Engine hot on highway runs

[coonhunter]

The head temp was taken in the center of the head on the bottom side, below the intake. I was on the side of the road and didn't want to take off the valve covers as suggested before.

Where is the best place to take this measurement without removing the valve covers?

I will run some fuel system cleaner through it, but I have had the jets out and they were all clean.

No way there is a coon in there, my dogs would have found it by now. Plus I had the motor out and all the tin off to check things not long ago, everything looked good.

I will do some checking for a vacuum leak.

Thanks for all the help.

[air-h2o-air]

dont try to compare a point and shoot temp gun reading of your cylinder head to actual cyl head temp readings given all over this site...heads cool SO QUICK...you will never be able to compare point and shoot temp to actual posted temps of cyl heads using temp probe under spark plugs

[porkchop-rob]

why are you worried about 215° oil temp? That's normal in my personal experience, when you have no additional cooling.

My 1600 stays around 220° most of the time, unless I am putting around at slow speeds (it stays about 185-200) or on the highway pushing 65MPH (has climbed as high as 250). I am running a stock 1600 with weber 40s, doghouse cooling, all sealed up and all tin in place, even the industrial tins, no external oil cooler, no sump. I never have worried with head temps as this was a "stock" engine.

Wish I would have installed an external cooler on the 1600, just to give me some peace of mind on those long drives on the highway. I spent a lot of time, money, and effort trying to cool off that 1600 without adding an external cooler. In hindsight.....coolers are cheap. lol

Installed my new 2021 this weekend....it has a sump and will have an external cooler before Thursday. This engine will have CHT, Oil temp, Oil pressure and even the wideband monitoring its health.

YMMV. Just don't worry too much. If everything is in place and healthy....it will be just fine.
_________________
1965 Beetle
1968 Beetle Baja (Son's First Car)
1976 Bus with Subaru (Wife's Riviera Camper)

[Skulptorchaz]

Great thread!!! Thank you for posting Coonhunter. I also have over heating problems and have been trying to figure it out with guys in the dunebuggy forum. I was referred to come over hear and "read". It seems my issues are a little different............but I did learn a few things.
I don't want to hijack your thread and don't want to start a new one as this topic has been covered a few times.
Just wanted to say Thanks!

[coonhunter]

@ porkchop: I wouldn't say that I am worried about it. I am always looking for ways to make it better. If I could get it to the point where I could cruise at 65mph on a 100deg day without getting too hot, I would be happy. 215 by the way is just where the light started to flicker, I did not push it to see where the temperature would level off.

@Skulptorchaz: I just started the post to help and motivate me to actually try and solve the issue instead of just "dealing with it". Otherwise I could have just read past overheating posts and solved the problem that way.

I honestly think that I have a compression ratio that is too high. And this winter, I will pull the motor and check for sure. At that time I am going to do my best to avoid the while-im-at-it-it syndrome and just fix what needs fixing. Although a new set of heads would probably help my performance some...

I am going to try an extractor style exhaust as well, I bet I can pick up one cheap or even trade for one. If I do, details will follow.

As always thanks for the help everyone!

[Skulptorchaz]

I'm just glad you did.
My problem "might" be a little different but I'm learning.
Thanks for posting and thanks to all who have contributed.
Chaz