Posted this earlier in the week on the engine forum but it's deeeead over there and summer (and a hot engine) are here NOW!

I have a 400 with stock heads for now, probably Aussies in a month or so.

I have an aftermarket temp gauge hooked up but I don't even know what temperature is OK!

What temp will stuff really start to fail at? What is "overheated" maybe?

What is a good, average/normal, and high acceptable running temp for this engine?

I run 180 when I'm moving, but it hits 195 at every light in 70* weather, and tops 200 when I turn it off. When it hits 90* outside I could be in trouble....

Thanks for any info, AleX

 

I run a 192° t-stat on mine. It stays nice and happy there. It's always going to get hotter when the engine turns off because there is nothing running to cool it down anymore. I used to have to fight over heating when I had the 360 with no fan shroud on 100° days. It would get up to 215-230° or so and I would be SWEATING inside with the heater on full blast. lol So when I cut it off it was 240-250° for a little bit. It didn't harm anything but it was waay too hot for me and pushing the limit when it was just turned off. Your situation sounds very normal and I wouldn't be worried.

 

from what i've heard, 230 is the danger zone. 195-210 is okay. try changing the thermostat for one that opens at a lower temp? how's your fan shroud?

 

Fan shroud is off for winter haha. I think I have a 192 in there right now, but I was running like 165 in the winter, and I was trying to get it upppp then. OK though, sounds like with fan shroud I'll be back within range.

I was just wondering what the range was. If you can touch numbers like 250 though I feel much better. I overheated my first engine and cracked the heads in like 3 or 4 chambers, all at once as far as I know, but I had no temp gauge then.

Can anybody else back up that 230 upper limit? What about 220?

What's ideeeeal also, the thermostat temp?

 

the fan shroud should bring it back down to regular temp. they make a BIG difference on the M-block motors. my temp gauge never worked, but i could tell when the engine got too hot (it would throw heat into the cab because the insulation was removed, but that only happened once). the fan shroud should bring it back down though, not a doubt in my mind.