RE: Cooling Systems and Overheating Issues (Full Version)

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RE: Cooling Systems and Overheating Issues

  

lucastrex -> RE: Cooling Systems and Overheating Issues (9/12/2007 7:32:29 AM)

Debris: small (around the size of those little row openings that go down through the radiator). 
When i flushed the system, i first drained the radiator.  After initial draining, i looked into the top tank and saw a sludge around the row openings (not blocking all the row openings, just a couple).  There were a couple of small harder pieces of debris also.  I sprayed the garden hose in there until all the sludge was gone and flushed the system over and over (by running the engine a few minutes to circulate the water) until everything looked clean.  As I was flushing i left the rad cap off to observe flow.  The water appeared to flow well.  No debris was visible in the drained coolant/flushed water.  Now after a few runs, the fluid appears cleaner, but some of those little sludgy looking debris are back in the top tank.  The top tank does not have that sludgy build-up all around the row holes though; that shelf still looks pretty clean.

  
lucastrex -> RE: Cooling Systems and Overheating Issues (9/12/2007 1:07:57 PM)

More ??'s  If I need to start new thread on this i will, just concerned it's related to overheat.

My engine loses or uses oil (Mobile 1 15w50).  I don't know exactly how much, just that i always have to add 1/2 quart to keep her topped off (i watch religiously).  I have ZERO puddles, however, have slight residual clinging under rear main seal.  Just read that rear main leak might not puddle, but rather leak only under load while driving and so be blown under car undetected.  My car does not smoke. I keep the oil full, so it's not that a lack of oil is causing overheating, but could this problem be related to overheating somehow?
I heard that my solid lift cam calls for periodic valve adjustments.  When, how often, and could a failure to properly adjust cause oil loss or other problems?  The guy I bought the car from said he wanted to adjust the valves last winter; he had the car for 3 months at his garage as we did some work on it, yet he never adjusted the valves...so how high priority could it be?

I researched this info. all day, but to no avail is why i'm posting here.

jochipochi -> RE: Cooling Systems and Overheating Issues (9/17/2007 6:53:33 PM)

I'm not a mechanic but I've had so many car issues in my short 8 years driving experience. You mentioned (lucastrex) that your anti freeze gets brown and you flushed the radiator and it still not clean. I had a situation once like that with a 1992 Acura Legend. I know it's not the same system but maybe it can help. After spending hundreds of dollars replacing thermostat, water pump, fans switches, coolant, and all that I found out my engine heads were burnt from the car overheating. Again, I don't know how the two engines can be similar but that's exactly what happened to me.

Dancin52 -> RE: Cooling Systems and Overheating Issues (9/21/2007 8:55:59 PM)

On the subject of overheating. I found my problem it loses fluid over a weekend drive through the radiator cap. I've used two different caps at 13 lbs pressure and still lose it driving down the road. Any suggestions?

jcomp -> RE: Cooling Systems and Overheating Issues (9/25/2007 1:29:45 PM)

If you're losing fluid through the cap and not overheating, you might have a blown head gasket. The system could be over-pressurized by a leaking combustion chamber. A way to check for this is to take off the radiator cap (while the system is cool, of course [:)]) and look for bubbles in the coolant. Alternatively, you could have the system pressure tested.

Right after I turbocharged my Chevy, I took it for a long drive during the winter. During the trip home the heater quit working because it was low on coolant. I had blown a head gasket and lost too much coolant through the overflow. [&:]

mojocat27 -> RE: Cooling Systems and Overheating Issues (2/19/2008 7:21:15 AM)

Throwing and idea out here....the straight 6, 289, or 302.....any one more prone to overheating? Just curious as I just bought a 66 stang and waiting on her to be shipped : ) Was wondering if there is anything to pay special attention to in the fix er up process. Mine has the straight 6.

dgulian -> RE: Cooling Systems and Overheating Issues (3/16/2008 6:02:58 AM)

I have had no cooling issues in my hopped up engines. I run 50/50 coolant. Even 2 row rads. But on the build I use a trans cooler to remove that heat from the engine system. Use clutch fans with shroud and the blade just inside the shroud. never had lower hose problem collapse unless the hose was rotted. I have dropped down to 160 degree thermostates in hot weather with a 4.10 rear. If my coolant is over 200 degrees I stop. Trans fluid will break down at 220 to 225 degrees. I have 2 temp gauges one before the thermostate and one after. I know when it opens and can see the temperture drop after opening, I turn alot more than 3000rpm up here on the open country,
The current car I am running, I added a lower air dam. I also opened up the hood to to cowl area to increase under hood air flow but I only do this on really radical street runners. Been building them 45 years. Timing should be set for performance. not as a stop gap measure.

woodywrkng -> RE: Cooling Systems and Overheating Issues (3/21/2008 10:26:14 AM)

Generally speaking, assuming something isn't just plain wrong under your hood, the more horsepower you're making, and the more RPM's you're turning, the more heat your cooling system has to deal with.  Over the years I've removed HP from my car, numerically dropped the rear end ratio, and added an AOD.  With each step my car ran cooler and cooler.  The thing barely even warms up anymore in the fall with a 180 degree thermostat.  

photocliff -> RE: Cooling Systems and Overheating Issues (3/26/2008 11:13:33 PM)

Another lower hose comment.
It seems to me that the only reason a lower radiator hose might collaps  would be because the radiator is too clogged and restricted  for enough coolant to flow with the suction of the water pump. It might be more true if you have an older worn hose attatched or too few rows in the radiator.

Jamison -> RE: Cooling Systems and Overheating Issues (5/7/2008 8:23:37 AM)

another thing to check with cooling problems is making sure the head gaskets arent on backwards, triple check them and look at every hole before engine reassembly, ask me how i know LOL
ever since i rebuilt my engine it had a cooling problem. I finally went with an aftermarket radiator and electric fan, I started driving this spring and it was still running hot, finally after reading these forums i determined the pass side head gasket was on wrong, probably a good thing because once torn down i noticed i was about to blow out an intake manifold gasket as well.
I added a carb spacer as well now the car does get pretty warm but never overheats. factory gauges are not accurate mine reads it hotter than it actually is... i will be getting an aftermarket gauge here soon.

  

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