Correct flathead operating temperature?

New2modelA said:
Wearymicrobe,

I am a curious sort of person. I have always pondered this for a while.

It sounds like 180 degrees is the winning operating temperature! If you don't mind, I would like to add?

When it comes to the BEST way, to gauge the engine temperature in our flathead V8's, should we rely on Coolant Temperature OR Oil Temperature?

Depending on which you feel is best, how did you come to that opinion & would the 180 degree operating temperature, still apply to each method?


Thanks Men,
Chris Kennedy
Click to expand...
You have resurrected a 9 year old thread and 'Wearymicrobe' has not been active here for over 5 years.
But that being said, it is said that the higher 180 deg. water temp. provides better power and economy but I can't prove it.
The standard for Ford was 160 deg. water temp. but what did they know anyway.
 
Funny, I did not notice! Goes to show that some questions are relevant, no matter what the date!

Anyways, I am thinking that if an engine has been built correctly & the cooling is as good as it would ever be, then that engine is going to run where it is comfortable....That's just me.

I say that because I had a built 460 V8 that loved 210 degrees! No matter what I did to bring the temp down, it ran there all day long!

I had a question within my original reply, which was:

What is the most accurate way to judge engine operating temp & why...via Oil Temp OR Coolant Temp?

Regards,
Chris Kennedy
 
New2modelA said:
Funny, I did not notice! Goes to show that some questions are relevant, no matter what the date!

Anyways, I am thinking that if an engine has been built correctly & the cooling is as good as it would ever be, then that engine is going to run where it is comfortable....That's just me.

I say that because I had a built 460 V8 that loved 210 degrees! No matter what I did to bring the temp down, it ran there all day long!

I had a question within my original reply, which was:

What is the most accurate way to judge engine operating temp & why...via Oil Temp OR Coolant Temp?

Regards,
Chris Kennedy
Click to expand...
Probably depends on if it's a water cooled or air cooled engine.
Generally the mfg. of the engine sets the standard.
So if now you want to use oil temp. as a standard, what oil temp. are YOU going to use as the standard?
 
Obviously both are important. However oil temp is probably more so and should be in the 220 - 240 range. One byproduct of combustion is water so the oil should be above 212* to boil the water off. It takes the oil much longer to get to that temperature than for the water to get to 180*. And the engine needs to have a load put on it.
 
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