How hot is to hot SBC 355 with steel heads ina pure stock car?

[3dinter]

Thats my question too,,,where is your temp sensor located ??
in the head or in the intake or in the water neck ??

[Driver88]

Well my car ran hot. I bought a $5 pack of restrictors (or you can knock the center out of an old thermostat) and put one in. Which im sure made the water stay in the rad longer and now car car doesnt run hot. Putting a new pump on it my have made it run cooler too. Im not sure I didnt try that the restrictor was alot easier and cheaper.
I also run a oem pump.

[Egoracing]

Well my car ran hot. I bought a $5 pack of restrictors (or you can knock the center out of an old thermostat) and put one in. Which im sure made the water stay in the rad longer and now car car doesnt run hot. Putting a new pump on it my have made it run cooler too. Im not sure I didnt try that the restrictor was alot easier and cheaper.
I also run a oem pump.

You area causing back pressure in the engine which is killing steam pockets which will cause the water to boil out. You are better off letting the water flow and getting a good pump as it is worth HP in the pump design and lower back pressure on the pump.

[Driver88]

Well Im thinking Ill be ok. I have a GM water pump and Gm puts a thermostat in when they put the engine together. And a thermostat either stops the water flow or restricts it. But thanks for concern.

[DANNY]

All a restrictor is for is to create pressure in the block, If you have a 1/2 decent water pump you do not need the restrictor. The miss information that is allows water to heat soak faster is not true. Go to Stewart Components web site and read up! www.stewartcomponents.com No BS, and this guy sells pumps not radiators but he will tell you how to cool your car PERIOD. Before anyone wants to argue, this is the person that has his pumps on about 90% of the CUP, Nationwide and Truck Series engines along with a BUNCH of the top teams in dirt racing. If we can cool a iron block 850+hp and a 604 crate all with a single pass radiator and use his information anyone can and save a bunch of money.

Hey Ego, thats some good reading... Too bad not everyone understands it lol

You know i have run 30% reductions since the start and i notmally run 190-210 depending on if the grille is blocked...

[Egoracing]

Hey Ego, thats some good reading... Too bad not everyone understands it lol

You know i have run 30% reductions since the start and i notmally run 190-210 depending on if the grille is blocked...

We had HUGE issues with one motor and spent about 30 minutes on the phone with the man him self and were going to order one of his pumps. He actually talked us out of it and said that the pump we had was good enough. He talked us into taking the coolant bypass tubes off of the motor saying that in some applications they will catch air from a steam pocket and cause it to push water and create more problems. BINGO, No more overheating. We tried dual pass radiators, 2 water pumps, special T stats, restrictor and no restrictor, special additives some were quite expensive. Nothing helped. Followed his rules and the car went from 240-250 at the end of a 30 lap race to 220 during a day time practice when the air temp was into triple digits. Heck we ran hot at the Ice Bowl at Talladega when it was 28 in the morning and hit a whole 55 for a high.

[sj valley dave]

An OEM water pump is designed for running down the road at 40 mph and idling in parking lots..IMO You need a good basic foundation to start from and that means a good pump designed for a racing application. In the past we have used Moroso, Edelbrock, Stewarts and now have an Adams pump on our Dirt Late Model...

[twizted]

Will try to answer questions asked -
- Car has an aluminum race pump dont know brand and coleman pulleys
- Temp sensor is in drivers side head but I added one to to water neck to compare
- removed washer that was a gutted Tstat (maybe wrong maybe right for removing?)
- Belts are almost to tight for me, I can turn motor with fan without slipping belts

Plan to try no restrictor in practice and heat if it doesnt cool better got a friend supposed to bring me a restrictor to try that way. like I said i'm running out of ideas but thank for all input. As of right now I follow the school of thought that the fast the water moves the better it will cool.

[chevy370lsx]

13:1 355, 36 degrees on 110, with Moroso pump, 25% reduction pulley, 5/8 restrictor, no holes in nose piece... 190-210 depends on outside temp.. I'm a firm believer in a restrictor, used to run 220-230 with no restrictor and holes up front and even had a sprinkler in front of the radiator and I ended up putting the restrictor in and solved my issues, but what works for one may not work for another. Just stating my expirience..

[DaveBauerSS6]

IMCA Stock car and Pro Stock, 2 and 4 bbl motors, 36 degrees on 110, with Edelbrock water pumps, 1 to 1 pulleys , no restrictor, single pass afco radiator, holes in nose piece, 200 temp in 100 degree valley heat, 4 blade fan 1/2 in a tight shroud and about 1/2 gallon of antifreeze mainly to prevent corrosion. And like Jeff says tight belts. Also like ego said, bath and shake the radiator every 4 races. Very important. Tried a spoiler early on and it seemed to scoop up debris and beat the lower rad fins. I scrapped it when I found this combination. The IMCA car will run 170 in March and April; have to tape off the radiator.
Have used this in other cars I'm involved with and it works.