Hi Nick. I had only a couple of thermostats fail in my career, one failed open the other failed closed. I'm not sure how you can insure that a thermostat or any part will last for any length of time, use the best you can and hope you and the owner is lucky.
@@stevesosinski6692 . If most people could only grasp how many parts are quietly functioning properly to send them down the road, they'd be plenty nervous.......
A person who cannot: smell, see, hear or feel an engine overheating, or does sense the signals but continues to drive it, does not deserve to drive a classic car! The Impala deserves a new owner!
I am a professional mechanic. When an engine gets this hot, it is the driver that ignored all of the warning signs. Severe detonation ( pinging). The smells of severe overheating. Ethelene glycol coolant gives off a very distinct sweet smell when it is leaking out of an engine. It is just about impossible that this engine melted down with out giving the driver any warning. I my opinion this car was "driven into the ground".
I agree it was maybe partially nicks fault a hose or who knows what maybe we will never know but if I went and picked up a basically brand new rebuilt car like that and was driving it my senses would have been in overdrive listening smelling feeling for anything at all that's not supposed to be and the second I felt anything or smelled especially antifreeze the slightest bit the key would go off and pull it over after all I just spent a ton of money on this car I do feel that nick should have insisted on some aftermarket gauges as well as the dummy lights working the customer is at least 85 % at fault because even if it did overheat he as was said cooked it to death and did a lot more damage than it should have gotten I've overhead many older cars back in. The day even as a kid and never cooked one that bad hell I never even blew a head gasket with iron heads ever not once and had plenty of bad radiators and water pump issues in the 80s with driving 60s and 70s era cars from the time I was 16 in Rhode island where it was a necessary thing to make sure you had antifreeze in it by September even because you'll get cold nights starting then by the time hollowen comes you better be covered to at least 15 below zero or well we all know and I learned this the hard way of course I had a bad radiator and got caught with water in a 72 Newport and ruined that great running 400 I used to get 20 mpg on the highway with sad I blew it dropped the ball whatever you want to call it but to this day I kick myself in the ass for that mistake
I agree driver just kept driving probably thinking I'm just a few miles from the house. I hate that for Nike not sure how I would handle this if the light was working that's the drivers fault that's why we have indacters on machinery I promise you buy a car and it runs hot all instruments are working it's not there responsibility to pay for repairs. Not unless it's a new vehicle and I guess it based on warranty you have
I have been in the engine building business for over 35 years and I put heat tabs on all my engines. There is a separate place on the invoice that the customer must sign stating if the heat tab shows the engine was overheated there is no more warranty. It saves a lot of arguments and court time.
Been there, done that. We found in AZ that heat wasn’t all that was wrong with the SBC. On some oil pickup screens the screen comes loose if it gets clogged. This saved the original engine, but it’s no good when a guy buys a long or short block from a rebuilder like you or me and puts his own oil pan on. With a screen that has been opened and too much silicone, a bead of silicone gets drawn into the oil pump seizing the engine.
Clearly it was more than overheated, That engine would have been doing 30 mph with his foot on the floor and for a long time detonating real loud! On more than one occasion. That poor engine was begging for mercy!
Brian I agree but the only fault of Nick was using “Mr. gasket“ brand thermostats and not a Stant brand as I consider Mr. Gasket to be middle of the road quality at best And this situation is evident of their poor quality control. On high-performance engines I don’t even use a thermostat but rather just a thin brass plate with usually a three-quarter inch (3/4”) diameter hole in it or take the guts out of the thermostat and use it like that.
@@Doing_it_right_the_first_time The Mr. Gasket thermostat is a balanced flow thermostat and is not affected by coolant flow. It is much more accurate then a standard spring type thermostat..... but only when they work!
STOP! And call a tow truck! Why would you drive it till you cook the engine? Makes no sense whatsoever. I've had engines over heat in my 55 plus years of driving. Never drove it till I roasted the engine. Now.... who's to blame here? Who pays 4 what?
I see it all the time. Most people today just put gas in the car and drive, they don't care about anything unless it flat out QUITS going or it's ON FIRE ! Smoke, noise or smell, or slowing down just means STEP HARDER ON THE THROTTLE ! They have no clue and nobody ever sat there butts down to explain the FACTS OF LIFE !
YOU WOULD HAVE TO BE BLIND NOT TO SEE these WARNING LIGHTS, LET'S KEEP IT REAL. SOME GUYS are CLUELESS WHEN DRIVING, and SHOULDN'T OWN SUCH a SWEET CAR.
Been in the business 45 years. People would come in for a routine service, coolant flush and change and request a new thermostat. Even though there were no over heating issues. I can count on both hands where a new thermostat failed to open. Rarely did they not stick immediately after the work was completed. So the last few years I would not change out a thermostat “just because”. Most of the comebacks resulted in no damage but the customer always blamed the technician. Sorry Nick for this problem. On such a great rebuild. Make sure the customer sees the thermostat test you performed. I would make sure and confer with my supplier to see if they can cover some of the costs involved …..GOOD LUCK!
Hi Nick , please keep looking for a problem! The thermostat not opening after being grossly overheated would be normal. Some of the wax that expands in it to open, would have escaped past the seal in a overheat. It then closes and will never open again. Rick. Australia. 25 years Motor Mechanic.
Great point. I've noticed that just because a car travels in cooler climates, a thermostat opens & closes super frequently causing a wear ring on the body which can make the plate stick closed.. this is pretty rare but happens. If the magnaflux of the block or heads shows no cracks, a careful examination of the head gaskets & block mating surface is in order as well
Why assume the thermostat failed BEFORE the engine? Maybe the thermostat was damaged when the engine overheated. Those thermostats use a wax that melts at 180F to actuate. At the extreme temperatures during the overheating, some of the wax could turn to vapor and cause damage.
Sad about the 327. I had the same thing happen to me many years ago. Replaced worn out motor with a good used one that came out of a good running car. Ran the car for a couple of week and then coming home I was going up a good hill on the Autoroute and when I neared the top, the car slowed down a bit, pushed on the gas and it slowed down more. Looked at the temp gauge and it was pegged on the hot side. Pulled over and the motor stopped with a very loud clunking sound and... that was it !! Was only a $200.00 motor but at the time it was a lot for me. One thing I hadn't done was change the thermostat from the replacement motor so I guess it was my fault. I've also heard that sometimes when a thermostat is overheated a few times, it may close and never open again. Thanks again for all the great videos. Best Regards - Mike
I was on a drive with my freshly rebuilt 289 on a bright sunny day. The clip that holds the heater hoses to the fender well broke. One of the hoses fell against the exhaust manifold burning a hole in it. With the bright sunlight I couldn't see the warning light, and with the road noise i didn't hear the engine making any unusual noises. All of the sudden it looked like I was driving a crop duster. The result was melted pistons. The plug wires looked like burnt marshmallows. A very nice lady that owned a nearby farm brought us to her home where we waited for my uncle to pick us up. We came back the next day and towed the car home. I put gauges on the new engine.
You could see the passion and the feeling he has for his builds or anything he works on, thanks Nick for being a great mechanic and sharing your great knowledge this is the way a lot of mechanics used to be in the early year’s, the Impala was operator error.
The Viper has a soft spot in my heart because my old neighbour had one. When that snake was started on a sunny weekend day all the guys came out to see it. Heh, don't need to milkshake to bring the boys to the yard, just a good old 10 cylinder.
That sucks Nick but at least you figured it out. this is why I run Stant Super T-Stat thermostat it will always stick open and not closed if it were to fail.
This exact thing happened to me in 1968. My Grandmother gave me her 1962 Pontiac Catalina two door hardtop with 62,000 miles on it. I changed the fuel pump, water pump, all new hoses and rebuilt the carburetor. I decided to not change the thermostat which proved to be a fatal mistake. A few weeks later the car overheated. When I got the car back to the house, I removed the thermostat and checked it out in a way similar to what you did. The thermostat would not open at the boiling point. I installed a new thermostat and everything was okay. It is hard for me to understand why the owner of the Chevrolet did not notice his car overheating. It should have been obvious. .
@@shoominati23 The Pontiac had a 389. I loved that car but I eventually sold it. At the time I was living in northwester Ohio. It was white with a red interior. Beautiful car. Wish I still had it.
@@davidl2438 I'd love a 421 to do up, Yunick loved them and I'd love to do all the mods he suggests in his book. The Mickey Thompson Hemi head is the holy grail for these
Glad you found the problem with the faulty thermostat on the Impala engine. I have to admit I've never pre-tested the thermostats on my engine build-ups, now I realize that I just got lucky. I'll be checking them from now on. :)
@@nickpanaritis4122 Nope, I have had a few do this to ! NAPA gold, Stant, & OEM GM . It's strictly quality control in Mexico. There all assembled there and boxed in the US. But there is a FOR SURE cure ! See my other posts .
@@BuzzLOLOL When the engine was that hot it would have been boiling and venting through the radiator cap. No way a pump is going to suck a hose closed when it has 15 PSI of pressure in it.
Ah yup, we had this happen on our summer vacation once when I was a kid. Towing a modest size camper behind our '63 Chrysler Saratoga 383 on a hot day 400 miles from home, Dad noticed all was not well with the engine temp and pulled over asap. Unfortunately the head gasket had already blown and one piston was fried. All because of a defective $5 thermostat. Six days of impromptu camping and a full engine rebuild later, we continued with our abbreviated vacation...
