I'm a stickler for using a recovery tank. It's too easy to have voids and pockets with the plumbing of home-brewed coolant systems. Any air pockets cause the hot coolant to never become properly pressurized, which causes the "pocket" to boil and turn to steam, which can dump more of the coolant. After a fresh coolant change, I like to monitor the first half dozen warm-up/cool-down cycles by checking the recovery tank levels to see if the hot and cold levels are hitting the marks in the tank. If the level drops in the tank when it cools down, That tells me that the fill-up was incomplete and to add more fluid to the correct level (cool) in the tank. It may take a few warm-ups and top-offs for the system to stabilize. If the levels are erratic that's your clue to keep looking for the cause of the problem. Your comment about your head bolts and new gasket does sound like they could be under torqued....... but you didn't mention any leaking or coolant loss or percolating noises. (?) So I'm just throwing out something else that wasn't mentioned yet. I wish you good luck and a fast fix.
I'm thinking this is the problem... "temps stay consistent from top and bottom hoses depending on the temp of the engine at the time." Because since coolant flows into top of radiator, out the bottom, shouldn't the coolant drop in temperature if radiator is doing it's job? If top hose is say 200F, bottom should be 170F (for example). Sent from my SM-S320VL using Tapatalk
At this time Griffin Radiators were designed for NASCAR and the manufacturing facility was just a short drive up the road in Townville, South Carolina, I knew Buddy Griffin and stopped in to ask him about making me a radiator for my 40, I took him the original radiator for a pattern in within a few week I had the very first hot rod radiator his company made. With that one he started making them for other people around the area and they expanded the business to making aftermarket radiators, and I have heard a few stories of cars not being cooled properly due the cooling tubes being clogged with epoxy. That has been many years ago, since then I use copper/brass like Henry used in these early cars, the Walker Radiator in my old beater has never given me any problems and it's been on the job for 31 years now. HRP
Not sure about the OP's area but out here in the Desert we always use 180/195 stats. A 160 stat way to cool doesn't let the water sit in the rad long enough to cool down once it HOT it stays there and gets HOTTER ! Also peeps want to spin the water pump way to fast, Friend had a built 401 in a jeep always getting hot no matter he did bigger rad and such.. I told him SLOW the water pump down, he changed pully's and WOW it cooled down. Keep in mind todays fuel is designed to run hotter.. In turn engine runs hotter so it burns better for less emissions. I am with others that have said try to check flow of the rad, and try a HOTTER stat 180/190 . I know it sounds odd but it works...
Good news, I found the problem. I pulled the rad today, took the surround off from it and took it out to the water hose. I stuck the hose in the lower outlet and I tried cupping my hand around it and water sprayed everywhere, stuck it in the top and after it filled up nothing came out the bottom. Got to looking and there was most of a plastic plug down inside the lower outlet. I guess when it went through the line they shoved a plug to far down so they stuck another one over the outlet. The plastic plugs that came on it went over the outside. I didn't think it was circulating but you can't look down in it to check. Also, yes I did have a by pass hose and also a recover type over flow. Also with this rad, it holds 6 gal. The cores are 1 inch thick. As far BBC running hot, I never had a problem before. My 68 camaro drag car with a 427 ran hot, 3 core factory rad, I put a dirt track 2 core alum one in it with a electric fan off of a citation and running at Indy when it was over 100 degrees, it never got over 180. This problem could have been prevented if I had looked down it the lower outlet but after removing the one plug I didn't think about looking for a second one. Live and learn I guess.
Glad you found it, just goes to show we have to triple check our so called new parts nowadays ...I'm seeing more and more fuck ups on a daily basis. Pulled a brand new Holly double pumper out of the box today and the secondary pump actuating bolt was completely loose and actually off the side of the pump lever. I adjusted it and the carb worked fine but damn , how did they not spot that ?
Nice going, I would still use a 180* 'stat in it. If you were able to verify the flow it would have saved you a lot of grief. I like to use a sacrificial anode in my aluminum radiators, just a suggestion... meaning mine is 3 years old, need to get another one.
Glad you found the problem you were having Mike. At the very least, I would let the maker of the radiator know how much grief they cause you by not removing that plug. They might reimburse you for the cost of the head gaskets, although I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for it.
"temps stay consistent from top and bottom hoses depending on the temp of the engine at the time." Just to clarify for an old man, did that mean the hose temp ( and presumably coolant temp) entering and leaving the radiator were pretty much the same? I hope smart phones get some thermal imaging app soon. A shot of a well functioning radiator on a warmed up engine should be much warmer at the inlet, with a gradient between inlet and outlet, kind of like this - https://cdn1.vectorstock.com/i/1000...or-hvac-equipment-thermal-vector-20323730.jpg
Mike don't mean to hi jack your thread again but I finally got my station wagon to STOP over heating. Got the right radiator cap for it adjusted the timing in it and filled her up with high test gas. Thanks Bruce.
Did you bottom tap the head bolt holes? "What if"..........the bolts were bottoming out and not pulling the heads down all the way? There would be coolant scattered on the gasket (when removed) even with a LOT of ignition lead the engine would still crank easily because the heads wereNot sealing good!! Cylinders would "see" a lean condition and engine would...........(wait for it!).....run hot! Gasket would look like new because it was not compressed onto the engine/head. Just a wild-ass-guess but..it could be. 6sally6
Nice detective work, I am glad you found it. One of life's little lessons for me in my younger days. "new does not mean good" had to go down the bunny trail a few times before I determined I had new bad parts.
Tried this product once after flushing my cooling system, zero difference. Shoulda spent the 12 bucks on beer.
The Jalopy Journal
