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Reply to "Advice post engine build, engine runs hot at idle"

So stupid questions here for you but:  Define what you mean by "the car Overheats?"  Is it puking fluid out the header tank?  Or is overheating your response to the gauge saying 230?

1.  You know your gauge to be accurate?  You know 230 is really 230?  Have you measured temps with an IR gun?  Is the gauge and sender correct for each other?

2.  Do you see the car warm up in temperature and see the gauge drop when the thermostat opens at the design temp, then gradually warm back up again and repeat until it gets pretty warm?  What thermostat is in the motor?  Are you sure?

3.  You have enough cooling fan capacity blowing over the rad and they are blowing the correct direction?  Clearly if the car runs at some temp on the freeway (what temp is that? when you are driving along at 60 mph?   then it would suggest your problem is not enough fan capacity at idle or your fans are not wired correctly nor getting enough voltage to spin then fast enough when idling.

4.  If you don't shut it off, how high does it get?  Let it run and see if the radiator cap discharges.  Does it?  It has been said if your cap is correct (16 lb cap) and it isn't discharging, then the car is not over heating.  Will it puke coolant if left idling?  try it and see.

Before buying pulleys and attempting to solve a problem, you need to figure out what the problem is.

Is it a gauge that you think implies overheating

Fans under capacity

Air in the system

???

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