Temp gauge

[stu’s68furyiiirat]

The temp gauge is showing 1/4 of way of warm does not show over heating the upper rad hose is slightly warm but radiator is hot I can not tell if rad is flowing any suggestions and a little bit of steam coming out of pcv on valve cover runs good it’s a 68 318la motor any help would be great

 

[MONC440]

The temp gauge is showing 1/4 of way of warm does not show over heating the upper rad hose is slightly warm but radiator is hot I can not tell if rad is flowing any suggestions and a little bit of steam coming out of pcv on valve cover runs good it’s a 68 318la motor any help would be great

I'm assuming you are using the stock gauge? I would get an hand held temp sensor and check the surface temps on the radiator and the intake at the thermostat housing area.

Just to be clear the engine is not overheating?

 

[stu’s68furyiiirat]

I'm assuming you are using the stock gauge? I would get an hand held temp sensor and check the surface temps on the radiator and the intake at the thermostat housing area.

Just to be clear the engine is not overheating?

Ok I’ll get one a temp gun and check it thanks I don’t thank it is to be honest

 

[1970FuryConv]

The temp gauge is showing 1/4 of way of warm does not show over heating the upper rad hose is slightly warm but radiator is hot I can not tell if rad is flowing any suggestions and a little bit of steam coming out of pcv on valve cover runs good it’s a 68 318la motor any help would be great

Hot radiator and slightly warm upper radiator hose sounds like heat is backing up into the radiator through the lower radiator hose.

You could temporarily remove the thermostat, refill, the system, and watch for water pump flow through the radiator cap opening. If no flow or If temperatures change, the problem is either the thermostat or water pump.

 

[FURYGT]

Steam would not come out of the PCV valve. Oil smoke might. Might be time to change the PCV valve and check the valve cover grommet that it goes into to see if it is cracked or dried up. It has nothing to do with cooling.

 

[CBODY67]

DO check to see that there is vacuum where the pcv plugs into the hose it hooks too. In cooler weather, condensate would form in the lowest section of that hose, behind the carb, and restrict pcv flow. So . . . IF in question, change the pcv hose too. From my experiences with my '80 Newport 360 2bbl.

IF steam is coming out of the pcv hole, you HAVE problems! But crankcase vapors can come out of it. The same thing the pcv system recycles through the carb. And it should smell oily rather than like coolant.

 

[stu’s68furyiiirat]

Ok update on cooling took thermostat out and water is moving fast throughout the radiator etc I need a oil change I put a little kerosene to clean out engine after intake gaskets so is my thermostat bad or water pump or radiator

 

[FURYGT]

I recommend using a thermostat that has a relief in it in case it gets stuck closed or you can drill a 1/8th inch hole in the outer area of the thermostat.

 

[1970FuryConv]

Ok update on cooling took thermostat out and water is moving fast throughout the radiator etc I need a oil change I put a little kerosene to clean out engine after intake gaskets so is my thermostat bad or water pump or radiator

Thermostat
As long as coolant is draining down into the radiator and the radiator has no leaks.

 

[stu’s68furyiiirat]

No leaking

 

[Slap Stick]

It hasn't been esablished if there actually was a problem before work was started. You could have checked coolant flow without removing the stat. When the stat opens water will flow through the rad. If water flowed after warm up then the stat was at least partially working. Thing is, it was never established the engine was actually overheating.
If the gauge was correct it wasn't overheating. If, after verifying the engine was overheating you have two problems. One, the temp sensor is bad because it's giving the wrong reading. Two, there is a cooling problem.

 

[stu’s68furyiiirat]

Was no flow with thermostat in took it out and flow is good but also top was slightly warm bottom was cool to touch

 

[Ripinator]

The temp gauge is showing 1/4 of way of warm does not show over heating the upper rad hose is slightly warm but radiator is hot I can not tell if rad is flowing any suggestions and a little bit of steam coming out of pcv on valve cover runs good it’s a 68 318la motor any help would be great

This all sounds normal to me. If the radiator is not boiling over, I don't think you are overheating.

 

[1970FuryConv]

Was no flow with thermostat in took it out and flow is good but also top was slightly warm bottom was cool to touch

I would still try a test drive with no thermostat and see if things change.
Either way, I'd replace the thermostat. No flow is a problem.