More than enough suggestions. We should wait to hear from OP who hasn't posted to his thread for 10 days. Phil
I had the same issue with my off topic big block chevelle. There was no spring inside the lower radiator hose. at speed with no spring the hose will get sucked flat (shut) and restrict flow. Hoses used to come with springs in them. then they stopped including springs with hoses and it was up who ever changed the hose to swap in the spring from the old hose.... The spring fixed my car. simply squeeze your lower hose and feel if it has a spring in it
OP hasn't posted again since June 23, when he was waiting for delivery of a new and better timing light in order to be more certain of spark advance. Perhaps an adjustment to advance curve has solved his problem, or perhaps not. But it always seems discourteous to ask for the members thoughts and advice, then after a lot of folks reply, the OP with a problem just disappears without a word as to whether the problem is solved, and if yes, then what cured it.
I've corresponded with op a couple times. Some progress. Setting total timing to 34 degrees at 2800 rpm helped some. Jobs in progress. Mounting AC condenser in front of rad. Sealing around rad to shell. Remove pusher fan. Install puller fan. That list will keep him busy for a couple weeks. Thanks for your interest. Phil
^^^^^Thx ,but you know, this is a forum, and we all learn something when we follow the progress on the forum together.
Exactly what I think. block ANY air passages around the radiator. too big of a gap between shell and radiator. Use puller fan also.
Your image of the grill shows there is no seal around the front of the radiator. Fill this in and clean off your grill and you should be good to go. The Texas air has found the openings around the radiator.
This doesn't always work, you can create a vacuum, which will make it run hot. Cooling Components recommends a gap.
Explain. I might learn something. That is what a fan does. It creates a vacuum to draw the air through the radiator and nowhere else.
I am no scientist, so I will just tell you what they told us. My buddy Kevin had a car that was running hot on the highway, very similar to this. He had an electric puller type fan. He had sealed up everything, as stated above. When on the high way at 60ish, apparently the fan and the air coming into the cavity were about the same speed and it would run hotter. The tech guys at Cooling Components told him to leave about 1/4" gap all the way around. He did this and the problem went away. Physics? Magic?Luck? Who knows, but it worked. Maybe he will chime in and give a better explanation.
I worked with a guy like that. He'd go around and ask 8 people for advice on something, then he'd have too many suggestions stuck in his head and not be able to do anything.
I learned so much in this thread that it doesn't even matter if he comes back with an update. The question/issue that brought up the discussion resulted in some great information.