Giasou Nikola, This video brings back so many memories. My dad opened up a radiator repair shop back in 1985 & operated for more than 25 years. Back in those early days all radiator cores were copper & brass tanks before plastic tanks came along, followed by aluminum core & followed by complete units all from China. We always tested the thermostat if we did a recore & especially the taxi's we would recommend changing the thermostat at the same time of the recore or yearly flash, cheap insurance during Melbourne long hot summer's. Never an issue but as we starting using fully build up aluminum units all from China & Chinese thermostat the issues we were having it was depressing at time. The aluminum radiator we just build enough with no tolerance & you can't repair an aluminum core if it gets a hole in it you just throw it away. My dad was always having on & off issues with Chinese thermostat & even new ones before fitting he would boil them & show the customer that it was working when he fitted in. Also he would go to the next reading down so the thermostat would open earlier. My hardtop old school 3 core, copper heavy duty air conditioning core for a 6 cylinder Hemi. Plus I replaced the 4 blade factory fan with a factory 6 blade V8 fan, which to my surprise was interchangeable. Nothing worse than a classic overheating in traffic, causing a traffic jam & you have a car full of friends. They will curse you & ridicule you forever after that, it gets very hot here in Australia during summer. Over kill better to be safe than sorry. Tough one on the warranty issue who do you point the finger at. Tough lesson. Regarding the coolant, my best guess the heads got warped, a microscopic hair line pin hole of a crack between a water jacket & the exhaust port & under all that pressure & heat the coolant escaped out of the exhaust. As the engine cooled down the cracked closed up so that is why you didn't see any leaks. Let's see when they come back from crack testing. Nice Viper definitely Greek. Your number 1 Fan in Australia Louis Kats from Melbourne Australia ☺ 👍 ❤
Nick is entirely old-school and I love this about him, he is the real deal, a Greek Mopar genius.. Men like him are rare and out of production never to be produced again, so love, and respect him while he is still running on all cylinders; God bless Nick..
Nick I watched you build and Dyno! Your engines. You even drive the cars that your engines and transmission go in. Never have I seen one return for over heating. There can only be so many reasons that a engine over heats. Cracked block, cylinder head cracked, blown head gaskets, bad thermostat, hole in radiator or hose, water pump not turning the right speed or bad and clogged radiator core. Also everyone knows not to drive a car when it over heats. I would talk to the owner and ask why they didn't pull over. The customer has to be held accountable for continuing to drive the Convertible when it over heated. I know Nick! That you back your engines and work. You are a very honest business owner. That's just the kind of person you are. Keep up the Great work Nick! Shawn.
I agree! A driver has to take some responsibility for the operation of their vehicle. This should have been a glitch that was easily fixed not a full blown disaster. A driver has to be responsible with being aware of his surroundings, his vehicle and even other vehicles and take appropriate action if necessary for his and other peoples safety. This thing must have been ready to catch fire the way he drove it long enough to burn the pain off the heads. That is pure and utter irresponsibility and stupidity right there. At that point goes well beyond anyone else's fault but the drivers. If this had been a new car from a dealer, no way in hell they would just take all the blame and pay for an engine replacement. I think i'd just refund this guys money and tell him to go elsewhere because he cannot be trusted not to do the same or some other stupid thing again.
This can happen to the best and it unfortunately did. Some times things are out of our hands just as this was hate it for Nick cause I know he will absorb cost he shouldn't have too.I hope the manufactorer will help him on this one. Thank's for the video Nick.
In my older now classic cars I used to drill 2 x 3mm holes in the thermostat to ensure water flow in case of a faulty one. Not an issue here were I live in AU as we do not have snow or very cold weather. I never had an issue with engine temp in either direction.
Just an observation of the thermostat tests, it looks like, what I call the bottom tub, was crooked on the defective one which possibly may have jamed it shut. Love your channel, keep on smiling.
I know a guy who got a 69 Chevelle body and put it onto a 2002 Nascar cup chassis. So basically, he has the best looking body he loves with the best performance (He installed a 700hp stock block motor though so he can alot more miles between rebuilds than the cup motor), best brakes and best suspension that just wouldn't be possible with the original 69 components.
Great Find Nick ! I’ve experienced that style high flow Mr Gasket Thermostat fail the exact same way in my 4.0 Jeep , I did the exact same test! I ended up with a Stant replacement instead. I never looked back ever since. Great recommendation to test boil thermostats before installation. 👍
a guy we know to test a engine, removes the upper and lower hose and puts a motorcycle inner tube on them, Fills it with air via its valve stem, and then waits over night to see if the pressure drops in the inner tube. works good for an engine on the floor too after you block off the heater hoses.
A broken fan belt will, of course, cause near-instant overheating; and a quick replacement of the belt after the meltdown disaster is not likely to be discovered by the shop.
Stopped by to check on Nick and was happy to see it was pure Nick, no drama, kids, old fart groupies. Nick is the star and who I want to see and hear. I'm glad to be back. Nick doesn't need help, he's already the best.
AT HIS AGE NICK DOESN'T WANT TO BE A STAR, HE'S HERE TO TEACH THE KIDS,OLD FART GROUPIES,AND THE REST OF US . AND HE LOVES DOING IT...! IT IS HIS LEGACY...AND HIS PASSION.😎
@@willychromoga5929 That's why he doesn't need a production company to script his shows, it's not reality TV, and I am an old fart too, 70 years in May. I did Hot Rod work in NJ since the 60s, but I don't stand around bothering real people trying to earn a living. You must be offended (all caps) sorry... but Nick is my star and doesn't need bling to shine, or anyone to defend him.
@@stevesosinski6692 [ ONLY USE CAPS LOCK SO I CAN READ WHAT I'M TYPING, I LOOSE TOO MUCH SPACE IF I GO TO HUGE FONT.( NOT OFFENDED AT ALL ) I WAS 70 IN APRIL..SO MY LAPTOP IS TOO CLOSE TO READ W/O READERS.
The only time I really ever had an issue like this was a 455 Buick in a '70 Regal that I rebuilt for a customer. It always ran hot and eventually cooked the thermostat. IE: the overheating blew the wax out of the thermostat. (That's what expands and opens it up.) Though I believe that it was a combination of thin cylinder walls after a .040 overbore and a marginal radiator, repeated overheating ruined the t-stat. So, the failure could have resulted FROM the overheating. The customer decided to sell instead of investing in a new radiator core. This happened about 1991.
Nick, thank you for the good tip to always check out your new thermostat a dozen times or so before you put it in your car. A complete engine was destroyed because of a $20 part that failed to work. And from a reputable supplier that you'd done business with for years, and never a flaw before this time. Could happen to anybody. Brings to mind the $3 bearing that failed on the Andy Granatelli 1st design gas turbine at Indianapolis many years ago. They had a roller or needle bearing fail at the 490-mile mark, leading the race with 10 miles to go. Well, now we know that there is no part too small to fail, that will wreck your whole project.
i HAVE USED THAT STYLE THERMOSTAT IN THE PAST AND HAD TROUBLE WITH THEM NOT OPENING. ALWAYS USE THE OLD STYLE ONES NOW AND CHECK THEM IN BOILING WATER BEFORE INSTALLING.
'85 Ford 460, totally new engine. Over heating at highway speed. I had 2 t'stats from different manufacturers that were not opening fully. Tried different expensive radiators. Currently have a Motorad t'stat at 192F with an older all-brass 4-core radiator and the truck under load, 95F outside temp, running A/C, camper and on the highway gets no hotter than 210F. It runs a 195F at idle. When I reinstalled the all-brass radiator I back flushed the system and the water coming out looked clear. My truck likes the all-brass radiator better than the 2-piece and the all-aluminum ones. I suspect that many counterfeit parts are getting onto the store shelves.
A co worker spent over 100 thousand dollars restoring his 69 GT500 cobra 428 mustang. Beautiful but kept running too hot. Of course he shut it down quickly. Finally tracked problem to lower radiator hose sucking shut. Supposed to have a coil spring in hose to prevent it. That was a tuffy issue.
I had a small journal 327 that was bored 60 over, single plane, 750cfm, fully worked over fuelie double hump heads, crane energizer cam, lift was 555 intake 565 exhaust. and that little motor was a screamer. Use to rev it to 9000 rpm because it sounded so good screaming even though it use to fall on its face at around 7500rpm. People would say why you rev it so high, I would say cause I can 🤪
When I get a new thermostat I now drill a tiny hole (1/32") in the valve to let the air out of the manifold while filling the radiator (slowly) as sometimes the block/head will not complete fill with coolant. This may not apply to all brands but needed on a SB Mopar, or you have to pull a hose off. I remember years ago, just about all the thermostats I used to buy had a tiny hole in them but not anymore. I guess parts aren't what they used to be. Thanks again. Best Regards - Mike
Never do this. It's much better to slightly open the stat and put a small piece of paper in there to hold it open if you think that needs to be done. Most aftermarket stats don't have a hole or a jiggle valve in the body. They use a groove in the side of the piston instead. Adding a hole makes too much water/ coolant bypass the thermostat.
That’s a good representation of the world we’re in. Quality control that’s gone to sh.t and people with zero situational awareness. Years ago I burned up a Chevy 350 in Squarebody, it likely had a cracked cylinder head, and as the engine was boiling out the remainder of the coolant it makes all kinds of haunting and guttural noises. Exactly like your customer’s engine, it burned the paint off the heads and a portion of block. I had a fresh 383 waiting so wasn’t too concerned for that smog era 350 but I pushed her beyond any semblance of normalcy to try and get home. Oh and the smell, you’ll never forget the smell.... Plenty of sensory cues stuff has gone extremely wrong! You’re a good guy Nick
What a lot of people forget, including mechanics myself included in that last part, is that in order for the water temperature gauge to work there has to be water in the block. So if there is no water in the block, then the temperature gauge will not indicate the car is running hot. Learned that with a 1965 Ford F-100 240 inline 6, that had a cracked block that would seep water. The other part of that is a faulty temperature gauge can also indicate a car is running cool, even when it is over heating due to a faulty thermostat. And while I do side with Nick on this one, as there is no substitution for a good old sniffer. As a car that is running hot, will smell of anti-freeze if it is boiling out.
as Nick said...it had over 4 gallons of coolant in it....a guage would have worked until the driver boiled off the coolant...I also agrre that the thermo could have been scalded from the extreme overheat and seized... so... it could have had a cylinder crack...in the old days we'd magna-flux the blocks... and heads
I don’t know if someone else has mention this or not. They produce fail safe thermostats. They are designed to fail open, so you always have coolant flow. Love the channel. Thx!!!
