Hi everyone,

I was hoping somebody could help shed some light on an overheating problem that I'm experiencing. I recently purchased an '81 Bertone V8 conversion and it runs very hot - right up to the red line. There's plenty of coolant and upper radiator hose it hot, so I assume that the thermostat is open. I've read the archives and realize that there are number of things I need to check/do (clean radiator, etc.), but there are a few peculiar things that I don't know how to interpret. First, although the engine and upper hose are very hot, I can't get any heat at all from the vents. Second, the enginge often cools down noticeably when I run the air-conditioner. This seems counter-intuitive to me - I thought running the AC would make the engine heat up.

I'm wondering 1) if anyone can make sense of the lack of interior heat and 2) why running the AC cools the engine, and 2) should I expect a V8 to runner hotter in general given that the Volvo cooling system is designed for smaller enginges.

Thanks in advance.