What temp should my engine run?

[Faceaz]

Put a 4.3 chevy into a Samurai & the temp is running around 200 - 220 degrees. A little hot? Had to put the radiator in the back & some of the plumbing is pretty close to a header, so I don't really know what to expect.

Thanks in advance.

 

[waterhorse]

I would try confirming the accuracy of the temp gauge with a laser temp gun.

 

[Zaairman]

200 is normal. 220 is a bit warm.

 

[Crazyhippy]

what temp t-stat???

 

[Faceaz]

200 is normal. 220 is a bit warm.

Thanks,

Don't recall the T-stat range.

 

[Crazyhippy]

Thanks,

Don't recall the T-stat range.

Could easily be a 215* t-stat. I'm pretty sure that's what came in them from the factory, and would be the 1st thing i changed

 

[OCMerrill]

A 4.3 in a Sami? holy shit :thumbsup

:thumbsup:thumbsup:thumbsup


I really want to meet this guy.

 

[Flyinbowtie]

I think they did come with a hot thermostat, primarily due to smog issues, hot means lean and lean is clean. I'd think about changing it too, as once you get to crawling around and it gets to 220 it ain't to far to the point where your fan won't keep it happy.
You might wrap that ater line with some thermo-tec or other brand of header wrap if you think the exhaust is heat soking the line at all.

 

[OCMerrill]

A 4.3 in a Sami? holy shit :thumbsup

That thing has got to wheelie. You can never have too much horsepower

LMAO.

Three things you will never hear from a guy:

1. I have to much money
2. I have to many women
3. I have to much HP

Problem is with number 2 - 1 and 3 are just not possible.

 

[Robyn]

my s10 blazer had the 4.3 in it it ran just below 190 in the winter and any where between 200 and 215 in the summer in slow traffic

 

[Faceaz]

:thumbsup:thumbsup:thumbsup


I really want to meet this guy.

Thanks :thumbsup.

Add to it a 8" lift, 33"s, turbo 400 trans, 5.19 gears & lockers f/r & it's a little beast. Ugly as shit though, still needs allot done to it.. Just peels out in first & gets really loose on the shifts to 2nd & 3rd. Now I'm waiting for an axle to pop & start looking for Toyota axles .

 

[Faceaz]

I think they did come with a hot thermostat, primarily due to smog issues, hot means lean and lean is clean. I'd think about changing it too, as once you get to crawling around and it gets to 220 it ain't to far to the point where your fan won't keep it happy.
You might wrap that ater line with some thermo-tec or other brand of header wrap if you think the exhaust is heat soking the line at all.

Smog??? - That was gone a while ago . I'm hoping to not have registration problems, if I register it at the river. It does have an Edlebrock Intake & Holley Truck Avenger Carb. I wrapped some of the exhaust & some of the plumbing. Think there's any hurt to just removing the T-stat?

 

[Flyinbowtie]

I would not yank it out and not replace it, but I would see about finding a high-flow 190 or thereabouts. Some of the experts on this engine know more, but some heat in the heads is important for making power. My old very strong small block made 30 more HP on the dyno at 215 than it did at 190. Your engine is nothing like that one was, but you get the drift.

 

[OCMerrill]

Like FBT said dont remove the stat as that will just make it worse.

220 is liveable but not giving you a bunch of room to operate. I used to have an IROC Camaro that GM had the factory fan settigs at 240. That sucker would melt shoes on summer days.

 

[DaveH]

i disagree that hotter "makes more power".

in reality, hot helps with poor fuel distribution to the cylinders. the hot engine atomizes the fuel more completely. this is also good for emissions.

modern port fuel injection has changed all this. comparing an old design engine to a new one is apples and oragnes. are you running a carb or some sort of throttle body injection?

 

[squirtnmyload]

i completely took the thermostat out of my older jeep that i had. had it that way for years. its was mostly offroad use and it also had a bigger radiator with electric fans.

 

[76 Hondo]

A 4.3 in a Sami? holy shit :thumbsup

I was a little worried about joining in, I thought us guys with Sami's would be set on by the Jeep crowd, like the child chopper bunch dump on the Jet boats

My Samurai runs a cam,Weber,headers,lift,lockers,and a killer rockcrawler transfer but mines still fugley too.

 

[Faceaz]

i disagree that hotter "makes more power".

in reality, hot helps with poor fuel distribution to the cylinders. the hot engine atomizes the fuel more completely. this is also good for emissions.

modern port fuel injection has changed all this. comparing an old design engine to a new one is apples and oragnes. are you running a carb or some sort of throttle body injection?

I've got a Holley Truck Avenger 470 cfm on it now, they're supposed to be really good offroad. Tried the EFI, but mating the two harnesses got a bit too complicated. Think I'll try the t-stat out just to see what the lowest temp I can get is, then put in a 190.

 

[Faceaz]

I was a little worried about joining in, I thought us guys with Sami's would be set on by the Jeep crowd, like the child chopper bunch dump on the Jet boats

My Samurai runs a cam,Weber,headers,lift,lockers,and a killer rockcrawler transfer but mines still fugley too.

That thing looks great :thumbsup. Mine is way more mutilated than that, looks more like a miniature truggy.

Who can jump on you about it. To me it's an overgrown Rhino @ 1/4 the cost. I think I'm still under 4k, even with all the changes.

 

[OCMerrill]

Sami's have a very loyal following and we see them on the trail every once and a while usually in a group or club.

On the Rubicon a couple weeks back, there was a group that was rock buggied out that went in ahead of us. Unfortunately we never saw them after that. Bitchen rigs no doubt.

 

[76 Hondo]

That thing looks great :thumbsup. Mine is way more mutilated than that, looks more like a miniature truggy.

Who can jump on you about it. To me it's an overgrown Rhino @ 1/4 the cost. I think I'm still under 4k, even with all the changes.

Yeah I started out with the "Cheap Jeep" idea, but mine came with a spare engine, well gotta put this in, need a cam for the head, hey look at this Calmini catalog, then after running for 6 years through the water among other things everything needed a rebuild and up-grade, might be I could be driving a Rubicon

 

[Faceaz]

I really have to clean up the electrical. Then fab a roll bar around the back seat. The extra weight seems to have thrown off the front ride height . Thinking about a camo paint job after that .

 

[Motor Boater]

Mark, Nice to see that War Wagon out of the garage and running finally.

 

[rivermobster]

LMAO.

Three things you will never hear from a guy:

1. I have to much money
2. I have to many women
3. I have to much HP

Problem is with number 2 - 1 and 3 are just not possible.

Wise words. :thumbsup

Thanks :thumbsup.

Add to it a 8" lift, 33"s, turbo 400 trans, 5.19 gears & lockers f/r & it's a little beast. Ugly as shit though, still needs allot done to it.. Just peels out in first & gets really loose on the shifts to 2nd & 3rd. Now I'm waiting for an axle to pop & start looking for Toyota axles .

that is a very cool ride! :thumbsup:thumbsup

 

[squirtnmyload]

my lurker neighbor has a sweet sami, built by himself. come on dude, nows the time to "come out"

 

[OCMerrill]

I really have to clean up the electrical. Then fab a roll bar around the back seat. The extra weight seems to have thrown off the front ride height . Thinking about a camo paint job after that .

I like it! :thumbsup:thumbsup

 

[Deleted Account]

I like it! :thumbsup:thumbsup

Your Rubicon thread?:thumbsup