is 210 to hot for a sbc??

i got a 1954 chevy belair with a mild 350. stock radiator, 180 t-stat, electric pusher fan AND mechanical flex fan. it will idel at 160-180 all day long, get to about 200-205 cruising and about 210if i romp on it hard or go up a long hill.should i be worried

 

No, thats sounds normal

 

You mention "stock radiator". Are you using the 6 cyl. radiator?

 

that flex fan ,if it's tapered will give you fits.put a 7 blade fan from summit that does not taper.it cured my heat problem 185 all day lonmg with a/c on.

 

my '01 Silverado runs at 220 with a small block.

 

cool thanks, i just get a little paranoid when i see it go past 180. but from what i heard chevys should operate at 200-205. normaly cars over heat when they sit at a light. mine cools back down when i stop at a light

 

yeah from the stock 235

 

210 is warmed up. My families roundy round dirt cars run 225-240 during the summer full throttle for 20+laps most of the time. When they get above 250+ and start spitting with a 26lb radiator cap then you know their hot and need to be cooled off. We ran one to 270 one night and tore it down to find just burnt oil nothing warped or non usable. This engine also had about 22-25 races on it or almost 2 seasons at that point. 210 is nothing for a SBC powered street car.-Weeks

 

My 350 runs about 190 most of the time but in summer when its 95 outside I have had it to get up to 210,but it s never boiled over with stock 48 chevy raditor with 7psi cap.

 

at speed the fan will make little difference. if your car runs hot at low speed its the fan. if it runs hot at at speed or when you are on it hard the rad is to small.

 

You need a larger radiator ... the original one was designed to cool a six cylinder 235 cubic inch engine. It has lost some of it's efficency over the years ... so no wonder the 350 runs at 210 at speed.

The electric fan very possibly is HURTING the cooling at speed ... by blocking the air to the radiator.

 

A word of advice from experience: GET RID OF THE FLEX FAN!!! They have a habit of cracking at the hub and taking radiators out - ask me how I know - more than once.

But I guess that'll get rid of your stock radiator and you can then spend $$$ on a new one.

 

That pusher fan in front of the radiator may be blocking air flow at highway speeds also..

 

Sounds like you need to buy better quality fans....I've run riveted steel hub/stainless blade flex fans for years with no problems at all.

 

I have had a clutch fan explode on me while driving my old jeep.

 

Intresting point to throw into the flex fan debate.....GM actually put big huge flex fans on some light/heavy duty trucks in the 80s, bolted to a clutch hub. Something like a 454 powered 3/4 ton camper special with A/C. But not all flex fans are created equal.

210 is not too hot by any means. Many old timers have told me unless it's boiling over, you're not too hot. My experience has pretty much backed that up. We're talking old worn street engines, not high strung racing beasts.

Temperature creep to that degree however, indicates you're on the edge of a problem that would be revealed with a change in how the car is used.

I'd be checking the timing mechanisms to be sure you're not causing massive heat production on the road. Once timing checks out it's time to start looking at your radiator for flow restriction or a thermostat stuck halfway open or a radiator hose that's collapsing under higher pump demand.

Personally don't believe it's the fan. 54 chevs have the frontal area of a barn and at highway speed airflow should overcome any fan resistance issues.

good luck

 

What differential ratio and rear tire size (height) are you running?

OD trans?

 

210 isnt too bad..might want to flush that old 235 radiator..it will cool better at speed..
that radiator will do the job, if you have a good fan, aand a shroud..gotta have the shroud..and the mechanical fan needs to be about no more than 2 inches away from the radiator

 

Tell us about your shroud.

 

Had the same Cooling issues not too long ago..Was running a Brand New stock radiator(down flow), Stock shroud,Same Thermosat you have on my 350. Change the short to long style pump and it did cool close to 10' cooler.. Then spent the money on a Brand new alum.(cross flow) radiator and that solved all my problems..Temperature stays between 150 to 180 all the time now...Good Luck

 

thank from all the input guys. i guess ill leave the same radiator i have in it. i rebuilt it about 15,000 miles ago.always made sure i ran coolant and not just water in it.so the radiator should be good. and my car really wont go bast 200 unless i romp on it then ill go to 210 maybe slightly higher but from what ive read in previous theads and this one im golden so i feel better. i just hope i dont get a milkshake in my oil haha thanks again guys