I've set up a few of these Chevys with small blocks, stock radiators and a flex fan with no shroud. Never had any problems. I used a 180* thermostat a regular stock short water pump "cannot remember what year or model". Sounds like the radiator is plugged. Take it to a radiator shop and have it "rodded". Also see if you can flush out the engine block the best you can. Another thing is you might have an air pocket if you are running a Vintage Air w/heat.
Someone made a good point with me a while back said something like "your car was setup with a 120hp flathead from the factory. You now make let's say 350hp. Should you need more cooling abilities?" I see $250-300 radiators on eBay and Amazon, and I know someone who is running one of them with 425hp with a Studebaker. I'm running a 160 stat myself. In January when it was 30F out it would run 170F on the highway going 60mph. Like InvisibleKid Mike said, I'll never run that cold ever. I think a shroud would be a good idea, though I think if you don't know the vintage of the radiator I would change it. This is the radiator he got, and the matching shroud: http://www.ebay.com/itm/29058269378...X:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649#ht_3625wt_1094 http://www.ebay.com/itm/39034868038...X:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649#ht_3524wt_1094 I was looking at something like this for me: http://www.ebay.com/itm/390000471730?_trksid=p5197.c0.m619 http://www.ebay.com/itm/ULTRA-COOL-...es&vxp=mtr&hash=item5ade490d10#ht_3975wt_1094 I used to think I'd have to buy a custom $700 radiator but then I looked around and that's not necessary.
My '52 Chevy ran hot on the freeway but cool on surface streets. She would run at 180 until traffic slowed, then she would creep up to 210 and wouldn't cool down even if traffic sped up. It had a 3 row radiator which had been flushed out, a good shroud with a flex fan. At idle, she would suck printer paper so hard, it was difficult to removed unless you turned the engine off. I was adding a/c so I didn't want any heating issues. I bought a triple pass, 4 row, copper/brass, direct fit radiator and changed the thermostat to a 160. The car ran at 160 at idle but would creep up to 180 on the freeway. I checked the timing and the vacuum advance was frozen. Swapped distributors and that cured the problem. With the a/c on, on a hot day in traffic, the temp never goes above 180. Another friend with a '40 Chevy switched to a solid fan and cured his overheating.
I have had good luck with clutch fans.You didn't mention pully sizes?You can get a tee and hookup more than one thing to a single port.
This might sound a little stupid to some, but I also had some cooling problems. I tried different fans, shrouds and electric fans without much temp. drop but...finally found that I had way too much anti-freeze to water mixture. When I cut the anti-freeze mix back to where it should have been, my temp. dropped by 15 degrees and now stays under 190. Just a thought
Do you have the correct water pump for the belt setup you are running? If you are running V belts as 99.9% of the guys on this board run and have a pump for serpentine belts the pump would be running backwards. That would be if you bought the pump for the year model of the engine rather than the application. Secondly you say it's running hot but you don't say how HOT, just because the temp gauge goes up a few degrees doesn't necessarily mean that the engine is running hot. What temp is it getting up to at an idle? jumping up 20 to 30 degrees would be a problem but going up to 190 at an idle is called normal. Electric or mechanical gauge? Electrical gauges sometimes don't read all that accurately from what I've witnessed in the past even on quality brand gauges.
I found out this past winter that my 190 thermostat was to much for my truck. It would roast you out of the cab, and ping at anything over half throttle, so I went looking for a lower temp. and the auto parts store had a 160 and it does just fine now and doesn't dribble over even with the air on and no ping.
Toss the flex fan. Find a 4 blade from an old GM diesel; I think GM still has these new. Buy or build a shroud, this is the most important item needed besides the fan at idle. As stated you have an air flow problem. Running distilled water also helps bring the temps down a small amount considering the cost. Another thing to look at is the pulleys, at the very least the water pump and crank pulley should be the same size, 1 to 1. Bigger crank pulley will speed up the water pump and fan; stock set-up. Hope this helps.
This is not to say that your pump is bad or that edelbrock makes a bad product. I have seen lots of pumps bad that didn't leak. I impeller gets corroded away and all it does is stir water. Open your radiator and look in the tank to see if it is moving water when it is up to operating temperature.