That’s a dirty spot to be in, Nick. I feel for you. I’ve read quite a few of the comments here, and I haven’t seen it mentioned yet, and you didn’t mention it either. But IF it was an internal coolant leak (such as cracks in the head or block, or head gasket), then the piston that was pushing out the water would be a completely different color. (In the case of a head gasket there would likely be two pistons side by side.) The piston would be spotless clean, steam cleaned. If all your pistons are the same color then the leak occurred externally which would be the case with a bad thermostat. As far as the steam observed by someone that was following, most of the steam coming out of the rad would flow under the car and be visible to someone following behind. Please keep us in the loop with what happens here And I agree with what a lot of the people here have said that the driver needs to carry a LOT of responsibility here, he/she HAD to have noticed a problem occurring. An odour, change in performance/responsiveness, pinging, steam coming out around the hood. I definitely would have a huge problem buying a motor for this person. You can warranty what you did, but you didn’t drive the car when the problem occurred. If you’d have been driving the car when it overheated you wouldn’t have baked that engine. Tell him to go chase the thermostat manufacturer. You didn’t make the thermostat
I agree with the temp buttons to protect you . The thermostat could have been damaged by the overheat . I would persuade the owner to install a reliable set of oil and temp gages . Good luck Nick , I hope you find the real problem .
Hello Nick, I always enjoy Your programs... Since the block & heads are made of cast iron, have them magna-fluxed. If they are cracked or a casting inclusion exists, the magnafluxing will probably show where the crack / inclusion is... Also, magna-flux the coolant passage in the intake manifold, where the thermostat is located. A crack or a casting inclusion there might leak coolant into one of the forward intake runners... Another way to check for cracks / casting inclusions, is to put the bare block back together with the heads , intake manifold and thermostat housing & gaskets firmly sealed where they normally go.. Block all but 2 of the open ports of the entire cooling jacket system for that engine. Fill the cooling system with 50/50 a/f & water... Block one more port, and Pressurize the remaining open port to 16 psig for 30 minutes, and check for pressure loss... If it is leaking it will show-up, and the leaking coolant should make it fairly easy to find. Run a rose-bud torch up & down each cylinder and combustion chamber to simulate the engine running temp. If you still can not find leaks, check for leakage/blockage in the heater core under the dash. Maybe a lot of coolant was suddenly displaced into what was an empty/clogged heater core. That could have caused an overheat, a sudden displacement of coolant into the entire heater core system. Another thing to check would be blockage/occlusions in the radiator... This can also suddenly displace a lot of coolant from blocked passages that did start flowing, when the heated/pressurized coolant started flowing in those thin/previously clogged tubes again... I have seen all of these things happen with vehicles in the past, especially older ones that were stored for long periods of time, that were seldom ran during the storage period. That fella who told you the check the thermostat numerous times, God bless him- that is great advice that was given in several factory written service manuals... The other idea of a loose impellar is also a great idea... I have seen that happen too, especially on water pumps with plastic/bakelite impellers...Good luck with this Nick...
Nick there is always a reason. Sometimes you have to look long and hard to find it. Sometimes it's something you wouldn't think would fail . Sorry to see a nice old small block burn up like that.
FYI Nick. There is a company that makes a thermostat called fail safe. If there is a problem with the function of it, it will fail in the open position, avoiding just this scenario. They cost around $23 here in the US, but it’s a lot cheaper than a new engine. I run them in ALL my cars. Bought mine ya auto zone. They may not even know they have them in stock. My guys had to look them up, and they had them all along.
Very sad to see the carnage Nick. As a former mechanic, I see your logic and methodical approach to all of your work. Very impressive Nick. May I suggest a very simple and inexpensive "trick" to prevent this from ever happening again. Install another temp sensor in the other cyl. head and run the lead to the neg. side of the ignition coil. When the sensor reaches temp. it will kill the spark and stop the motor. I wish your shop were in my area. Best Wishes
Saw a lot of cooked engines in the few years as roadside service mech far more so than about 20 years in workshops before that. Any overheating issues on a freeway almost always ended up as a cooked engine, it all happens pretty fast unlike sitting in traffic and it can catch out drivers. The temp light comes on for a few miles then it goes off once the water is boiled off the sensor and a mile or so more at 100+ kmh the engines were toast, stinking of burnt oil too.. The steam from the rear may have just been what was ejected out of the radiator overflow pipe downward and out the back that maybe looked like it was coming from the exhaust. Hence no water in cylinders noted by lack of decarbonising of the piston tops.
That engine would have been making quite a racket, it would have sounded like a popcorn machine detonating like crazy. It would have also had a significant loss of power, as everything tightened up inside and friction killed off power. The customer absolutely should have realized that something was wrong, but kept driving to the point of nuclear meltdown. I don't know who's paying for this, but I would put the fault at 20% Mr. Gasket and 80% customer.
I watched this video and half way thru I thought to myself “gotta be the thermostat’! I had similar thing happen to me on my 1967 Pontiac Grand Prix with the 400 c i engine. Luckily my engine survived because I realized the problem before any serious problems arose! Now I know one more trick to do before finishing up with ‘coolant repairs’! Thanx for that tip on ‘preboiling’ thermostat several times before installing it! ‘Just because it’s new doesn’t mean it will work’! 👍🏼👍🏼
Check the heater control valve - My 66 Olds Starfire 425 seemed like it was “blowing antifreeze” and this was the issue! Not a part of the motor itself, but it can cause you to lose your coolant and not leave any telltale signs.
that was cool Nick. new doesn't always mean perfect, i went through 6 voltage regulars right off the shelf before getting a good one the guy at parts store didn't seem surprised , it was a lesson well learned .great video
When I had my 66 GTO, I found out right off on a triple digit heat day, I must run the car without a thermostat. It was like that straight from the factory. Was a direct drive 4 blade fan that was under par. Memorial Day- thermostat out/ back in on Holloween. Good to go. Tried different brands & temp settings but all did the same. Too bad that this happened.
Considering all the testing that was done on that engine the thermostat must have opened and closed several times before it finally stuck closed. Virtually nothing being built these days is made like it used to be. Considering you've had a new one stick closed I would never trust that thing again. You could boil it 10 times and it might work fine and then go drive the car down the road and have another one fail for whatever reason they are failing. Also, boiling it is not exactly the same as how it is made to operate in the engine. There is pressure in the cooling system. As I mentioned earlier, I have quit buying Stants because of the same problem. Do a search online for mr gasket thermostat fail and you will find over a two dozen reports right off the bat. You sure do get a lot of really neat cars in your shop. That road runner is awesome and for me it is the perfect color combination. The blue viper is the same. I like the blue a lot better than red on the vipers. If the exhaust is running that hot through the rocker panel maybe it needs some better thermal insulation in that area. I didn't even see a wrap on that pipe. I'm just guessing though.
I was the guy that called nick about the thermostat fails, and your right, the only way to STOP this from ever happening is to knock the guts out of the thermostat and only use the outer case of the thermostat as a restrictor to slow the water down to give the hot water a chance to soke heat out into the fins of the Rad. Been doing that in ALL my rebuilds for 40 years with zero issues. The plus side is the motors always run 15 degrees cooler in summer .
So true about cutting the centre out of the thermostat an just putting the ring back in so the water does not circle ⭕️ to fast if you do away with the thermostat it circle to fast an will run hot have worked in 2 radiator shops 🇦🇺👍🏻
I have never heard of an engine cooking the paint off of the engine - that is one hot 327 - it will be interesting to follow this story - I would be afraid to reuse that block and cylinder heads. A guy who is known locally for his custom cars (VW Beetle with a front mounted SBC, etc). Buzzy is putting a '69 Firebird on a C4 Corvette chassis. He had to cut the car body down the middle length wise and add 6 inches of metal to get the body over the C4. It's a very impressive build. This guy is a true fabricator and it will look like a factory built car when finished. Enjoy the journey - cheers
my dad had a 64 chevy 2 with the 283 v8. he put a frost plug heater in it. the thing blew out because it was the kind that did not have a retaining bar. when he drove the car home about 10 miles with no coolant it was so hot the old grease was running off the outside of the block. after it cooled i put in the correct heater. replaced the coolant. changed the oil and filter. the car ran on for another 100k plus miles. sometimes those old cast iron engines can take a lot.
@@NebukedNezzer - That's good to hear - BTW, I like those old chevy 2's - The way the engine sits behind the front suspension is great for weight transfer at launch - thanks for your feedback.
Nick, last week I posted..."Maybe the new thermostat was bad"...I mentioned it because it happened to me! .... After that I only use "Fail Safe" Thermostats. It's a shame a failed $20.00 part caused so much damage.
Hey Nick, way to stick with that 327 to find the problem. As you have mentioned many, many times in the past, YOU drive these older cars, and the newer cars drive YOU. Unfortunately, I think your client was letting his Impala drive HIM. Keep up the good work!
With this video Nick you brought back alot of memories. Years ago I could of picked up a friend's 70 road runner for 2500 dollars in great shape. I'm still kicking myself. I feel for you with the 327. We put a engine in a friend's truck only after rebuilding it it had a 3 inch Crack in the water jacket that leaked when at operating temp. 🤑🤣😩
That's why I always try to use a thermostat manufactured by company called Motorad and its called a fail safe thermostat. When it fails it stays in the open position. Worth the extra trouble to track one down.
Thanks for the autopsy report. Looks like someone at Mr. Gasket has some explaining to do. I also have used a bunch of their products over the years. Thank God, I've never had that kind of failure.
Good evening Nick. I love your videos. I once had a Firebird lose its coolant from a bad radiator cap. I know it sounds too basic, but you never know. Mine would only leak when revved up. It didn't leak when idling. Took me a while to figure out.
Your part failed but so did the driver who had to know his car was acting sick then died. Usually if you work on cars before you own one the better off you are. I started rebuilding small gas engines in the 7th grade!
There are signs and smells from an overheated engine, defective parts happen, even more so now days, but with a car like that more care from the driver was needed.
