Pinging under power and drive train Q's

[pwrcat4000]

Well the bypass was fine droped the flush tonight, put the thermostat back in, and the gauge is reading higher SMH!

I haven't put the newer L16 Water pump or the shroud on yet. I did an oil change instead. It is running SOOOO much better.

[racerx]

How can it run better if the gauge is running higher

[datzenmike]

I am with you with what I know about that stuff with my big V-8's it would sound like nonsense to me too. 

It has been running must be a tribute to fine engineering (best reproduction of a German engine ever made LOL) 

It does have a bypass I will need to evaluate it after I dump the flush tomorrow may be clogged.  With out the thermostat in it does not have the overheating while parked problem any more.

I am also going to put the L16 Water pump on it and run the L16 fan so I can use the original shroud. that my help lower the temp a little my IR gun says that the thermostat housing is only about 160 at idle and 140 at the radiator neck  I get a 20-30 degree drop at the lower neck, so the gauge is reading a little high in my opinion.

 

The dash gauge is simply an indicator and why car makers didn't put numbers on them. If it goes higher than you are used to seeing, it indicates that something is wrong.

 

It should be reading 180 on an IR gun, or a little higher when warmed up. Replace the thermostat. The thermostat determines the minimum temperature that the engine runs at, nothing else. 160 is way too cool.

[pwrcat4000]

How can it run better if the gauge is running higher

Timing was way wrong, it is more driveable, more power. The Temp "problem" has been there since I put the motor in, and the last motor, and the original L16 that I cavitated.

[racerx]

At least you were able to fix it...

[datzenmike]

I would trust the IR gun leaving the gauge or the sender in doubt. Probably the sender. Does the gas gauge also read fuller than it really is?

[pwrcat4000]

On the gas gauge. I don't think so I will tell you when it hits E I have about 20 miles of fuel left.

[datzenmike]

Both the temp and fuel gauges are powered by their own voltage regulator. If for some reason it's higher than the 8 volts it's supposed to be it will cause the gauges to read high. Nest time the gauge reads half fill it up. I think the 521 has a 9 or 10 gallon tank. It should take about 5 gallons. If reading high it may take 7 or more.

[datzenmike]

Both the temp and fuel gauges are powered by their own voltage regulator. If for some reason it's higher than the 8 volts it's supposed to be it will cause the gauges to read high. Nest time the gauge reads half fill it up. I think the 521 has a 9 or 10 gallon tank. It should take about 5 gallons. If reading high it may take 7 or more.

[banzai510(hainz)]

521 has one volt reg so it should be common on both if indication is off.

 

Mke sure the lower Rad hose is new so it dont collapse on you

[Charlie69]

The temp and fuel gauges are adjustable.  There is a slot on back that you can insert a screw driver in and adjust where the needle reads.  I do not remember which way moves the needle down or up.  It does not take a large amount of movement to get a change in needle position.  This adjuster might be stuck from years of non movement.

[pwrcat4000]

75 degrees here last night in Puckerbrush KS so I took Rat Suey out on the highway to test and see if I fixed the overheat, I was successful.... in getting it to overheat.
While it never went to the red it was right up close.

 

Pulled it in to the drive the IR gun said 194 on the thermostat housing so I pointed it at the rear thermostat bolt it was 250 that is more in line with the gauge.

Where it the most accurate place to point the IR Gun?

 

I was afraid to shut it off, as the last motor I did that on I melted the valve seats out of the heads. I let it idle and slowly over the course of 30 minutes it got back to a little above the mark. I backed off the timing to about 8, because since I put the regular gas back in it, it pinged under power again at 12.  Will try to test again an report back.

Thanks as always to all of you for helping me!

[racerx]

Drive it w out t stat and if it overheats its your rad or blockage somewhere. How long did you drive it at 250 degrees?

[banzai510(hainz)]

Maybe time to get a 3 row. if you got the money.  bolts are 5/16x24  to get longer ones and use a 1/4 inch spacers also

Try a 160 54 mm stat.it might work a little better. plus its cheap  plus I drill a 1/8 hole in the stat also.

 

 

mine also get hot if stuck in traffic. I dont know why.

 

I try a spare rad cap also

 

keeping the Lmotor head cool is important.

[Charlie69]

Have you put your T-stat In a pan of water on the stove and brought the water temp up and watched to see if the T-stat actually opens up and opens all the way.  You have something stopping the water from ciculating throu the cooling system.

 

Can you take the radiator cap off and see the water flowing through the radiator?  With the cap off watch the water flow and rev the engine up.  The flow should move faster in the radiator at higher rpms.

 

If you have good flow in the radiator your timing has to be off or you are running really lean.

 

Has this engine been rebuilt?

[pwrcat4000]

 racerx

 

How long did you drive it at 250 degrees?

 

Maybe 4 minutes now the Bolt was at 250 the thermostat housing was 186 the upper rad was 168 lower rad was 129 Charlie69

 

watch to see if the T-stat actually opens up and opens all the way

 

Can you take the radiator cap off and see the water flowing through the radiator?  With the cap off watch the water flow and rev the engine up.  The flow should move faster in the radiator at higher rpms.

 

If you have good flow in the radiator your timing has to be off or you are running really lean.

 

Has this engine been rebuilt?

