Custom aluminum radiatior. Before about a week and a half ago, the temp used to run about such:

C\__\|___/_/H
..........^

If the illustration comes out bad, basically it rides JUST above that little hatch mark in the gauge field.

Now the temp would run there about 90% of any trip out. If it heated up too much, say at catching every red light, stop and go traffic, or in a drive thru, it would cool down after a short while of driving with cool air incoming.

Now since about a week and a half ago, I'm all over the place. It heats up MUCH faster and it cools down MUCH slower. So unless I'm actually on the freeway or taking in a steady stream of cool air, I'm running much more like this


C\__\___|/_/H
.................^

and even hotter if I'm idling at a light, in traffic etc. Sometimes I'll be fully cooled (ill. 1) and I will have to stop, I stop for a few seconds, and I'll leave my place and begin taking in cool air, and the needle will STILL show a heat up (ill. 2). What might all this indicate? Would a faulty gauge or thermostat read continually wonky like this, or is my cooling actually messed up? The oddest thing is even when it's showing it's heated off the charts, the car doesn't seem to falter or react like it's badly overheated.

Second question, might be even dumber. Should my steering column be very warm to the touch? Basically it feels like engine heat is traveling up through it as I can feel a stream of warm air from underneath the column and up through the gap on the section with the turn signal. The car was in Texas from about Jan 06 thru April 09, so I have no idea what my dad might have had done to it (the steering column, not the car) in that time, but I'm fairly sure the column didn't heat like that before it went to TX nor did I have this 'automatic' heating =). Is there anything that may be missing that would allow this kind of airflow? It sure feels like quite a rush of air for it to just be some missing firewall plug or something like.

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-Anthony
1962 Plymouth Valiant Signet 200

Thermostat

Opening late, not opening enough, or stuck partially open

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Ed
64 Valiant 225 / 904 / 42:1 manual steering / 9" drum brakes

Second that.

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67' Dart GT Convertible; the old Chrysler Corp.
82' LeBaron Convertible; the new Chrysler Corp
07' 300 C AWD; Now by Fiat, the old new Chrysler LLC

Another thing to check is air trapped in the block and/or a colapsing bottom hose on the radiator.
Frank

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Scrapple: Because a mind is a terrible thing to waste.
73 Duster - Race Car
66 Dart Wagon - DD
178" FED
82 D150
All Slant powered

Sounds like you've got a few things going on here. The thermostat is a default suspect in situations like this, so go ahead and toss a new one in. Make it a Stant SuperStat 180° unit, part number 45358.

I think you definitely have insufficient airflow thru the radiator at idle and low speeds. Sounds like not enough of a fan is installed. Are you still running the stock '62 small 4-blade item? Have you checked to make sure the front of the radiator isn't all gunked up with dead bugs, leaves and such?

You probably don't have a collapsing lower hose; not only is that highly unlikely except with a severely clogged radiator (and yours is new) but that would cause overheating at higher engine speeds, not lower.

Air trapped in the block is also not likely; tends not to be much of a problem with the slant-6 because of the way the engine is mounted in the car.

Gauge problems are always possible — sender screwed into the cylinder head would be the first place to look, unless the fuel gauge is also suddenly acting strange — but it sounds like you do actually have a heating issue to resolve.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

I'll take a stab at your 2nd question. In the engine compartment, check the bottom of the steering column. There should be a round rubber seal that the steering shaft goes through. Might be missing/torn/not secured and allow engine heat to come up through the column.

For my steering column heat prob: I checked and yes, there's what looks like a rubber ring around the outside of the column that the shaft goes through, but it's JUST the ring; leaving quite a large gap around the shaft allowing air to come through. Is this a findeable part these days? I can think of 1000 things I could do alternatively, but ultimately it would be nice to see if I can find a seal...

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-Anthony
1962 Plymouth Valiant Signet 200

I can't remember from what vendor at last year's Nationals I picked one up. I'm getting ready to go to work so will do a little research when I get home this evening.

Well, here's that seal in reproduction form. Costly but looks worth it (from the complexity of making it).

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Yep - that's the same one I bought from the same vendor.

Sweet, bookmarked. I don't know when I'll have my column off, but I'll pick one up before I do! Thanks!

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-Anthony
1962 Plymouth Valiant Signet 200