Maybe that part failed because of the overheat situation first. It stuck closed because of the overheat situation never said it was stuck open. By the way a stuck open thermostat does not save you from overheating issues. If the system is plugged up, or pump not circulating, blown head gasket, cracked head, cracked cylinder wall, will drive to overheat condition even with a stuck open thermostat. But a stuck closed condition could be a manufacture defect but about bet you this failed after overheat engine from completely seperate issue.
@@stevesosinski6692 AMEN ! but most people don't have a clue as they just get in and drive . The driver needs a thermostat ! lol , or build the car stupid proof. Oh yes , I have done that ! it hits 240 degrees a LOUID buzzer goes off ! and at 270 degrees the motor shuts down ! Stupid proof ! WORKS !
Good afternoon guys!!! Wow: that’s the first time I ever saw an engine get THAT hot from a stuck thermostat!!! All the coolant must’ve turned to steam and possibly got past the head gasket(s), unless the extreme heat caused a crack in (one of) the head(s). and allowed the steam to get out via the exhaust. Geez!!! Just goes to show, cars can be SOMETHING ELSE sometimes!!! Great week to you all!!! 🙂
If the thermostat stuck it will overheat, but will not harm the engine unless you keep driving. This individual kept driving and this is what happened. That is why an actual temp gauge is critical.
Had to remove a stuck thermostat from my 2004 Dakota few weeks back. Piece of crap was $21 and only lasted a few weeks. Fortunately the car (as all Mopars from I believe the 50s on up) has a temp gauge. Never overheated or did any damage but it's the hassle. Why are there no reliable parts any more? I have a suspicion - might be because of where every piece of junk new part is made.
@@MoparStephen it is most certainly where all these parts are made. I had to replace the A pilar trim on a 67 Camaro convertible, both trim pieces were from OER. both made in my favorite overseas location that makes every other piece of junk on earth. the passengers side top screw hole lined up but the bottom one would not, had the opposite issue on the drivers side. top screw lined up fine, the bottom one was off. measuring with a cloth tape measure the screw hole on the passenger side top was off 1/4 inch from the original and the driver side was off almost 3/8 of an inch off. sent them both back and got a replacement pair. drive side was perfect this time, but passenger side was still off. sent it back again, got the replacement, this time no issue. the quality control at OER is non existent. and the overseas workers don't care if it is defective. I had this same thing happen with the dash pad in a 1971 Camaro SS 396. every dash pads i tried was off. I must have gone threw 5 dash pads from them. finally gave up and had the original redone, but i could have bought all of those dash pads for what it cost to restore the original. but if you want quality and proper fitment, some times it is worth paying more to restore an original OEM piece.
Hi Nick, George & others, thanks for the update on the Impala, so a cheap part is what caused the 327 to cook up. Theo's Roadrunner is one nice looking ride Nick and like Theo can't wait to see it finished either. That Viper is one nice ride and the colour is real nice. I'm with you leave the car the way it came don't change chassis for an earlier body. Stay safe & well folks till next time.
I have been a Corvette guy for 45 years. However, I have always had my eye on a Viper. So, in 2002 my girlfriend and I took a trip to Las Vegas and I rented a 2002 Viper to see what it would be like to drive one at $400/day. At this time it was in the mid 90's in Vegas. It did not take too long for the car to overheat with the A/C on. I turned it off and the temperature started to come down. But who wants to drive around without A/C with temps in the 90's? Also the foot area on the driver side got very hot. I was getting rapidly disappointed with the car. I will say the "cool car factor" was off the scale. I was stopped at a red light and a group of Chinese tourists started to cross the street. As they walked in front of the car a couple of them started to walk around the car. They were clearly impressed. When I came back to our hotel the valet drivers were almost fighting with each other to see who gets to park the car. There was also an annoying problem on the driver's side. There was no foot rest for your left foot. My Corvettes always had one. You had to drive with your left foot sitting flat on the floor. I went back home disappointed with the Viper and just continued buying new Corvettes.
I owned several cars with 327s. One thing could not help but notice is detonation. I have had cheap Chinese thermostats go bad. They work multiple times and suddenly don't open...no reason! But you can tell when an engine is overheating especially at the exhaust and the way the car is running.
Those MR. GASKETS Are Probably China or at Least the Spring is. I dont think a High Flow is Nessary Just buy a BIG Block Versión from Chevolet.. MR. GASKET Should take Responsibility for this.
I've had that happen, it usually will take out the radiator, or a hose, I really feel for the owner. I started using fail safe thermostats after it happened to me.
I got to say. In all my years in the shop I've never seen that kind of heat damage. I seriously doubt any of that can or should be used over. This is clearly operator neglect. Driving while clueless is hard to accept. At some point, you have to know something is wrong, pull over and shut it off!!! There is a temp gauge. You can tell right away how the motor is running if something is wrong. Smoke out the back. I hope you charge the client on this one Nick and not give them a freebie. It's almost like an irresponsible entitled teen ager was driving this. Now if this was a case where the head gasket blew, and they pulled over right away and shut it down, it would be a simple fix and I could see doing that for them for free. But at this point no way for free. And even IF the engine is cracked, there is no way to determine if it was cracked before or not. Overheating a motor like that will absolutely crack a block. ESP a chevy block!!! AND getting a block that hot can destroy a thermostat real quick so I'm not buying that stuck thermostat story. Don't give them a pass on this Nick. I hope the client is reading the comments. He deserves a good pasting for this.
Hi Nick, Over the years I have experienced a new defective thermostat twice. I was advised to use only Stant Superstat. Very happy with this product appears to keep the temp always the same no cycling and supposedly less chance of binding/sticking.
@@NicksGarage Nope , I had a Stant fail as well ! As I told you on the phoner Nick, I had A Stant, a NAPA & a NOS GM thermostat all fail. Just take the guts all OUT of the thermostat and only run the outer case of it as a thermostat is only for heat in the car in cold weather. You must run a restrictor in the system, but no thermostat guts. Been doing this for many decades that way and found you will drop 15 to 20 degrees every time. But keep in mind you must always have that thermostat housing water restrictor in the system to let the hot water slow down to give a chance to soke the heat of the water into the fins of the radiator.
I have seen cylinder heads crack on the intake ports around the valve guides and valve seats. Also the intake manifolds too through coolant passages. Like Nick said you won't see the crack until the engine heats up and expands. I am positive Nick will find it with further diagnosis.
If the car has a heater check the passenger footwell for water . The heater core can drain all the water if faulty. The thermostat could be damaged by the severe overheating so don't stop looking for problems. Do a cooling system pressure test with the motor warm and check that it maintains pressure and doesn't leak down.
We are going to look at all the scenarios before this 327 leaves the shop.
Nick,love the show.l looked for that thermostat at Permatex.couldn't find it..Did you get it at Mechanex auto parts
Hi Nick. I had only a couple of thermostats fail in my career, one failed open the other failed closed. I'm not sure how you can insure that a thermostat or any part will last for any length of time, use the best you can and hope you and the owner is lucky.
@@stevesosinski6692 .
If most people could only grasp how many parts are quietly functioning properly to send them down the road, they'd be plenty nervous.......
@@timewa851 ...how many CHEAP parts....
I was wrong. Thanks Nick.
A person who cannot: smell, see, hear or feel an engine overheating, or does sense the signals but continues to drive it, does not deserve to drive a classic car!
The Impala deserves a new owner!
Agree
Agreed.
I am a professional mechanic.
When an engine gets this hot, it is the driver that ignored all of the warning signs.
Severe detonation ( pinging).
The smells of severe overheating.
Ethelene glycol coolant gives off a very distinct sweet smell when it is leaking out of an engine.
It is just about impossible that this engine melted down with out giving the driver any warning.
I my opinion this car was "driven into the ground".
Some people have more money than brains and should never be able to treat a classic this way. As Bugs Bunny says="What a Maroon"~!!
I agree it was maybe partially nicks fault a hose or who knows what maybe we will never know but if I went and picked up a basically brand new rebuilt car like that and was driving it my senses would have been in overdrive listening smelling feeling for anything at all that's not supposed to be and the second I felt anything or smelled especially antifreeze the slightest bit the key would go off and pull it over after all I just spent a ton of money on this car I do feel that nick should have insisted on some aftermarket gauges as well as the dummy lights working the customer is at least 85 % at fault because even if it did overheat he as was said cooked it to death and did a lot more damage than it should have gotten I've overhead many older cars back in. The day even as a kid and never cooked one that bad hell I never even blew a head gasket with iron heads ever not once and had plenty of bad radiators and water pump issues in the 80s with driving 60s and 70s era cars from the time I was 16 in Rhode island where it was a necessary thing to make sure you had antifreeze in it by September even because you'll get cold nights starting then by the time hollowen comes you better be covered to at least 15 below zero or well we all know and I learned this the hard way of course I had a bad radiator and got caught with water in a 72 Newport and ruined that great running 400 I used to get 20 mpg on the highway with sad I blew it dropped the ball whatever you want to call it but to this day I kick myself in the ass for that mistake
I agree driver just kept driving probably thinking I'm just a few miles from the house. I hate that for Nike not sure how I would handle this if the light was working that's the drivers fault that's why we have indacters on machinery I promise you buy a car and it runs hot all instruments are working it's not there responsibility to pay for repairs. Not unless it's a new vehicle and I guess it based on warranty you have
@@kayceehetchler9626 I have to hand it to you, not one form of punctuation in the entire run on sentence. Kudos. Wait..I found 1 .
@@Orcinus1967
Yes I agree, a grammar/punctuation commendation is in order for that post!😂
I have been in the engine building business for over 35 years and I put heat tabs on all my engines. There is a separate place on the invoice that the customer must sign stating if the heat tab shows the engine was overheated there is no more warranty. It saves a lot of arguments and court time.