 

Of course I intended to test the t-Stat but got excited and put it back together

 

water flows at idle in the rad when it is up to temp

 

Engine not rebuilt by me could have been by some one else.

 

I think I am going to drill the 1/8 hole where the jiggle valve is I am buying a new thermostat and testing it before I put it in!

[racerx]

I've had bad like with stant brand.

[banzai510(hainz)]

if you got it times were you can do 70mph nd runs fine

I thnk check the lower rad hose once warmed up and rev up the motor and see if the  lower hose collapses under load. if not then time to think about a 3 core.

as you know 521 body bolts are all SAE and its 5/16x24 threads youll need longet bolts for the spacers as the rad hits the core support and  rerouted the wirs over the rad hose so they wont get smashed

[Charlie69]

Buy the more expensive thermostat not the cheap one.  How close is your engine timed?  This has to be frustrating for you! 

I would buy an after market temp gauge install it amd leave the factory one hooked up.  This will help to identify if there is a problem with the original gauge reading incorrectly.

Is this a points distributor or is it HEI? If it is a points disributor are the points gapped correctly?

 

1  Radiator has flow. 

2  The bottom radiator hose does not colapse under higher rpm. 

3  T-stat is opening all the way.

4  Timing is correct?

 

Please fill in any thing I have missed.

 

Please pull the spark plugs out and take pictures of the electrode end in numerical suuccession 1 - 4.  This is to give us an indication of how the spark plugs are burning.

[banzai510(hainz)]

Putting a new temp senor is abit harder than ones thinks and finding the right threads to kit adapt to it and one has to look at a catapiller line .

I had one on my 510 and took it out

 

3 core is the likely ay to go

 

On warm 80deg days My 2 cores would get midway and I hated it when stuck in traffic. On typical Washington NW weather it was fine

[racerx]

Have u ran it w out t stat? Try this first.

[Charlie69]

Usually running without a T-stat will cause an engine to run hotter as the coolant passes throught the radiator to fast preventing the coolant from being cooled.

[pwrcat4000]

Buy the more expensive thermostat not the cheap one.  How close is your engine timed?  This has to be frustrating for you! 

I would buy an after market temp gauge install it amd leave the factory one hooked up.  This will help to identify if there is a problem with the original gauge reading incorrectly.

Is this a points distributor or is it HEI? If it is a points disributor are the points gapped correctly?

 

1  Radiator has flow. 

2  The bottom radiator hose does not colapse under higher rpm. 

3  T-stat is opening all the way.

4  Timing is correct?

 

Please fill in any thing I have missed.

 

Please pull the spark plugs out and take pictures of the electrode end in numerical suuccession 1 - 4.  This is to give us an indication of how the spark plugs are burning.

It is frustrating things don't add up gauge reads hot engine "acts hot"

IR gun says that the thermostat housing is only about 160 at idle and 140 at the radiator neck  I get a 20-30 degree drop at the lower neck. 

it will cool down if I let it idle long enough or take a hose to the radiator.

Dizzy is stock L20 B I think it is called a matchbox.

 

1 yes

 

2 Lower hose is less than a year old and seems to be fine but I never really did this test (don't they have a spring in them?)

 

3 I am going to get a fresh 190 Stat High flow if they have that, then test it in a pan of water and drill an 1/8 inch hole in it and put it in.

Q: does it matter where the hole is clocked

My L20B does have a bypass tube and it is clear, but it still gets hot if I shut it off for short periods then restart and the valve train chatters.

 

I don't want this to happen again

 

4 rolled it back to 8 or 9 BTDC (my eyes are not what they used to be) was pinging again when I put regular gas back in it.

I will probably run premium in it next fill up it is not like it uses a ton of fuel anyway.

 

I will try an get the plug pictures

 

Cyl temps are with in 2-5 degrees of each other at the plug (I don't remember what the number was let me know if that is important I will right it down)

 

In puckerbrush, KS:

Yesterday 97 degrees towed trailer and 450 Lbs of trees to the dump in high winds. I did not push it, temp was 2 needles from the red idled until it cooled down.

104 F today I took it easy on the old girl just around town, ran about half way between center ant Red mark.

 

Plugs are NKG BPR6ES 7131

 

I really want to get the highway temps down and I would like to add A/C someday so I would like to get it cooled down.

 

[banzai510(hainz)]

97 degress????????? shit no wonder its hot

 

 

open chamner head run 91 or higher

 

if its that hot in summer just get a 3 core rad

[Charlie69]

I run in Phoenix year round a 180-185 t-stat.  I would go to the 3 core radiator like the L Motor God (Banzai Hainz) has suggested.  I have always run 3 core copper brass radiators with my vehicles living in Phoenix AZ.  Here you can not have to much cooling for an engine.

 

My 66 520 will be my first aluminum radiator and it has two 1" cores.  It is a large radiator that was designed and built for a 510 with a SR20DE swap.  This should cool my stock other than 40 over bore L20B automatic with AC.  The automatic will have a seperate transmission cooler.

 

All engines get hotter when shut off.  This is why some vehicles from the factory with electric fans have a timing that lets the fans run for 5 to 10 minutes after the engine is shut off.

 

Does your L20B have a clutched fan?

 

 

If it does loosen the fan belt and turn the fan by hand, it should turn freely when cold ( before engine is run).

 

Doe you radiator/fan had a shroud?