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Chevy 327 overheating help

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by 63bluenova, May 17, 2014.

  1. 63bluenova
    Joined: May 31, 2013
    Posts: 90

    63bluenova
    Member

    Have 63 nova with 327 and using a flex a lite electric fan it 3300 cfm's
    But still wants to get over 200
    Running 180 thermostat
    If any one can give me any help



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  2. Is rad. and cooling system in good condition. Are you using a rad. shroud etc. Need more info!!!
     
  3. gimpyshotrods
    Joined: May 20, 2009
    Posts: 23,263

    gimpyshotrods
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Is it boiling over?
     
  4. 63bluenova
    Joined: May 31, 2013
    Posts: 90

    63bluenova
    Member

    No not boiling over using tri flow 4 core radiator new radiator using fex a lite 180 electric fan it has shroud could it be my water pump stopped working? But it is new maybe 100 miles on engine
    I will check tomorrow and see if water pump is working



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  5. slammed
    Joined: Jun 10, 2004
    Posts: 8,150

    slammed
    Member

    Overheating when? Only at slow speed/idle or all the time?
     
  6. gimpyshotrods
    Joined: May 20, 2009
    Posts: 23,263

    gimpyshotrods
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    If it is not boiling over, it is not overheating.
     
  7. WAmade
    Joined: Dec 20, 2013
    Posts: 13

    WAmade
    Member

    Have you just fitted your electric fan? Have you checked the fan is wired correctly and drawing the air the correct direction? Easy check is to place a sheet of paper on the opposite side of the radiator and see if it sucks against the fins or blows away. Most fans are not diode controlled, which means they can operate in both directions depending on the wiring polarity.

    If fan is mounted on the engine side of rad it must drawer air through, if it is mounted on the grill side of the rad it must push air through.
     
  8. Bluto
    Joined: Feb 15, 2005
    Posts: 5,113

    Bluto
    Member Emeritus

    Put in a 160 thermo and see what happens. If you still have a problem
    Check the timing as well as the above suggestions

    Do you have an overflow system?
     
  9. footbrake
    Joined: Sep 3, 2009
    Posts: 148

    footbrake
    Member

    Yes, check the direction of the fan, Make sure you don't have 9" fan on a 33x19 radiator too. Go big!!
     
  10. Gary Addcox
    Joined: Aug 28, 2009
    Posts: 2,528

    Gary Addcox
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Your thermostat cannot cycle since the engine will not cool below 180*. Try a 195* thermostat. It is not considered overheating if the engine runs 200*+ yet is not boiling over.
     
  11. Babar40
    Joined: Dec 4, 2009
    Posts: 314

    Babar40
    Member
    from Florida

    Make sure radiator has no cold spots and do what Bluto says.
     
  12. Devin
    Joined: Dec 28, 2004
    Posts: 2,369

    Devin
    Member
    from Napa, CA

    Do you have a vacuum advance or mechanical advance distributor? The engine will run cooler with vacuum during low and part throttle conditions with vacuum advance.


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  13. junkman8888
    Joined: Jan 28, 2009
    Posts: 1,035

    junkman8888
    Member

    Greetings! First item, pictures help, they really do. Second item, make sure the inlet and outlet for the radiator are on opposite corners of the tanks, in other words top is on the driver's corner, bottom is on the passenger corner or vice-versa. Friend had an overheating problem in his Fairlane, late 302 motor, new everything including radiator. Car would get hotter the longer he drove it, he tried new water pump, thermostats, hoses, he even replaced the cylinder heads (!) chasing the problem, finally found out his brand-new radiator was for a 289 car, was made with both outlets on the same ends of the tanks. Switched to a later radiator where the outlets are on opposite ends of the tank and problem solved
     
  14. Use search function here on the HAMB. It helped me solve my cooling problems. There's a lot of bullshit being spread around about cooling systems, and this problem has been a frequent topic here. I used the search function, took that info and a little common sense and built a system to cool the V8 swap in my Willys. It works very well.

    Not too long ago, High Performance Pontiac did and article on cooling, it was a very good read. You can search their archives. It has good info on thermostats and coolant.

    In my O/T car I have a built 400 chevy. I had a cool running system. I broke the block at the track. I built a different 400, same specs, this one runs hotter. Old one 180-190, 200 in traffic. The new one, 200-210 regardless of where I'm driving. It never gets hotter... the point is sometimes engines are going to run over 200.
     