Great idea and point there...plus signing the paper pretty much seals that door 🚪 👍
great advice
Been there, done that. We found in AZ that heat wasn’t all that was wrong with the SBC. On some oil pickup screens the screen comes loose if it gets clogged. This saved the original engine, but it’s no good when a guy buys a long or short block from a rebuilder like you or me and puts his own oil pan on. With a screen that has been opened and too much silicone, a bead of silicone gets drawn into the oil pump seizing the engine.
I sure didn't know that. Good way to çover yourself 100% do you do that for all engines old and newer?
what is a heat tab on a engine? I've never seen or heard of one and I've rebuilt quite few engines. dozens of them..
I'm on your side Nick No matter the cause of overheating The customer has some responsibility too
Clearly it was more than overheated, That engine would have been doing 30 mph with his foot on the floor and for a long time detonating real loud! On more than one occasion. That poor engine was begging for mercy!
Brian I agree but the only fault of Nick was using “Mr. gasket“ brand thermostats and not a Stant brand as I consider Mr. Gasket to be middle of the road quality at best And this situation is evident of their poor quality control. On high-performance engines I don’t even use a thermostat but rather just a thin brass plate with usually a three-quarter inch (3/4”) diameter hole in it or take the guts out of the thermostat and use it like that.
@@MrR6guy I agree
@@Doing_it_right_the_first_time The Mr. Gasket thermostat is a balanced flow thermostat and is not affected by coolant flow. It is much more accurate then a standard spring type thermostat..... but only when they work!
I prefer the thermostats that "fail open" this way when they go bad like this one did, the engine will not overheat.
I can't wrap my head around anyone driving a car to that point. He had to know he was destroying it. With or without a light or gauge.
My sentiments!
Also told him wrong cam...
That's the first thing I thought why would you continue to destroy the engine just stop and figure out what is wrong.
STOP! And call a tow truck! Why would you drive it till you cook the engine? Makes no sense whatsoever. I've had engines over heat in my 55 plus years of driving. Never drove it till I roasted the engine. Now.... who's to blame here? Who pays 4 what?
I see it all the time. Most people today just put gas in the car and drive, they don't care about anything unless it flat out QUITS going or it's ON FIRE ! Smoke, noise or smell, or slowing down just means STEP HARDER ON THE THROTTLE ! They have no clue and nobody ever sat there butts down to explain the FACTS OF LIFE !
YOU WOULD HAVE TO BE BLIND NOT TO SEE these WARNING LIGHTS, LET'S KEEP IT REAL. SOME GUYS are CLUELESS WHEN DRIVING, and SHOULDN'T OWN SUCH a SWEET CAR.
Been in the business 45 years. People would come in for a routine service, coolant flush and change and request a new thermostat. Even though there were no over heating issues. I can count on both hands where a new thermostat failed to open. Rarely did they not stick immediately after the work was completed. So the last few years I would not change out a thermostat “just because”. Most of the comebacks resulted in no damage but the customer always blamed the technician. Sorry Nick for this problem. On such a great rebuild. Make sure the customer sees the thermostat test you performed. I would make sure and confer with my supplier to see if they can cover some of the costs involved …..GOOD LUCK!
Hi Nick , please keep looking for a problem! The thermostat not opening after being grossly overheated would be normal. Some of the wax that expands in it to open, would have escaped past the seal in a overheat. It then closes and will never open again.
Rick. Australia. 25 years Motor Mechanic.
Great point. I've noticed that just because a car travels in cooler climates, a thermostat opens & closes super frequently causing a wear ring on the body which can make the plate stick closed.. this is pretty rare but happens. If the magnaflux of the block or heads shows no cracks, a careful examination of the head gaskets & block mating surface is in order as well
Also cavitation caused by hot spots in the block happened fairly frequently on the 327
Why assume the thermostat failed BEFORE the engine?
Maybe the thermostat was damaged when the engine overheated. Those thermostats use a wax that melts at 180F to actuate. At the extreme temperatures during the overheating, some of the wax could turn to vapor and cause damage.
as hot as that motor got the T Stat may have been OK before the problem
Im 49 and have learned a lot watching u work Ty nick .
Sad about the 327. I had the same thing happen to me many years ago. Replaced worn out motor with a good used one that came out of a good running car. Ran the car for a couple of week and then coming home I was going up a good hill on the Autoroute and when I neared the top, the car slowed down a bit, pushed on the gas and it slowed down more. Looked at the temp gauge and it was pegged on the hot side. Pulled over and the motor stopped with a very loud clunking sound and... that was it !! Was only a $200.00 motor but at the time it was a lot for me. One thing I hadn't done was change the thermostat from the replacement motor so I guess it was my fault. I've also heard that sometimes when a thermostat is overheated a few times, it may close and never open again. Thanks again for all the great videos. Best Regards - Mike
I was on a drive with my freshly rebuilt 289 on a bright sunny day. The clip that holds the heater hoses to the fender well broke. One of the hoses fell against the exhaust manifold burning a hole in it. With the bright sunlight I couldn't see the warning light, and with the road noise i didn't hear the engine making any unusual noises. All of the sudden it looked like I was driving a crop duster. The result was melted pistons. The plug wires looked like burnt marshmallows. A very nice lady that owned a nearby farm brought us to her home where we waited for my uncle to pick us up. We came back the next day and towed the car home. I put gauges on the new engine.
Mr. Gasket should pay for the new engine! Great show Nick!
You could see the passion and the feeling he has for his builds or anything he works on, thanks Nick for being a great mechanic and sharing your great knowledge this is the way a lot of mechanics used to be in the early year’s, the Impala was operator error.
The Viper has a soft spot in my heart because my old neighbour had one. When that snake was started on a sunny weekend day all the guys came out to see it. Heh, don't need to milkshake to bring the boys to the yard, just a good old 10 cylinder.
The sound of American muscle has that effect.
@@NicksGarage how true.
That sucks Nick but at least you figured it out. this is why I run Stant Super T-Stat thermostat it will always stick open and not closed if it were to fail.
When I get a old car or truck I put oil pressure gauge and a temp gauge little extra protection awesome show keep them coming
This exact thing happened to me in 1968. My Grandmother gave me her 1962 Pontiac Catalina two door hardtop with 62,000 miles on it. I changed the fuel pump, water pump, all new hoses and rebuilt the carburetor. I decided to not change the thermostat which proved to be a fatal mistake. A few weeks later the car overheated. When I got the car back to the house, I removed the thermostat and checked it out in a way similar to what you did. The thermostat would not open at the boiling point. I installed a new thermostat and everything was okay. It is hard for me to understand why the owner of the Chevrolet did not notice his car overheating. It should have been obvious.
.
Did it have the 421 in it? If it did, please send it to me. I will detail it and return it, err um, promptly, yes promptly.. I think ;)
@@shoominati23 The Pontiac had a 389. I loved that car but I eventually sold it. At the time I was living in northwester Ohio. It was white with a red interior. Beautiful car. Wish I still had it.
@@davidl2438 I'd love a 421 to do up, Yunick loved them and I'd love to do all the mods he suggests in his book. The Mickey Thompson Hemi head is the holy grail for these
Glad you found the problem with the faulty thermostat on the Impala engine. I have to admit I've never pre-tested the thermostats on my engine build-ups, now I realize that I just got lucky. I'll be checking them from now on. :)
Thermostat may have been damaged from extreme overheating... from another cause... like no spring in lower radiator hose and it sucked closed...
@@BuzzLOLOL Very possible.
@@nickpanaritis4122 Nope, I have had a few do this to ! NAPA gold, Stant, & OEM GM . It's strictly quality control in Mexico. There all assembled there and boxed in the US. But there is a FOR SURE cure ! See my other posts .
@@BuzzLOLOL When the engine was that hot it would have been boiling and venting through the radiator cap. No way a pump is going to suck a hose closed when it has 15 PSI of pressure in it.
get Israel made units seem to be good a lot are made their
Wow Mr. Nick, that engine got REALLY HOT. Glad you showed the pistons. That sidewall coating was really doing it’s job. Take care.
Ah yup, we had this happen on our summer vacation once when I was a kid. Towing a modest size camper behind our '63 Chrysler Saratoga 383 on a hot day 400 miles from home, Dad noticed all was not well with the engine temp and pulled over asap. Unfortunately the head gasket had already blown and one piston was fried. All because of a defective $5 thermostat. Six days of impromptu camping and a full engine rebuild later, we continued with our abbreviated vacation...
George has a really nice car that Viper is badass!
Giasou Nikola,
This video brings back so many memories. My dad opened up a radiator repair shop back in 1985 & operated for more than 25 years.
Back in those early days all radiator cores were copper & brass tanks before plastic tanks came along, followed by aluminum core & followed by complete units all from China.
We always tested the thermostat if we did a recore & especially the taxi's we would recommend changing the thermostat at the same time of the recore or yearly flash, cheap insurance during Melbourne long hot summer's.
Never an issue but as we starting using fully build up aluminum units all from China & Chinese thermostat the issues we were having it was depressing at time.
The aluminum radiator we just build enough with no tolerance & you can't repair an aluminum core if it gets a hole in it you just throw it away.
My dad was always having on & off issues with Chinese thermostat & even new ones before fitting he would boil them & show the customer that it was working when he fitted in.
Also he would go to the next reading down so the thermostat would open earlier.
My hardtop old school 3 core, copper heavy duty air conditioning core for a 6 cylinder Hemi.
Plus I replaced the 4 blade factory fan with a factory 6 blade V8 fan, which to my surprise was interchangeable.
Nothing worse than a classic overheating in traffic, causing a traffic jam & you have a car full of friends.
They will curse you & ridicule you forever after that, it gets very hot here in Australia during summer.
Over kill better to be safe than sorry.
Tough one on the warranty issue who do you point the finger at.
Tough lesson.
Regarding the coolant, my best guess the heads got warped, a microscopic hair line pin hole of a crack between a water jacket & the exhaust port & under all that pressure & heat the coolant escaped out of the exhaust.
As the engine cooled down the cracked closed up so that is why you didn't see any leaks.
Let's see when they come back from crack testing.
Nice Viper definitely Greek.
