OVERHEATING ISSUE

[73TXRallye440]

Well not only did I do the carb swap this week I swapped the radiators. I took the stock one and replaced it with an AFCO 26" x 18.5" cross-flow Aluminum radiator with a massive puller fan that stays on anytime the car has the key on. Only issue was the radiator cap- it didnt come with one so i took the old one off the old radiator and put it on the new radiator. (Doesnt fit, 16 lb and I need a 20 lb) Anyway, ran it down the freeway, did well, exited, sat in traffic 5-10 mins (stop-go) and the needle got over to the "H". I weasled out of traffic and got moving again and it went back down. Man, now im back to square one. What else could be causing this? What degree thermostat should i be running? Anything else I can do to try and keep it cool?

[FLG]

Get the correct cap, if its not holding pressure it can easily cause an overheat 

Check your thermostat, i had a brand spanking new stat get stuck closed after 1 week of driving. Wasnt a chepo one either.

Finally check your water pump.

[73TXRallye440]

Get the correct cap, if its not holding pressure it can easily cause an overheat 

Check your thermostat, i had a brand spanking new stat get stuck closed after 1 week of driving. Wasnt a chepo one either.

Finally check your water pump.

thanks.

What temp thermo would you go with?

[73TXRallye440]

also if it happens to be the water pump==what aftermarket pump would you go with?

[FLG]

If you live in a warm climate go with a 160. If you want to just do some testing remove it all together and see how the temp goes.

[FLG]

If its a bad pump, id just buy a stock replacement. They work just fine.

[73TXRallye440]

If you live in a warm climate go with a 160. If you want to just do some testing remove it all together and see how the temp goes.

yea, it frequently gets >100 degrees here in the summer.

[73TXRallye440]

I am having the hardest time just finding a water pump for the 440 (mechanical) can someone help me out with a link?

[FLG]

http://www.440source.com/waterpumps.htm

www.rockauto.com

[73TXRallye440]

http://www.440source.com/waterpumps.htm

www.rockauto.com

dude, how freaky is it that i was about to post that EXACT link! Here is what I found (part #) 3751186 is the part number.

Can you answer me this?

Why would someone replace just the housing? Im seeing some ads just for the water pump housing, why not the guts too?

[73TXRallye440]

http://www.440source.com/waterpumps.htm

www.rockauto.com

hey would this water pump be correct from rockauto?

CARDONE SELECT Part # 5531121H
High Performance Pump; w/Heavy Duty Bearings for Performance and Long Life.
* Non-stock item--shipping delayed up to 2 business days

[FLG]

Unless your going with an aluminum housing (lighter) or you got some different radiator and need to change your inlet hose from left to right, or simply because it got cracked something physical broke on it...theirs no need to.

[FLG]

That seems to be correct. Though i might go with the 440 source one or a Bosche or gates product. I just dont see the need for such a high price pump. But i wouldt go bottom of the barrel either. IMO make sure its is the pump before you change it. Besides a bearing siezing, the shaft snapping or the occasional one where someone didnt use anti-freeze for years and years and pump just rotted to nothing, they usually stay working.


Heres what you do. Get the right cap, get the car on a jack or ramps or a good angled driveway with the front of the car being the high spot. When its cool remove the cap run it with the cap removed until it gets hot and antifreeze starts comming out. This will bleed the block and radiator to ensure you have no little air pockets in the system which can cause overheating.

[73TXRallye440]

That seems to be correct. Though i might go with the 440 source one or a Bosche or gates product. I just dont see the need for such a high price pump. But i wouldt go bottom of the barrel either. IMO make sure its is the pump before you change it. Besides a bearing siezing, the shaft snapping or the occasional one where someone didnt use anti-freeze for years and years and pump just rotted to nothing, they usually stay working.

well someone at moparts made a good point, they said my puller fan might not be adequate enough and too much blocking the radiator---



(pardon the mess, its been dusty here)

If that is the case, how could I fix it?

[FLG]

Whats the CFM rating?

I have dual 11" Be Cool fans

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=BCI-75007&view=1&N=700+4294838842

Cost me a bit, but they work great.

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

You said you did a carb swap...hows the mixture?  Too rich or lean will cause hot running as wel....how's the timing?

Also are you relying on the stock C-H gauge for a temp reading or are you runing a quality aftermarket to actually give you a temperature in degrees?

[73TXRallye440]

You said you did a carb swap...hows the mixture?  Too rich or lean will cause hot running as wel....how's the timing?

Also are you relying on the stock C-H gauge for a temp reading or are you runing a quality aftermarket to actually give you a temperature in degrees?

mixture and timing is the next thing im going to change.

Just bought a autometer gauge pod so im currently working on getting it installed. (Temp, Oil Pressure and Voltage)

[73TXRallye440]

Ok, question--

how do I get THAT nut thru the firewall??

[RECHRGD]

As said before, be sure your cap is sealing.  I used to have all kinds of overheating problems in traffic.  Just the aluminum radiator alone was not the fix.  The final fix was going to a Milodon high volume pump and t-stat, along with the aluminum radiator and a thermostatically controlled pusher fan.  And yes, be sure your timing is OK and your not running lean.  Bob

[73TXRallye440]

yea ive got a puller fan, just not enough room to put a pusher in there between the condesor.

[firefighter3931]

I've allways had good luck with the Milodon pumps....if it still overheats it's not the (milodon) pump's fault. Make sure your cap is sealing properly, replace if in question. You could also have a water pocket in the cooling system. One way to eliminate water pockets is to "Burp" the cooling system :

Get the front end up on Car ramps and start the engine up with the rad cap off. Trapped air pockets are usually in the back of the engine....raising the front end will force the air out of the cooling system...effectively bleeding it off. If your coolant level drops after the thermostat opens then you've fixed an air pocket.

Start with the new rad cap and "Burp" first before doing anything else.


Ron

[73TXRallye440]

thanks ron.

I will try that tomorrow.

What is one way I can tell if it's the water pump itself?

[greenpeas]

Looks like I have the same temp sending unit as you. I managed to get my mechanical water temp sender through the same hole as my speedo cable. The sender will just barely fit through the hole along with the speedo cable. I split & notched a grommit to seal up the hole.

[Joshs68]

I would check the mixture and timing first.

[73TXRallye440]

On the way over there it was running kinda hot, on the way home, it ran hot. Now it didnt get higher than the H, but still was hot. Talking to Stumpy I may just need to go back to the factory shroud and fan with a clutch. Here are two screen shots of my temp gauge. (Im installing an aftermarket one tonight)

(As a point of reference, with the stock radiator and stock fan and stock shroud, it always ran just to the right of the second white bar over by the C.)

On the way over there here is what the temp gauge showed--




Here is how hot it got on the way home, running 50 mph on the freeway (getting run over too)


Now im running 3.55's in the back (just verfied in but jacking up the Dana 60 and turning the tire an counting the driveshaft rev's) with a 25" tire. Im going to a 26.6" tire tomorrow.

But damn if this heat issue isnt bugging the hell out of me. Im taching 3000 RPM at 50 mph.

When I got home I popped the hood and grabbed the upper radiator hose going from the thermostat to the top of the radiator and it was hard as a rock. I let it cool, just went out there and it was squishy-- what does that indicate? Is my thermostat stuck? Im going to install an aftermarket thermo gauge tonight.