all works, and from what I do understand I'm thinking something is wrong. I cannot imagine in 32 degree weather that my engine will not heat up to 190 degrees, that seems unlikely to me. I was out for a lengthy drive, at least 30 minutes, and the car never warmed up. it's acting like the thermostat is stuck open, or is opening up too soon. cooling systems are the easiest part of the car to understand, and if operating properly, the car should warm up to the proper temperature, and the thermostat should be able to maintain that temperature. At least that's my understanding with all the other cars I have owned (they are all modern cars, so it may be way different).

you all must think I'm a pain in the a$$ (my wife does), so I apologize for continually talking about this, without taking any action yet !! but before I do anything to the car, I like to hear as many opinions as I can, as to prevent me from doing something stupid, which I'm totally capable of doing !!
 
Jim, thanks for the advice, I will go spray the bolts right now.

looking at them, they look to be in decent shape, not must rust or corrosion. but I will def spray some PB in there.

is tightening the belts up easy to do? after I loosen the smog pump?

again, thanks everyone !!!
 
Just a pry bar of some sort to put tension on the Air pump or Generator to push the Air Pump or Generator away. Not sure which one has adjustment possible maybe both. A long screwdriver works real well as a lever. Belt should be tight enough to deflect perhaps 1/2" when pushed on with thumb.
 
On the interstate with my MGB, and 185 thermostat at those kind of temps when I drive it in the winter, I would maybe get to 140-150 max. I understand your concerns, you could change the thermostat, they take a regular Chevy type, so you can pick one up at your local parts store, make yourself a thermostat gasket out of the black gasket paper, it better than that cork garbage they sell for our cars, you can also now buy fail-safe thermostats, that will stick open if they stick, they are higher, about 10-15 bucks but it's cheap insurance.

The biggest difference between this car and a modern car is you have a mechancial fan that runs all the time, and it doesn't know it's 32 degrees outside. Here's good test for you, crank the car up in the yard, just let it sit there and idle, see how high the tmeps will get withoout motion involve, then go drive it and see if those temp come down with motion and the airflow invovled.
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]drive it and see if those temp come down with motion and the airflow involved.[/QUOTE]

That's my experience. If my car sits and idles the temp goes up, if it's running on the freeway it goes down. This is with the electric fan in 'always on' mode.

It was definitely better this morning with the blocker in place.
 
When it cold, my car demands a good 5+ minutes of warming the engine after all it's old distributor, and carbed car, and the carbs were made by comapny that use to make meat grinders :smile:
 
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