Your number 1 Fan in Australia
Louis Kats from Melbourne Australia ☺ 👍 ❤
I want a T-shirt with a picture of Nick standing in the engine bay of that runner!
Nick is entirely old-school and I love this about him, he is the real deal, a Greek Mopar genius.. Men like him are rare and out of production never to be produced again, so love, and respect him while he is still running on all cylinders; God bless Nick..
I love the way you do forensics Nick. You leave no stone un-turned and don't overlook anything.
Nick I watched you build and Dyno! Your engines. You even drive the cars that your engines and transmission go in. Never have I seen one return for over heating. There can only be so many reasons that a engine over heats. Cracked block, cylinder head cracked, blown head gaskets, bad thermostat, hole in radiator or hose, water pump not turning the right speed or bad and clogged radiator core. Also everyone knows not to drive a car when it over heats. I would talk to the owner and ask why they didn't pull over. The customer has to be held accountable for continuing to drive the Convertible when it over heated. I know Nick! That you back your engines and work. You are a very honest business owner. That's just the kind of person you are. Keep up the Great work Nick! Shawn.
I agree! A driver has to take some responsibility for the operation of their vehicle. This should have been a glitch that was easily fixed not a full blown disaster. A driver has to be responsible with being aware of his surroundings, his vehicle and even other vehicles and take appropriate action if necessary for his and other peoples safety.
This thing must have been ready to catch fire the way he drove it long enough to burn the pain off the heads. That is pure and utter irresponsibility and stupidity right there. At that point goes well beyond anyone else's fault but the drivers.
If this had been a new car from a dealer, no way in hell they would just take all the blame and pay for an engine replacement. I think i'd just refund this guys money and tell him to go elsewhere because he cannot be trusted not to do the same or some other stupid thing again.
This can happen to the best and it unfortunately did. Some times things are out of our hands just as this was hate it for Nick cause I know he will absorb cost he shouldn't have too.I hope the manufactorer will help him on this one. Thank's for the video Nick.
This thermostat problem happened to me with my SBC when I was 17, since then I always test them. Thank you Nick..
In my older now classic cars I used to drill 2 x 3mm holes in the thermostat to ensure water flow in case of a faulty one. Not an issue here were I live in AU as we do not have snow or very cold weather. I never had an issue with engine temp in either direction.
Just an observation of the thermostat tests, it looks like, what I call the bottom tub, was crooked on the defective one which possibly may have jamed it shut. Love your channel, keep on smiling.
This is my new go to channel! Great stuff, nice to see a professional Canadian show.
Wow, thanks!
I know a guy who got a 69 Chevelle body and put it onto a 2002 Nascar cup chassis. So basically, he has the best looking body he loves with the best performance (He installed a 700hp stock block motor though so he can alot more miles between rebuilds than the cup motor), best brakes and best suspension that just wouldn't be possible with the original 69 components.
That’s the best looking viper I’ve seen in years. George has good taste in cars!👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Glad you found the problem great work nick
Great video and happy to see you folks. Take care to all you views....
Great Find Nick ! I’ve experienced that style high flow Mr Gasket Thermostat fail the exact same way in my 4.0 Jeep , I did the exact same test! I ended up with a Stant replacement instead. I never looked back ever since. Great recommendation to test boil thermostats before installation. 👍
a guy we know to test a engine, removes the upper and lower hose and puts a motorcycle inner tube on them, Fills it with air via its valve stem, and then waits over night to see if the pressure drops in the inner tube. works good for an engine on the floor too after you block off the heater hoses.
A broken fan belt will, of course, cause near-instant overheating; and a quick replacement of the belt after the meltdown disaster is not likely to be discovered by the shop.
Hey Nick,
Always a real pleasure to watch your channel.
A real professional, no nonsense. A BIG LIKE !
Noam, Israel.
Thank you.
Hey crew.Steve from New Zealand here. Man that blue Viper is magic! Too much...
i love the thermostat boiling in the kettle test , i love test videos , well done nick and george
Stopped by to check on Nick and was happy to see it was pure Nick, no drama, kids, old fart groupies. Nick is the star and who I want to see and hear. I'm glad to be back. Nick doesn't need help, he's already the best.
AT HIS AGE NICK DOESN'T WANT TO BE A STAR, HE'S HERE TO TEACH THE KIDS,OLD FART GROUPIES,AND THE REST OF US . AND HE LOVES DOING IT...! IT IS HIS LEGACY...AND HIS PASSION.😎
@@willychromoga5929 That's why he doesn't need a production company to script his shows, it's not reality TV, and I am an old fart too, 70 years in May. I did Hot Rod work in NJ since the 60s, but I don't stand around bothering real people trying to earn a living. You must be offended (all caps) sorry... but Nick is my star and doesn't need bling to shine, or anyone to defend him.
@@stevesosinski6692 [ ONLY USE CAPS LOCK SO I CAN READ WHAT I'M TYPING, I LOOSE TOO MUCH SPACE IF I GO TO HUGE FONT.( NOT OFFENDED AT ALL ) I WAS 70 IN APRIL..SO MY LAPTOP IS TOO CLOSE TO READ W/O READERS.
@@willychromoga5929 Understood, I have to wear reading glasses.
@@stevesosinski6692 😎
The only time I really ever had an issue like this was a 455 Buick in a '70 Regal that I rebuilt for a customer. It always ran hot and eventually cooked the thermostat. IE: the overheating blew the wax out of the thermostat. (That's what expands and opens it up.) Though I believe that it was a combination of thin cylinder walls after a .040 overbore and a marginal radiator, repeated overheating ruined the t-stat.
So, the failure could have resulted FROM the overheating.
The customer decided to sell instead of investing in a new radiator core. This happened about 1991.
I watch Nick's garage all the time first time I ever seen a Buick Grand National setting in it
Nick, thank you for the good tip to always check out your new thermostat a dozen times or so before you put it in your car. A complete engine was destroyed because of a $20 part that failed to work. And from a reputable supplier that you'd done business with for years, and never a flaw before this time. Could happen to anybody. Brings to mind the $3 bearing that failed on the Andy Granatelli 1st design gas turbine at Indianapolis many years ago. They had a roller or needle bearing fail at the 490-mile mark, leading the race with 10 miles to go. Well, now we know that there is no part too small to fail, that will wreck your whole project.
i HAVE USED THAT STYLE THERMOSTAT IN THE PAST AND HAD TROUBLE WITH THEM NOT OPENING. ALWAYS USE THE OLD STYLE ONES NOW AND CHECK THEM IN BOILING WATER BEFORE INSTALLING.
'85 Ford 460, totally new engine. Over heating at highway speed. I had 2 t'stats from different manufacturers that were not opening fully. Tried different expensive radiators. Currently have a Motorad t'stat at 192F with an older all-brass 4-core radiator and the truck under load, 95F outside temp, running A/C, camper and on the highway gets no hotter than 210F. It runs a 195F at idle. When I reinstalled the all-brass radiator I back flushed the system and the water coming out looked clear. My truck likes the all-brass radiator better than the 2-piece and the all-aluminum ones. I suspect that many counterfeit parts are getting onto the store shelves.
A co worker spent over 100 thousand dollars restoring his 69 GT500 cobra 428 mustang. Beautiful but kept running too hot. Of course he shut it down quickly. Finally tracked problem to lower radiator hose sucking shut. Supposed to have a coil spring in hose to prevent it. That was a tuffy issue.
I had a small journal 327 that was bored 60 over, single plane, 750cfm, fully worked over fuelie double hump heads, crane energizer cam, lift was 555 intake 565 exhaust. and that little motor was a screamer. Use to rev it to 9000 rpm because it sounded so good screaming even though it use to fall on its face at around 7500rpm. People would say why you rev it so high, I would say cause I can 🤪
When I get a new thermostat I now drill a tiny hole (1/32") in the valve to let the air out of the manifold while filling the radiator (slowly) as sometimes the block/head will not complete fill with coolant. This may not apply to all brands but needed on a SB Mopar, or you have to pull a hose off. I remember years ago, just about all the thermostats I used to buy had a tiny hole in them but not anymore. I guess parts aren't what they used to be. Thanks again. Best Regards - Mike
Exactly. Have done the same for years. Saved a slant I had when the thermostat was put in upside-down
Another one here too, I've drilled the hole in the thermostat for decades of Chevy's.
thought it was the norm to have a small hole on the tstat. aftermarket parts, i guess?
Never do this. It's much better to slightly open the stat and put a small piece of paper in there to hold it open if you think that needs to be done. Most aftermarket stats don't have a hole or a jiggle valve in the body. They use a groove in the side of the piston instead. Adding a hole makes too much water/ coolant bypass the thermostat.
@@2xrpm something I never knew. Thanks!
That’s a good representation of the world we’re in. Quality control that’s gone to sh.t and people with zero situational awareness.
Years ago I burned up a Chevy 350 in Squarebody, it likely had a cracked cylinder head, and as the engine was boiling out the remainder of the coolant it makes all kinds of haunting and guttural noises. Exactly like your customer’s engine, it burned the paint off the heads and a portion of block. I had a fresh 383 waiting so wasn’t too concerned for that smog era 350 but I pushed her beyond any semblance of normalcy to try and get home. Oh and the smell, you’ll never forget the smell.... Plenty of sensory cues stuff has gone extremely wrong!
You’re a good guy Nick
What a lot of people forget, including mechanics myself included in that last part, is that in order for the water temperature gauge to work there has to be water in the block. So if there is no water in the block, then the temperature gauge will not indicate the car is running hot. Learned that with a 1965 Ford F-100 240 inline 6, that had a cracked block that would seep water. The other part of that is a faulty temperature gauge can also indicate a car is running cool, even when it is over heating due to a faulty thermostat. And while I do side with Nick on this one, as there is no substitution for a good old sniffer. As a car that is running hot, will smell of anti-freeze if it is boiling out.
as Nick said...it had over 4 gallons of coolant in it....a guage would have worked until the driver boiled off the coolant...I also agrre that the thermo could have been scalded from the extreme overheat and seized... so... it could have had a cylinder crack...in the old days we'd magna-flux the blocks... and heads
I don’t know if someone else has mention this or not. They produce fail safe thermostats. They are designed to fail open, so you always have coolant flow. Love the channel. Thx!!!
