I have a 1962 corvette with 350 motor I changed the thermostat and install an electric fan flushed the system several times it runs fine on the highway but in traffic it overheats I even I talked a flex fan and nothing changed I removed the thermostat and the car is running great the temp never goes over 185 even in heavy traffic is that hearting my engine ?
Ps it is a 1962 not 1970
If it never goes over 185, you are not hurting your engine.
I’d put a better quality thermostat back in if it were my car. Removing the t-stat means it takes longer to warm up and on cool days the engine won’t get fully warmed up.
Thermostats are there for a reason, sunds like maybe you got a faulty replacement. Have you done a pressure test on the system? If there is no pressure cooling efficiency is reduced. Easy check when engine is warmed up you should not be able to squeeze the upper radiator hose.
Seems to me you might need a new radiator. If the added flow from taking the thermostat out makes a difference, it might be that the radiator has lost some of its thermal efficiency over the years, or the front is all plugged with bugs. That old there is no computer to tell it to go into closed loop etc., so I guess no harm but might as well fix it right.
Stupid question, but I will ask: Are you sure you installed the potentially defective t-stat in the correct orientation? I.e. with the guts pointed in the right direction? The fact that everything is peachy with t-stat removed does make one wonder of the stat is worth a dang.
1 Like
What’s overheating?
Tester
It is a new correct radiator and yes I know how to install the thermostat believe me I tried just about every thing including a new water pump the only thing that worked was removing the thermostat even that I tried several temperature thermostat I started
with 195 then 180 and the final one was 160 my concern I was told by several corvette owner that removing the thermostat can hurt the engine
You have a classic Corvette so why are you not having this problem solved by a professional.
You didn’t buy a radiator for a ‘62 did you? Because a 350 certainty wasnt offered in that year.
Let’s see?
A 62 Vette?
How hard would it be to drop a 350 in, in place of a 327?
NOT!
Tester
No, but a 350 may well require a larger radiator than a 327. If he got a radiator for a ‘62 vette then there may be a deficiency in the cool department!
Did this Vette ever run ok with the 350? If not, I agree it might be a too-small radiator.
Most of the work was done by a professionals
Most of the work was done by professionals
I used a radiator for a 427 with AC it is twice the size
I’ll ask again?
Explain overheating?
Tester
The problem with no thermostat is that one of its functions is to apportion the % of coolant flowing through the radiator vs through the engine. W/no thermostat you’ve got plenty going through the radiator, but risk not have enough flowing through the engine. The dash temperature gauge only reads at that one location, so with no thermostat there’s a possibility of getting localized hot spots inside the engine, even though the gauge reads ok. One symptom might be increased tendency to ping, so if you are noticing any increased pinging, the no-thermostat idea isn’t going to work.
With weird overheating symptoms first determine under what conditions it overheats; i.e. stop and go traffic, freeway driving, only going uphill, etc. Next make sure the cooling system is full of coolant, no air pockets, and everything including the radiator cap holds the spec’d pressure. ignition timing out of spec and air/fuel too lean are other causes.
Well, I had my hopes…the quest continues. Like tester said, what are you calling overheating? Is a gauge getting pegged or is the radiator boiling over?
Both the gauge is pegged and the radiator is boiling over I’m giving up
It sounds like your 62 'vette needs a professional shop cooling system evaluation, and probably a test for exhaust gasses in the coolant.