Laser Temps....whats this mean?

[shavdog]

I shot temps....top of radiator was in the 150-160 range...lower radiator was in the 120-130 range....both heads were in the 170 range and the exhaust manifold in the 350 area...can anyone interpret this for me?...I cant see any shudders in front of the radiator...are they obvious?...thanks..craig..This is for a 353 flat head 1932 Lasalle

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

G'day Craig,

The temperatures you are showing is what happens in an engine.

The high Exhaust Manifold Temperatures are because of the result of the combustion of the Fuel/air mixture.

The top of a Radiator is always going to be hotter than the bottom, as the radiator is doing its' job of cooling the coolant, and the cooler coolant at the bottom of the radiator is what gets sucked back into the engine by the Water Pump.

The Heads are going to be the hotter parts of the engine, as this is where the Combustion takes place, before the Exhaust gases are sent to the thin Exhaust Manifolds, and there is no coolant-cooling of these Manifolds.

But, I would have expected the bottom of the Radiator to have been a lot cooler than the temperatures you showed.

Bruce.

[Jim Stamper]

     The shutters should be right there in front of the radiator. No radiator visible when closed. They open 90 degrees when open, allowing the most air through.

[JB #21196]

FWIW, my '67 429 runs around 500 degrees at the exhaust manifold, and the heads as you experience at the 160-170 degree level.

My kids have more fun with the IR thermometer than I do. Every household should have one. Here in Kansas City they are popular BBQ cooking instruments. I bought mine at Advance Auto, $65.

JB