That’s a dirty spot to be in, Nick. I feel for you. I’ve read quite a few of the comments here, and I haven’t seen it mentioned yet, and you didn’t mention it either. But IF it was an internal coolant leak (such as cracks in the head or block, or head gasket), then the piston that was pushing out the water would be a completely different color. (In the case of a head gasket there would likely be two pistons side by side.) The piston would be spotless clean, steam cleaned. If all your pistons are the same color then the leak occurred externally which would be the case with a bad thermostat.
As far as the steam observed by someone that was following, most of the steam coming out of the rad would flow under the car and be visible to someone following behind.
Please keep us in the loop with what happens here
And I agree with what a lot of the people here have said that the driver needs to carry a LOT of responsibility here, he/she HAD to have noticed a problem occurring. An odour, change in performance/responsiveness, pinging, steam coming out around the hood. I definitely would have a huge problem buying a motor for this person. You can warranty what you did, but you didn’t drive the car when the problem occurred. If you’d have been driving the car when it overheated you wouldn’t have baked that engine. Tell him to go chase the thermostat manufacturer. You didn’t make the thermostat
I agree with the temp buttons to protect you . The thermostat could have been damaged by the overheat . I would persuade the owner to install a reliable set of oil and temp gages . Good luck Nick , I hope you find the real problem .
I love this. Cheers to all crew of Nick's Garage.
Thanks Tony!
Hello Nick, I always enjoy Your programs... Since the block & heads are made of cast iron, have them magna-fluxed. If they are cracked or a casting inclusion exists, the magnafluxing will probably show where the crack / inclusion is... Also, magna-flux the coolant passage in the intake manifold, where the thermostat is located. A crack or a casting inclusion there might leak coolant into one of the forward intake runners... Another way to check for cracks / casting inclusions, is to put the bare block back together with the heads , intake manifold and thermostat housing & gaskets firmly sealed where they normally go.. Block all but 2 of the open ports of the entire cooling jacket system for that engine. Fill the cooling system with 50/50 a/f & water... Block one more port, and Pressurize the remaining open port to 16 psig for 30 minutes, and check for pressure loss... If it is leaking it will show-up, and the leaking coolant should make it fairly easy to find. Run a rose-bud torch up & down each cylinder and combustion chamber to simulate the engine running temp. If you still can not find leaks, check for leakage/blockage in the heater core under the dash. Maybe a lot of coolant was suddenly displaced into what was an empty/clogged heater core. That could have caused an overheat, a sudden displacement of coolant into the entire heater core system. Another thing to check would be blockage/occlusions in the radiator... This can also suddenly displace a lot of coolant from blocked passages that did start flowing, when the heated/pressurized coolant started flowing in those thin/previously clogged tubes again... I have seen all of these things happen with vehicles in the past, especially older ones that were stored for long periods of time, that were seldom ran during the storage period. That fella who told you the check the thermostat numerous times, God bless him- that is great advice that was given in several factory written service manuals... The other idea of a loose impellar is also a great idea... I have seen that happen too, especially on water pumps with plastic/bakelite impellers...Good luck with this Nick...
Nick there is always a reason. Sometimes you have to look long and hard to find it. Sometimes it's something you wouldn't think would fail . Sorry to see a nice old small block burn up like that.
FYI Nick. There is a company that makes a thermostat called fail safe. If there is a problem with the function of it, it will fail in the open position, avoiding just this scenario. They cost around $23 here in the US, but it’s a lot cheaper than a new engine. I run them in ALL my cars. Bought mine ya auto zone. They may not even know they have them in stock. My guys had to look them up, and they had them all along.
Very sad to see the carnage Nick. As a former mechanic, I see your logic and methodical approach to all of your work. Very impressive Nick. May I suggest a very simple and inexpensive "trick" to prevent this from ever happening again. Install another temp sensor in the other cyl. head and run the lead to the neg. side of the ignition coil. When the sensor reaches temp. it will kill the spark and stop the motor. I wish your shop were in my area. Best Wishes
Saw a lot of cooked engines in the few years as roadside service mech far more so than about 20 years in workshops before that.
Any overheating issues on a freeway almost always ended up as a cooked engine, it all happens pretty fast unlike sitting in traffic and it can catch out drivers.
The temp light comes on for a few miles then it goes off once the water is boiled off the sensor and a mile or so more at 100+ kmh the engines were toast, stinking of burnt oil too..
The steam from the rear may have just been what was ejected out of the radiator overflow pipe downward and out the back that maybe looked like it was coming from the exhaust. Hence no water in cylinders noted by lack of decarbonising of the piston tops.
Nick I love watching your work ,
knoledge and wisdom of fixing
cars. Thank you Sir.
That engine would have been making quite a racket, it would have sounded like a popcorn machine detonating like crazy. It would have also had a significant loss of power, as everything tightened up inside and friction killed off power. The customer absolutely should have realized that something was wrong, but kept driving to the point of nuclear meltdown. I don't know who's paying for this, but I would put the fault at 20% Mr. Gasket and 80% customer.
Agreed.
Nice work Nick and the crew!
Nice roadrunner. I'm not a huge fan of some Mopars, but that convertible is sweetttt!
Agree! I had a hardtop with a built’ 440, 4 speed pistol grip
‘mixing stick’! Loved that car! 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
I watched this video and half way thru I thought to myself
“gotta be the thermostat’! I had similar thing happen to me on my 1967 Pontiac Grand Prix with the 400 c i engine. Luckily my engine survived because I realized the problem before any serious problems arose! Now I know one more trick to do before finishing up with ‘coolant repairs’! Thanx for that tip on ‘preboiling’ thermostat several times before installing it! ‘Just because it’s new doesn’t mean it will work’! 👍🏼👍🏼
Check the heater control valve - My 66 Olds Starfire 425 seemed like it was “blowing antifreeze” and this was the issue! Not a part of the motor itself, but it can cause you to lose your coolant and not leave any telltale signs.
Learned something new in this broadcasts. Thank you. This was a good demonstration in the mechanical sciences.
that was cool Nick. new doesn't always mean perfect, i went through 6 voltage regulars right off the shelf before getting a good one the guy at parts store didn't seem surprised , it was a lesson well learned .great video
...always helps to have voltage, temperature and oil pressure gauges in any performance vehicle!
When I had my 66 GTO, I found out right off on a triple digit heat day, I must run the car without a thermostat. It was like that straight from the factory. Was a direct drive 4 blade fan that was under par. Memorial Day- thermostat out/ back in on Holloween. Good to go. Tried different brands & temp settings but all did the same. Too bad that this happened.
Considering all the testing that was done on that engine the thermostat must have opened and closed several times before it finally stuck closed. Virtually nothing being built these days is made like it used to be. Considering you've had a new one stick closed I would never trust that thing again.
You could boil it 10 times and it might work fine and then go drive the car down the road and have another one fail for whatever reason they are failing. Also, boiling it is not exactly the same as how it is made to operate in the engine. There is pressure in the cooling system. As I mentioned earlier, I have quit buying Stants because of the same problem. Do a search online for mr gasket thermostat fail and you will find over a two dozen reports right off the bat.
You sure do get a lot of really neat cars in your shop. That road runner is awesome and for me it is the perfect color combination. The blue viper is the same. I like the blue a lot better than red on the vipers. If the exhaust is running that hot through the rocker panel maybe it needs some better thermal insulation in that area. I didn't even see a wrap on that pipe. I'm just guessing though.
I was the guy that called nick about the thermostat fails, and your right, the only way to STOP this from ever happening is to knock the guts out of the thermostat and only use the outer case of the thermostat as a restrictor to slow the water down to give the hot water a chance to soke heat out into the fins of the Rad. Been doing that in ALL my rebuilds for 40 years with zero issues. The plus side is the motors always run 15 degrees cooler in summer .
So true about cutting the centre out of the thermostat an just putting the ring back in so the water does not circle ⭕️ to fast if you do away with the thermostat it circle to fast an will run hot have worked in 2 radiator shops 🇦🇺👍🏻
Oh yeah, another thing nowadays is that even the top brand thermostats are made cheap because they've been sourced outside this Nation.
I have never heard of an engine cooking the paint off of the engine - that is one hot 327 - it will be interesting to follow this story - I would be afraid to reuse that block and cylinder heads. A guy who is known locally for his custom cars (VW Beetle with a front mounted SBC, etc). Buzzy is putting a '69 Firebird on a C4 Corvette chassis. He had to cut the car body down the middle length wise and add 6 inches of metal to get the body over the C4. It's a very impressive build. This guy is a true fabricator and it will look like a factory built car when finished. Enjoy the journey - cheers
my dad had a 64 chevy 2 with the 283 v8. he put a frost plug heater in it. the thing blew out because it was the kind that did not have a retaining bar. when he drove the car home about 10 miles with no coolant it was so hot the old grease was running off the outside of the block. after it cooled i put in the correct heater. replaced the coolant. changed the oil and filter. the car ran on for another 100k plus miles. sometimes those old cast iron engines can take a lot.
You've probably seen the Foose "Imposter" Impala body on a new Corvette chassis. Sweet.
@@NebukedNezzer - That's good to hear - BTW, I like those old chevy 2's - The way the engine sits behind the front suspension is great for weight transfer at launch - thanks for your feedback.
paint is just not the same as it used to be, with all the ROHS and changes.
Nick, last week I posted..."Maybe the new thermostat was bad"...I mentioned it because it happened to me! .... After that I only use "Fail Safe" Thermostats. It's a shame a failed $20.00 part caused so much damage.
We are going with "Fail Safe" on this one for sure.
I was taught by my mechanic to push the thermostat open by hand first to make sure it functions. He said he has got burnt once.
