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Hello, I recently had a new thermostat installed on my 1960 Mercury Monterey with a 460 from a 70s~ F250. I’ve noticed that the temp gauge on the dash is reading at a higher temperature than before I had the thermostat installed.
For the sake of my curiosity I purchased one of those infrared temp guns to try and figure out the exact temp of the engine.
When warm the engine itself reads anywhere between 190-220 degrees while the radiator shows 170-185 at the top hose and 150-165 on the bottom hose.
I’m thinking the old thermostat wasn’t working right and led to the gauge not functioning correctly.
It’s running well enough it’s just the gauge is throwing me off. I’m having a new electric fan installed for the radiator on Monday to combat any overheating issues. Thanks
My advice would be an aftermarket mechanical gauge with temperature readings on it. I am a bit of a stickler for knowing what my gauges are reading. Learned that the hard way.
My advice would me an aftermarket mechanical gauge with temperature readings on it. I am a bit of a stickler for knowing what my gauges are reading. Learned that the hard way.
I concur. I don't trust any factory gauges, especially old ones. The oil pressure gauge in my dent reads near the max line all the time. But my after market gauge shows all the variations.
My advice would be an aftermarket mechanical gauge with temperature readings on it. I am a bit of a stickler for knowing what my gauges are reading. Learned that the hard way.
I don't know about the radiator temps, but my engine runs at 193 almost all the time, except when I am idling. Therefore, your engine temps seem to be within the normal range to me.
170-185°F at the upper rad hose into the rad is perfectly normal. You have to remember that vehicles of that era (and yours) were pretty much universally running 160° stats so the temp gauge in your car is going to read high with the 460 running its correct temp stat.
You are just fine and it looks like the engine is now running at the correct temp. You are just going to have to get used to temp gauge reading over the mid-point.
You do not need an additional elec rad fan...
170-185°F at the upper rad hose into the rad is perfectly normal. You have to remember that vehicles of that era (and yours) were pretty much universally running 160° stats so the temp gauge in your car is going to read high with the 460 running its correct temp stat.
You are just fine and it looks like the engine is now running at the correct temp. You are just going to have to get used to temp gauge reading over the mid-point.
You do not need an additional elec rad fan...
Ok. Makes sense.
Also, I checked the oil pan and it read 200 degrees. Is that normal?
Ok. Makes sense.
Also, I checked the oil pan and it read 200 degrees. Is that normal?
200°F for oil is low, very low actually.
Ideally, you want to see a minimum oil temp of 220°F and ranging from 220 to 260°F.
A 220°F minimum will ensure that gasoline and moisture and other deposits are cooked out of the oil.
You have to remember for every pound of fuel burned in an engine with proper combustion (fuel-air mix) you will generate a pound of water in the combustion process. This water ends up going out the tailpipe and in the crankcase through blow-by. Proper oil temp is critical to ensure that this and any condensate moisture is cooked out of the oil to mitigate the formation of acids that will break down the oil and modern bearing overlay surfaces (older lead alloy based bearing overlays are far more resistant to this than modern aluminum alloy ones.) So you need to keep an eye on that and try to figure out why you have such low engine oil temps. One cause for it may be the engine is not being worked hard enough. If that is the case get on the gas once in a while and get those oil temps up.
Ideally, you want to see a minimum oil temp of 220°F and ranging from 220 to 260°F.
A 220°F minimum will ensure that gasoline and moisture and other deposits are cooked out of the oil.
You have to remember for every pound of fuel burned in an engine with proper combustion (fuel-air mix) you will generate a pound of water in the combustion process. This water ends up going out the tailpipe and in the crankcase through blow-by. Proper oil temp is critical to ensure that this and any condensate moisture is cooked out of the oil to mitigate the formation of acids that will break down the oil and modern bearing overlay surfaces (older lead alloy based bearing overlays are far more resistant to this than modern aluminum alloy ones.) So you need to keep an eye on that and try to figure out why you have such low engine oil temps. One cause for it may be the engine is not being worked hard enough. If that is the case get on the gas once in a while and get those oil temps up.
I think I’m just babying it because I thought it was overheating. I’ll drive it harder
Ideally, you want to see a minimum oil temp of 220°F and ranging from 220 to 260°F.
A 220°F minimum will ensure that gasoline and moisture and other deposits are cooked out of the oil.
You have to remember for every pound of fuel burned in an engine with proper combustion (fuel-air mix) you will generate a pound of water in the combustion process. This water ends up going out the tailpipe and in the crankcase through blow-by. Proper oil temp is critical to ensure that this and any condensate moisture is cooked out of the oil to mitigate the formation of acids that will break down the oil and modern bearing overlay surfaces (older lead alloy based bearing overlays are far more resistant to this than modern aluminum alloy ones.) So you need to keep an eye on that and try to figure out why you have such low engine oil temps. One cause for it may be the engine is not being worked hard enough. If that is the case get on the gas once in a while and get those oil temps up.
One more thing- the surface of the engine read today at its highest 240-250 degrees. Good/ bad?
One more thing- the surface of the engine read today at its highest 240-250 degrees. Good/ bad?
Depends of where you took that and when exhaust that would be like cold carburetor not good and the surface of the engine where. . If you are going to give temps you need to quantify it where was it taken from and when was it taken, was it taken 5 mins after the car was shut off was it taken after a blast down the highway and the car was idling. Need some sort of quantification to give you anything nearing an actual answer
Depends of where you took that and when exhaust that would be like cold carburetor not good and the surface of the engine where. . If you are going to give temps you need to quantify it where was it taken from and when was it taken, was it taken 5 mins after the car was shut off was it taken after a blast down the highway and the car was idling. Need some sort of quantification to give you anything nearing an actual answer
After driving for about an hour, highway and local roads, and here circled is where I took the tem
perature
