What should my engine temp and oil pressure be?

19stang66

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Apr 16, 2003
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So I finally got the new temp gauge installed along with my oil pressure and tach. My question is, what should the normal temperature be for my 289 that is bored .030, has performer intake with holley 600 carb? I also have headers if that makes any difference. I do not have a fan shroud and I don't know how many core radiator I have, but I think it's like 17"x20", i'm pretty sure it's not stock. When I drove her yesterday for about 20 min into town at 60-75mph the temp got up to around 220*. I don't think it should be that high. I havent had to sit in any traffic yet so I'm not too sure how hot it'd get if I were idling in traffic. What should be a good temp for my engine?

Now what would be a good oil pressure for my engine? When I start it up it goes to about 40-60psi then after driving it for a bit it drops down to like 30-40psi. But then yesterday after driving into town and sitting at a stoplight I looked down and it was below 20psi, but after I drove off it raised back up. What should my oil pressure be?
 
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30 to 40 psi for oil pressure is about right, its normal, your engine temp though shouldnt be that hot, I like mine to rum about 180 under normal driving, try a different thermostat or water pump, maybe radiator, 220 degrees is not good.
 
220 at 65-70 mph is hot...at speed is when your radiator should be the coolest...just think if you got into some traffic, that 220 would then turn into 240 and your car would overheat casuing major problems...get a shroud, maybe in electric fan ect. and if all else fails, it might be time for a new radiator to handle it...oil presure sounds good, let us know how it turns out

matt
 
If you've got the stock fan, get a bigger one.Most of the stockers I've seen on early small blocks sucked.(but not air) Also put a fan shroud. Temp should be anywhere between 180 and 220. 240's a bit warm, but if you've got a 50/50 water/antifreeze mix,& a good 13-15 lb radiator cap it shouldn't be a problem. Oil pressure sounds about right for a 30 year old unrebuilt 289. Run thicker oil and/or add a can of STP oil treatment to it, to pick it up a bit.
 
I have a brand new 180* thermostat, new stock water pump, and new radiator cap. I'm going to buy a fan shroud and see if that helps. Does anyone know what i'll need to install the shroud? I see there is a mounting kit and brackets in NPD's catalog. Do I need these also?

Also, how do I tell how many core radiator I have?

What new fan do you recommend?
 
Something like this? Flex-a-lite wide blade fan
Here's a link to some different ones they have.
http://store.summitracing.com/egnse...94908331+4294924702+4294908282+115+4294840071
How do I install it? Can I use it with the existing clutch deal I got or do I need to buy something else to make it work?

This is the setup that I am running now. The fan I have now has 7 blades and is 17". Will a 18.25" fan fit in there?
imgp10104qs.jpg
 

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Wait for the shroud before chosing a fan. Otherwise you'll be looking at a different fan. With a big fan like that, you'll also want a clutch for it. Big draw on power and fuel mileage with a high volume fan turning all the time, not to mention the noise.
 
A fan shroud helps alot, Directs the flow of iar thru the radiator at greater velocity...It may help your issue, but I dont think its the cure, try a lower anti freeze to water mix also, especially if you dont drive it at allin winter.
 
My car was getting hot at Idle only and when cruising around it was at
180 degrees. I added a shroud and a new Fan and for me it was a waist
of time. It just prolonged the problem. I going with a electric fan.
 
I second the electric fan, i have a 65 289 Stang and had a 17" flex-a-lite, I switched to this
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/16-I...emQQcategoryZ33600QQihZ017QQitemZ270000946558,
It is awesome, saves hp, i put in a toggle switch or you can do a thermostic one. Actually while driving the car over 45mph i never even have to turn the fan on. In traffic i will kick it on when the temp rises and it will cool it right down. Best part is unit is very low profile and has lots of clearance. Here is a link to the finished unit in my car,
I highly recommend it, I'm very satisfied, you don't have to spend hundred's of dollars for a good electric unit...
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/835961
 
Was very easy. The mounting hardware was all included. I added a few small cushions just for insurance against the fins. I wish now I had done it years ago, I think it really cleans up the engine to. Also I weighed my old flex fan and it was about 6 pounds, just think how much power it would take to spin that at 5000 rpm. My et for sure picked up at the track as well when I went.
 
ga289stocker said:
Also I weighed my old flex fan and it was about 6 pounds, just think how much power it would take to spin that at 5000 rpm.
The very reason I suggested a clutch fan. A fan on an 18 wheeler Diesel engine consumes about 50 hp to turn it at 1500 rpms. So the flex fan without a clutch is somewhere south of that figure. The electric still draws hp thru the alternator, so it's not as free as you think. I've got electrics on my Ranger and wish it had an engine driven clutch fan. Turn on the lights, heater-A/C blower, and the fans and watch the voltage drop. If you've got a marginal Alternator, the electric fan just might push it over the edge.
 
19stang66 said:
When I drove her yesterday for about 20 min into town at 60-75mph the temp got up to around 220*. I don't think it should be that high.

You're right, that is too high.

What was your rpm at that speed? How hot does it get at lower speeds/rpm? Make sure your lower radiator hose has an anti-collapse spring in it. Sometimes higher rpm(like 70mph with a C4 or something) can make it collapse and close off the water flow, causing highway speed overheating and cooling off at lower speeds.

I had a 6-blade Flex-A-Lite and shroud in my '65 notch. In hot weather it would just slowly climb on the (stock) gage until it boiled. Even coasting down hill in neutral with the engine idling would barely cool it off. It turned out that the old cylinder heads dumped a bunch of crap into the new 3-row radiator and clogged it up. With rebuilt heads, a system flush, and a high efficiency 3-row from NPD I could see the t-stat open and close on the gage. My '68 has a regular radiator and even more engine, yet a smaller fan, no shroud, and no cooling problem. :shrug:

D.Hearne said:
The electric still draws hp thru the alternator, so it's not as free as you think.

Exactly. The only time it saves power and fuel is when it isn't running.However, unlike a mechanical, it actually can be shut off.
 
Well my speedo is broken so I was guessing my speed. My tach read about 3000 on the highway and i'm thinking that's close to 70mph. I have a stock 8 inch and c4. I have the spring in the lower hose and the hose is brand new. I drove it again today and it reached 230* as i was pulling in the driveway, but it's also been 90* out this week. That shroud needs to get here fast!

Oh and when I shut the engine off, the radiator and overflow can was making a loud bubbling noise. I have a clear line so I can see the coolant bubbling at the bottom of it before it enters the overflow can. Is there a reason it's acting so funny? Or is that just how the coolant acts when it gets hot and expands?
 
are you sure you put the thermostat in the right way? easy check
as said earlier, did you also check rad? Looks stock.
Make sure you're pulling air thru the radiator. the shroud will help with that. but even w/o one it should still pull air thru it.
 
Radiator isnt stock, it's a 3 row. Yes i installed the thermostat correctly as i asked about installing that awhile ago. Umm havent checked that its pulling air though. Just put a piece of paper in front of it and see if it sticks?
 
if you running 220* at 65/70 mph, and your looking to make it run cooler:
A different fan wont do anything,
A fan shroud wont do anything,
An electric fan wont do anything,

A car doesnt need a fan at 40+mph, if you're running hot you have other issues that need addressed.

Carb. may be too lean,
hose may collapse,
Bad radiator cap,
Cooling system leak (need to be able to build pressure)
You may have a clogged dirty radiator,
You may have air in your system,
waterpump may not be working properly.

your coolant/water looks really green, what mix are you running?