Hey Nick, way to stick with that 327 to find the problem. As you have mentioned many, many times in the past, YOU drive these older cars, and the newer cars drive YOU. Unfortunately, I think your client was letting his Impala drive HIM. Keep up the good work!
Well said!
@@NicksGarage
Love your work!
Does Covid-19 Strike again with the driver's Sense of Smell loss, I know that burning paint smell hangs around.
Nexx garage gets better and better every time I see a video I love the music George that's perfect really good music
Nick, check the intake manifold for cracks often overlooked and contains vacuum and coolant
OK.
I have had 2 thermostats come apart in the engine. Make sure the copper end goes in first pointing down.
Why the driver didn;t smell the paint burning is beyond me.
Or see steam, or the smell of coolant...... etc, etc....
Some people lose their sense of smell as they get old. Covid did that to many people regardless of age.
@@Orcinus1967Sure, blame it on covid.🥴
With this video Nick you brought back alot of memories. Years ago I could of picked up a friend's 70 road runner for 2500 dollars in great shape. I'm still kicking myself. I feel for you with the 327. We put a engine in a friend's truck only after rebuilding it it had a 3 inch Crack in the water jacket that leaked when at operating temp. 🤑🤣😩
That's why I always try to use a thermostat manufactured by company called Motorad and its called a fail safe thermostat. When it fails it stays in the open position. Worth the extra trouble to track one down.
Exactly... Totally agree..
Thank you for that. I will be checking MotoRad for a new thermostat. Makes sense
Thanks for the autopsy report. Looks like someone at Mr. Gasket has some explaining to do. I also have used a bunch of their products over the years. Thank God, I've never had that kind of failure.
Good evening Nick. I love your videos. I once had a Firebird lose its coolant from a bad radiator cap. I know it sounds too basic, but you never know. Mine would only leak when revved up. It didn't leak when idling. Took me a while to figure out.
SOUNDS LIKE THE RADIATOR WAS RESTRICTIVE, A TEST IS TO TAKE CAP OFF WHEN COOL AND REV THE ENGINE, WATER SHOULD NOT COME OUT THE FILL.
Ha! I've never considered boiling the thermostat to see it function!!! So simple and elegant.
Your part failed but so did the driver who had to know his car was acting sick then died. Usually if you work on cars before you own one the better off you are. I started rebuilding small gas engines in the 7th grade!
There are signs and smells from an overheated engine, defective parts happen, even more so now days, but with a car like that more care from the driver was needed.
@Eric Weingartner Hey what's happening Eric ! I watch your channel all the time.
Maybe that part failed because of the overheat situation first. It stuck closed because of the overheat situation never said it was stuck open. By the way a stuck open thermostat does not save you from overheating issues. If the system is plugged up, or pump not circulating, blown head gasket, cracked head, cracked cylinder wall, will drive to overheat condition even with a stuck open thermostat. But a stuck closed condition could be a manufacture defect but about bet you this failed after overheat engine from completely seperate issue.
@@bigbearvenom6145 Nope it was stuck closed not open!
@@stevesosinski6692 AMEN ! but most people don't have a clue as they just get in and drive . The driver needs a thermostat ! lol , or build the car stupid proof. Oh yes , I have done that ! it hits 240 degrees a LOUID buzzer goes off ! and at 270 degrees the motor shuts down ! Stupid proof ! WORKS !
The cheapest parts cause the most expensive damage…. Thank you for the stickers, much appreciated
Good afternoon guys!!! Wow: that’s the first time I ever saw an engine get THAT hot from a stuck thermostat!!! All the coolant must’ve turned to steam and possibly got past the head gasket(s), unless the extreme heat caused a crack in (one of) the head(s). and allowed the steam to get out via the exhaust. Geez!!! Just goes to show, cars can be SOMETHING ELSE sometimes!!! Great week to you all!!! 🙂
Thanks! You too!
If the thermostat stuck it will overheat, but will not harm the engine unless you keep driving. This individual kept driving and this is what happened. That is why an actual temp gauge is critical.
@@bryangeorge9461 Add a blinker to that warning light on the dash and maybe a buzzer ,,,,
Had to remove a stuck thermostat from my 2004 Dakota few weeks back. Piece of crap was $21 and only lasted a few weeks. Fortunately the car (as all Mopars from I believe the 50s on up) has a temp gauge. Never overheated or did any damage but it's the hassle. Why are there no reliable parts any more? I have a suspicion - might be because of where every piece of junk new part is made.
@@MoparStephen it is most certainly where all these parts are made. I had to replace the A pilar trim on a 67 Camaro convertible, both trim pieces were from OER. both made in my favorite overseas location that makes every other piece of junk on earth. the passengers side top screw hole lined up but the bottom one would not, had the opposite issue on the drivers side. top screw lined up fine, the bottom one was off. measuring with a cloth tape measure the screw hole on the passenger side top was off 1/4 inch from the original and the driver side was off almost 3/8 of an inch off. sent them both back and got a replacement pair. drive side was perfect this time, but passenger side was still off. sent it back again, got the replacement, this time no issue. the quality control at OER is non existent. and the overseas workers don't care if it is defective. I had this same thing happen with the dash pad in a 1971 Camaro SS 396. every dash pads i tried was off. I must have gone threw 5 dash pads from them. finally gave up and had the original redone, but i could have bought all of those dash pads for what it cost to restore the original. but if you want quality and proper fitment, some times it is worth paying more to restore an original OEM piece.
I like your videos. My first car was a '66 impala. I miss those days.
Hi Nick, George & others, thanks for the update on the Impala, so a cheap part is what caused the 327 to cook up. Theo's Roadrunner is one nice looking ride Nick and like Theo can't wait to see it finished either. That Viper is one nice ride and the colour is real nice. I'm with you leave the car the way it came don't change chassis for an earlier body. Stay safe & well folks till next time.
I have been a Corvette guy for 45 years. However, I have always had my eye on a Viper. So, in 2002 my girlfriend and I took a trip to Las Vegas and I rented a 2002 Viper to see what it would be like to drive one at $400/day. At this time it was in the mid 90's in Vegas. It did not take too long for the car to overheat with the A/C on. I turned it off and the temperature started to come down. But who wants to drive around without A/C with temps in the 90's? Also the foot area on the driver side got very hot. I was getting rapidly disappointed with the car. I will say the "cool car factor" was off the scale. I was stopped at a red light and a group of Chinese tourists started to cross the street. As they walked in front of the car a couple of them started to walk around the car. They were clearly impressed. When I came back to our hotel the valet drivers were almost fighting with each other to see who gets to park the car. There was also an annoying problem on the driver's side. There was no foot rest for your left foot. My Corvettes always had one. You had to drive with your left foot sitting flat on the floor. I went back home disappointed with the Viper and just continued buying new Corvettes.
that sucks. i want to see what happened. thumbs up for Nick
I owned several cars with 327s. One thing could not help but notice is detonation. I have had cheap Chinese thermostats go bad. They work multiple times and suddenly don't open...no reason! But you can tell when an engine is overheating especially at the exhaust and the way the car is running.
Those MR. GASKETS Are Probably China or at Least the Spring is. I dont think a High Flow is Nessary Just buy a BIG Block Versión from Chevolet.. MR. GASKET Should take Responsibility for this.
I've always used Gates or Robertshaw race type units, with no failure.
I've had that happen, it usually will take out the radiator, or a hose, I really feel for the owner. I started using fail safe thermostats after it happened to me.
Ouch! I always pre-test t-stats, but that might not even have caught this problem this time!
I got to say. In all my years in the shop I've never seen that kind of heat damage. I seriously doubt any of that can or should be used over. This is clearly operator neglect. Driving while clueless is hard to accept. At some point, you have to know something is wrong, pull over and shut it off!!! There is a temp gauge. You can tell right away how the motor is running if something is wrong. Smoke out the back. I hope you charge the client on this one Nick and not give them a freebie. It's almost like an irresponsible entitled teen ager was driving this.
Now if this was a case where the head gasket blew, and they pulled over right away and shut it down, it would be a simple fix and I could see doing that for them for free. But at this point no way for free. And even IF the engine is cracked, there is no way to determine if it was cracked before or not. Overheating a motor like that will absolutely crack a block. ESP a chevy block!!! AND getting a block that hot can destroy a thermostat real quick so I'm not buying that stuck thermostat story.
Don't give them a pass on this Nick. I hope the client is reading the comments. He deserves a good pasting for this.
@@Teabag697 Yeah there is no way you cant notice something like this.
Long time listener. First time caller ) Best demolition derby motor. Small block Chevrolet. Like a camel ) no h20 not a problem ) They just run ; ))
Hi Nick, Over the years I have experienced a new defective thermostat twice. I was advised to use only Stant Superstat. Very happy with this product appears to keep the temp always the same no cycling and supposedly less chance of binding/sticking.
Good to know!
Stanton brand had a hole with a loose rivet in the hole to let out the air.
Stant is gone! Bought but motorad. Pure garbage now
@@NicksGarage Nope , I had a Stant fail as well ! As I told you on the phoner Nick, I had A Stant, a NAPA & a NOS GM thermostat all fail. Just take the guts all OUT of the thermostat and only run the outer case of it as a thermostat is only for heat in the car in cold weather. You must run a restrictor in the system, but no thermostat guts. Been doing this for many decades that way and found you will drop 15 to 20 degrees every time. But keep in mind you must always have that thermostat housing water restrictor in the system to let the hot water slow down to give a chance to soke the heat of the water into the fins of the radiator.
wow, I’ve never seen any engine like that , Nick will figure it out
I have seen cylinder heads crack on the intake ports around the valve guides and valve seats. Also the intake manifolds too through coolant passages. Like Nick said you won't see the crack until the engine heats up and expands. I am positive Nick will find it with further diagnosis.
doesn't explain where the coolant went....... show me the piston crowns/heads on the valve side.....
If the car has a heater check the passenger footwell for water . The heater core can drain all the water if faulty. The thermostat could be damaged by the severe overheating so don't stop looking for problems.
Do a cooling system pressure test with the motor warm and check that it maintains pressure and doesn't leak down.