  15. robber
    Joined: Nov 25, 2011
    Posts: 1,998

    robber
    Member

    I put a 160 thermostat and a shroud on my 327 camel hump and problem solved... consistently @ 190 running temp. On my 468 big block, I used the same, but would some times get up to about 200-210; I added Royal Purple "Purple Ice" and now it runs consistently @ 190 degrees.
     
  16. junkyardjeff
    Joined: Jul 23, 2005
    Posts: 8,588

    junkyardjeff
    Member

    New motors will run a little hotter for awhile.
     
  17. jaw22w
    Joined: Mar 2, 2013
    Posts: 1,671

    jaw22w
    Member
    from Indiana

    An engine is not overheating unless it is boiling water out the over flow. It is proven that engines run more effeciently at around 225 degrees. BTUs convert directly to HPs. The Chevy LS is designed to run at around 225.
    I had a 410ci, 850hp, methanol burning sprint car motor that ran 230-240 after every race. Tried everything to cool it off. Never did, but it never lost any water. We raced it every week that way, and it lasted util its normal 15 race rebuild schedule. Ran excellent too.
    Now I'm not suggesting that you want to run those kind of temps, but if you are running in the 210 range and never climbing, I wouldn't worry about it.
    It is also proven that running too cold will cause premature cylinder wear.
     
  18. 63bluenova
    Joined: May 31, 2013
    Posts: 90

    63bluenova
    Member

    Have fan blowing on engine should it blow the other way
    Should I goto 160 thermostat I'm running 180 now ? And I know it's open because I'm using cool view
    thermostat housing


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  19. 63bluenova
    Joined: May 31, 2013
    Posts: 90

    63bluenova
    Member

    I will get some pictures installed fan



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  20. gimpyshotrods
    Joined: May 20, 2009
    Posts: 23,263

    gimpyshotrods
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I have a 190º thermostat in my Falcon. It runs at 210º-215º, on purpose. Never loses water.
     
  21. phoenix5x
    Joined: Dec 26, 2007
    Posts: 241

    phoenix5x
    Member
    from Ohio

    How are you reading the temp...off the gauge or from a an ir thermometer...gauge could be reading high...grab a cheap ir thermometer from harbor freight read from upper and lower radiator hose at the radiator..that will give u precise temps. That will make sure your gauge is giving you a proper reading...sbc can run 230 to 240 steady without damage...especially if you got AC.

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  22. sdluck
    Joined: Sep 19, 2006
    Posts: 3,185

    sdluck
    Member

    The crank pulley needs to be bigger than the water pump pulley to overdrive the water pump and the alternator.
     
  23. I'm not a fan (excuse the pun) of electric fans,especially on a car like yours that was originally equipped with a engine driven fan,,iI believe they work better.IMHO.

    As others have said,the car is not running hot unless you are loosing water.

    Where do you have your temperature sensor mounted? HRP
     
  24. 63bluenova
    Joined: May 31, 2013
    Posts: 90

    63bluenova
    Member

    What kinda fan electric or mechanical



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  25. 63bluenova
    Joined: May 31, 2013
    Posts: 90

    63bluenova
    Member

    ImageUploadedByH.A.M.B.1400450832.460923.jpg ImageUploadedByH.A.M.B.1400450849.162127.jpg


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  26. I will second that and if you install a engine driven fan use a high quality steel bladed fan.

    I have this style fan on all 3 of my hot rods and the are great in close spaces. HRP

    [​IMG]
     
  27. OFT
    Joined: Jun 1, 2005
    Posts: 574

    OFT
    Member

    As suggested get a IR temp gun and read the temperatures at intake/radiator. My S/W wings water temp gauge shows 210* when IR shows 185* at thermostat outlet (180* thermostat).

    Is fan sense item in thermostat housing and you have both wires (temp gauge and fan) next to each other? If so, try separating them. Sense wires can be effected by another sense wire when ran paired for a distance.
     
  28. 63bluenova
    Joined: May 31, 2013
    Posts: 90

    63bluenova
    Member

    ImageUploadedByH.A.M.B.1400452371.454230.jpg


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  29. carlos
    Joined: May 2, 2005
    Posts: 1,387

    carlos
    Member
    from ohio

    what do you know about the motor,if it is a true 327 and if its been bored 60 over it will run on the upper limit,Does it run cool driving down the highway if so need to get more air through the radiator
     
  30. 63bluenova
    Joined: May 31, 2013
    Posts: 90

    63bluenova
    Member

    Yeh fan sensor and gauge sensor wires running together will try to separate them. Are you running electric fan



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