I'm not on the road yet, but my idle temps stick to around 190. My first 'initial' cooling system upgrade will be a fan shroud. I was going to make one out of fiberglass using a foam/cardboard/mdf mold. Thoughts?
I was well under 200F on the highway, but my fans in traffic when it was 60F out would cycle on and off, that was normal. When I drove and it was 90F out, it would not cool down until I was going 45-50mph a bunch. I was seeing 220+ in traffic and slowing increasing. My buddy thinks my radiator is out of a 4 cylinder Pinto so he thinks a new radiator is a no-brainer. I also like the idea of having something new.
I went back and read your first post again and see that it actually is getting quite hot and starting to puke coolant. First I'd pull the radiator out and take it to a competent radiator shop and have it flow checked. Then I'd figure out how to get more air through it at an idle as that is probably the main problem. My 48 did pretty much the same thing with the thin bladed flex fan that was about all I could fit in and clear everything. The temp dropped right down to just above the thermostat rating when on the road but quickly climbed sitting at a stop light.
I dont know if this thread has been hyjacked, but I just wanted to check back to see if Rock got a new radiator yet? after reading some posts, to me it looks like a ghost chase.... This is classic radiator, to much fuel will cause the engine to run cool. and vacuum lines could only possibly make it run hot if it was holding the EGR system open, but it wouldnt idle for crap, and blow black..... Just being curious, had to check back...
No EGR. I won't be able to get to this for a week or so, in all likelihood. Myounguys have given me plenty to check, however. Thanks.
If you do switch from ported to manifold vacuum for the advance, DO NOT set your base timing with the vacuum line connected.
I think I may have another clue and it points to the radiator being clogged. The car had the red or orange coolant in it when I got it. That stuff is not compatible with brass and copper radiators, is it? Any knowledge out ther on this?
I think anyone driving long distances should buy a new radiator if the car is new to them. I bandaid'ed mine but there's no way I can drive it when it's 90F out... as is.
This is an old car but a recent build. The radiator is not that old....nor is the rest of the stuff in the engine compartment. I don't know exactly how old but certainly less than 10 years and most likely less than 5.
This may sound totally crazy, but I had a customer bring a car in that he was having a similar problem, and had just taken it in to have a motor swap. Well ever since they swapped the motor, it heated up exactly like yours. I tried all kinds of things starting with the timing, and working through the list only to find out that the other shop put the thermostat in upside down! If you didn't install a new one already, be sure to check that as well.
Well, I learned a couple of things this evening. First, I set the timing at 35-36 degrees full advance with the vacuum advance disconnected. When I connected the hose to the manifold vacuum port, the idle timing went way up. Way up. With it connected to the ported connection it was at 10 degrees advanced. It idles better there and burns cleaner. 10 degrees advanced is not going to make it run hot. Engine runs well and throttle response is good. Heat problem remains. I didnt mention this but I had a noise that sounded like a fan hitting the shroud when the engine was at idle AND the AC compressor was on. It would stop when the compressor was cut off. After further investigation, I determined that the compressor sets up some sort of frequency that makes the fan blades "dance" and hit the harmonic balancer. This fan has got to go. Suggestions for a 17" fan? I still think I should get the radiator boiled out, just to make sure I get it fixed.
I set the timing at full advance at 35 degrees. I can't read the tach while doing it but it was "all in" at 35 degrees and whatever rpm it took to get it there. Full advance means that the advance mechanism was maxed out.
Just in case you don't know of a good radiator shop in the area, try Gordons in Winston Salem. They have been at it for years and know what they are doing. Good luck. Oh, and if you ever need an extra hand I'm just up the road from you.
i got a bored and stroked 283 to 327 in a roadster with a little ford mustang type rad, it always overheated, got one of those coolers with a fan and mounted it under the car and hooked it to the heater lines got a relay to start it when ign goes on gonna do the same to my 1953 chev and also do the trans cooler costs about $150 from jegs or summet but must get rid of some heat
The Jalopy Journal
