Technical Ford Rebluilt 390 overheating / vaporlock?!?!?!?

Wow, really dig the MSD distributor you've got on there! Glad to hear it made an improvement, I think I will just pinch my pennys and hold out for one as well. Are you still running the mechanical fuel pump? A buddy with a 65 Galaxie w/ 390 said he went through 3. He still runs the mechanical, but has an electric one with him just in case. I think I'm going to convert to electric.

 

Yes I'm still running a mechanical fuel pump to feed the sump tank for efi system. I've never had a problem with mechanical fuel pumps! Not a bad idea thou to carry a spare 12v inline pump. Or just have free roadside assistance/ towing lol

 

If distributor is connected to a source of full time manifold vacuum then a lot of ignition advance will be brought in at idle, and temperatures will be brought down considerable. This is worth a try.

 

The fitech efi unit controls the timing.
With the msd distributor wired to efi I control timing from the handheld unit on the fly in the drivers seat. The handheld tells me what timing is at all times.

 

Well sheeit... Ok....

 

First off, I like your car, Im a big FE fan myself, having a sideoiler in the coupe and a 445 in the Ranchero. Seems that all viable options have been discussed and you have addressed almost all. Head gaskets have always been a "hot" issue on FE's as previously mentioned, but, as you and others indicated, thats not your problem or it would be hot all the time. Im not familiar with the MSD EFI timing control but I do know that MY FE's like a load of timing. I never set initial timing. Your 390 appears to be stock so you probably would not run as much timing as a modified engine but advancing the timing and test driving would not be hard to accomplish. My coupe has the radiator in the truck with 2 electric water pumps and if it gets hot, like after drag racing or running fast on the Interstate, all I need to do is let it idle and it cools right down. It will idle all day, I believe, without getting hot. On both my FE's, I advance the timing till the starter drags, and back it off till it doesnt drag. Add a little timing to that FE, run premium gas, make sure its not pinging and check it out. Course, at this stage of weather cycle, it may not run hot now anyway with the temps down.....Regardless, good luck, keep us posted on your discoveries, and, as mentioned, try one thing at a time, so you'll know what worked...or didnt.....Good Luck

 

Boy isn't that the truth. My super cobrajet in stock class ran good but the local FE guy with a fed dragster kept pestering me to just keep advancing it 2 degrees at a time until the ET or speed dropped off or the plugs looked bad. Tried it bump bump and getting better and better ET. hit the ultimate and dropped back 2 degrees and was amazed that with the vacuum advance hooked up but limited total all in was 50 degrees nobody would believe me how much it was running with no problems with starting or detonation and it did give the best ETs EVER.

 

Anytime I have had over heating problems with my 390 's , it alway's worked back to my fan and shroud
part of your shroud is covering the bottom of the rad and is too deep . It is just causing turbulance in the shroud
and not drawing air thru .Also car manufacturers paid engineers millions of dollars to design parts that fit and
worked , your fan included when have you ever bought a reproduction part that has fit or worked as well
as an original part !!! I have threw away more aftermarket fans and went back to oem fans and cured problems .
One fan does not fit all, a 428 mustang will run a different fan than a 390 station wagon ,or a 427 fairane
its all design . I know that 75 -100 bucks seems like a lot of money for a used 7 bladed ford hi performance fan
but it has had millions spent on designing it to ensure that it worked in production,

 

Just noticed the fuel line running behind the water pump, probably not the best idea for heat soak on that line, water pump gets hot, so maybe a reoute or cover will lessen the chance of heating the fuel enroute to carb....I would also try raising back of the hood to let hot air out faster, or even remove hood temporarily to evaluate temps as has been suggested...I suspect temps have dropped considerably in Illinois since this post started so any headway at this point may prove insignificant in the springtime.

 

Put one of those big shop fans in front of the car and let it idle. then you will know if it's air flow or something else.