Overheating? - Try our check list

Cooling has long been an issue in performance enhanced gasoline combustion engines. We recommend engine temperatures not in excess of 180 degrees (F). The cooling system in your pontiac engine is very simple consisting of only a pump, thermostat, fan, and radiator. Failure of only one of the components in the cooling system will result in excessive engine temperatures. Excessive engine temperature can damage an engine in mere seconds. Since different metals expand at different rates with increased temperature you can be sure that engine component clearances are altered, causing wear or premature failure. The most harmful effect of high engine temperature is detonation. Detonation for even a short period of time could damage your rod bearings or possibly even puncture the top of a piston. When attempting to resolve an issue with the cooling system one might start with a checklist covering these subjects:

• Is there a sufficient amount of coolant in the cooling system?
• Is the thermostat stuck?
• Is the radiator clogged? (Inside and out)
• Is the radiator sufficient for the application?
• Is there a fan shroud on the radiator?
• Is the fan close enough to the fan shroud?
• If the engine is freshly built were the proper gaskets used? (head & intake)
• If the engine is 1969 or later are the plate and sleeves installed in the timing cover?
• If the engine is 1969 or later are there good o-rings in the sleeves inserted in the timing cover?
• If the engine is pre 1969 are both plates installed behind the water pump?
• Is the impeller of the pump as close as possible to the plate behind it?
• Is the air/fuel mixture of the engine too lean?