How Hot Is Too Hot ????

Rusty Davenport · 04-25-2016, 04:44 PM

When water pump, fan, or driver failure creates a 1/4 mile pass that reaches the 230 plus zone, how hot is too hot or at least hot enough to create damage for that short length of time ???

Kegracing · 04-25-2016, 07:20 PM

Rusty,

Every motor and combo is a little different. Aluminum block? Aluminum heads? Did it puke the water out of it? Does it look and sound ok after cooling off?
New stuff is set up to run at 210+ from the factory for hours on end...
I would just check everything out visually. Might run it a little and change the oil and filter and cut the filter open and check it.
If all looks good, run it. If you find too much "gold dust" in the filter, then might have to rethink it...
I have had sbc w aluminum heads get up to the 230ish number when electric water pump quit and I did not catch it until turn off, during a TX summer. Did not hurt anything luckily.

Good luck with it.

Ken

Chevy55 · 04-25-2016, 07:51 PM

Too hot is when the coolant reaches its boiling point.
Engine will run all day long at 250* as long as the coolant isn't boiling.

Dave Ribeiro · 04-25-2016, 08:49 PM

Rusty,

As Ken said , check everything over really close... Try another H2O gauge to be sure yours isn't stuck & see if they read the same ?? Also, make sure there's not restricted area or plate anywhere in the engine, hose, radiator etc.
I would then try letting the engine run @ 2-2500 RPM & see how long it takes to get to 220-230 * degrees temp ??? Sounds like you have something restricting the flow, try draining everything and see what comes out. When did you start having this problem, after the fire or before ????

let me know.... Are you coming to VMP this weekend ??

Ed Wright · 04-26-2016, 12:31 PM

What kind of car is it Rusty? Some of these later models are hard to get all the air out of the cooling system. I added bleeders on the back of my heads to get the air out, while the electric water pump is running. Engine off. If mine gets to 160 in the shut down area, it's back to 135/140 by the time I get back to the pits. 230 is pretty hot in a short time.

MikeMoller · 04-27-2016, 06:24 PM

I had similar issue, was wondering if can hurt the rings, causing bad leak down numbers.

Dave Noll · 04-27-2016, 06:40 PM

Had that happen a few times. Didn't hurt anything, except my nerves.

04-25-2016, 04:44 PM	#1
Rusty Davenport Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Nashville N.C. Posts: 505 Likes: 4 Liked 100 Times in 26 Posts	How Hot Is Too Hot ???? When water pump, fan, or driver failure creates a 1/4 mile pass that reaches the 230 plus zone, how hot is too hot or at least hot enough to create damage for that short length of time ??? __________________ NHRA AND IHRA STOCK ELIMINATOR 2772

04-25-2016, 07:20 PM	#2
Kegracing Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Red Oak, TX Posts: 441 Likes: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: How Hot Is Too Hot ???? Rusty, Every motor and combo is a little different. Aluminum block? Aluminum heads? Did it puke the water out of it? Does it look and sound ok after cooling off? New stuff is set up to run at 210+ from the factory for hours on end... I would just check everything out visually. Might run it a little and change the oil and filter and cut the filter open and check it. If all looks good, run it. If you find too much "gold dust" in the filter, then might have to rethink it... I have had sbc w aluminum heads get up to the 230ish number when electric water pump quit and I did not catch it until turn off, during a TX summer. Did not hurt anything luckily. Good luck with it. Ken

04-25-2016, 07:51 PM	#3
Chevy55 Banned Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 324 Likes: 625 Liked 179 Times in 89 Posts	Re: How Hot Is Too Hot ???? Too hot is when the coolant reaches its boiling point. Engine will run all day long at 250* as long as the coolant isn't boiling.

04-25-2016, 08:49 PM	#4
Dave Ribeiro VIP Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Williamsburg, Va.---USA Posts: 1,827 Likes: 1,612 Liked 56 Times in 27 Posts	Re: How Hot Is Too Hot ???? Rusty, As Ken said , check everything over really close... Try another H2O gauge to be sure yours isn't stuck & see if they read the same ?? Also, make sure there's not restricted area or plate anywhere in the engine, hose, radiator etc. I would then try letting the engine run @ 2-2500 RPM & see how long it takes to get to 220-230 * degrees temp ??? Sounds like you have something restricting the flow, try draining everything and see what comes out. When did you start having this problem, after the fire or before ???? let me know.... Are you coming to VMP this weekend ?? __________________ Dave Ribeiro 1033 STK

04-26-2016, 12:31 PM	#5
Ed Wright Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Sand Springs, OK Posts: 8,132 Likes: 896 Liked 389 Times in 169 Posts	Re: How Hot Is Too Hot ???? What kind of car is it Rusty? Some of these later models are hard to get all the air out of the cooling system. I added bleeders on the back of my heads to get the air out, while the electric water pump is running. Engine off. If mine gets to 160 in the shut down area, it's back to 135/140 by the time I get back to the pits. 230 is pretty hot in a short time. __________________ Ed Wright 4156 SS/JA

04-27-2016, 06:24 PM	#6
MikeMoller Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Raleigh NC Posts: 635 Likes: 27 Liked 254 Times in 78 Posts	Re: How Hot Is Too Hot ???? I had similar issue, was wondering if can hurt the rings, causing bad leak down numbers. __________________ Mike Moller NHRA 203 Q-R-T/SA

04-27-2016, 06:40 PM	#7
Dave Noll Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Div. 6, Eastern, WA Posts: 707 Likes: 2,606 Liked 236 Times in 109 Posts	Re: How Hot Is Too Hot ???? Had that happen a few times. Didn't hurt anything, except my nerves. __________________ Dave Noll, EF/S ,?/SA 6526