Running Hot!

[Cudajason]

Hey guys,

My car has always run pretty warm, and after chatting with a few members at Moparfest this past weekend, I am beginning to think something is wrong.

On any given day, my car will run at 210-220.  This weekend on the highway it was touching 230 for most of my drive.

It seems to warm up to 190 pretty quick, and them climbs from there.

It seems I have been fighting this for some time, it never truly overheats, but I get the sense it should be running cooler.

In the past I have put in the correct 22 inch 2 core rad, with a shroud. (Recorded 2 years ago). The fan is an inch or so from the rad, and the fan clutch is new (I thought the old one was bad and contributing to the issue, not real change).

It seems to run hotter on the highway vs idling around town, but the difference is not significant.

Engine is a 360, compression is 9:1 at best.

Standard bore.

Edelbrock Performer RPM intake / 750 carb

cam is an old Edelbrock Torker II cam, specs are:

duration at .050 Intake 222 Exhaust 232
intake Lift .447
Exhaust Lift .455
LSA 112
Intake CL 107.

Timing as at 34 degrees, locked out.

Right now I am in the process of draining the rad, and I am going to flush the block (I seem to have an rusty colored film on the inside of the rad)  I think I can pop out a freeze plug and full drain everything and try to rinse out the inside of the block too.

Any other thoughts on this would be appreciated, even if you think I am over reacting and that temp is acceptable.

Jason

[Timbbuc2]

Have you tried another temp gauge?

[318Stroker]

Mine was running hot on the highway, not as bad around town. A spring in the lower radiator hose solved all of my problems. The lower hose was sucking shut at highway speeds.

[303 Mopar]

   Check the lower spring.  Also, switch to a high flow 180 t-stat (http://www.manciniracing.com/mihith1.html).

[Solarguy]

you don't mention a thermostat, pull it out and put it in a pan of gradually boiling water with a thermometer in the water and see if it opens fully and at what temp. 

[Cuda Cody]

Make sure you're getting an accurate reading on the temp first. 

If you are truly running hot and want to cool it down you can go to a 3 core 22" radiator and it should help.  Like others have said, check the hoses and stat too.  I run a 3 core 22" radiator on a stroked out 383 (over 440) and it runs cool.

[A.Gramz]

How are you getting this temp.  Ie dash gauge or temp gun.

[YellowThumper]

X2 on both the low cost options noted above.

Fyi I originally had a 318 with the 19" radiator. It would run and idle all day long in any temp without issue. I upgraded to the stockish 360 and it would come up to temp quick and just keep climbing. Even with ambient temps in low 80s it would still over heat. Point of story is they do generate much more heat than the 318 and the 22" is a relatively small increase in size compared to the 19". So all things will need to be functioning properly. I upgraded to the 26" even though my opening is the smaller one. 19" and 22" radiators use the same mounting points in the core support. Mounting the 26" I had to get creative. Simple but creative.

Mike.

[Cudajason]

Thanks fo the quick responses guys.

Thermostat...I new I forgot something.  Running a 180 tstat, I should probably pull it out and verify it is working.

The spring is in the lower rad hose.

I had a 26 inch rad before, no shroud...moving to the 22 made no difference.

Temp gauge is an aftermarket mechanical gague...it could be off. 

Jason

[A.Gramz]

I would check with a temp gun on thermostat housing. Top and bottom of rad as well. There should be 30 deg difference aprox over the rad

[jimynick]

Jas, what year is the 360, as if it were newer, it might have been a serpentine drive engine and the water pumps run in the opposite direction than the v-belt ones. Grasping at straws here and by the way, don't knock out a freeze plug to drain the engine- there's hex headed drain plugs screwed into the block. you wouldn't be happy replacing the freeze plug, trust me. 

[dodj]

you don't mention a thermostat, pull it out and put it in a pan of gradually boiling water with a thermometer in the water and see if it opens fully and at what temp.

Verify the actual temp with another method/gauge.

[Cudajason]

I would check with a temp gun on thermostat housing. Top and bottom of rad as well. There should be 30 deg difference aprox over the rad

well look what's on sale this week at 75% off...might be time to pick one up!

http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/mastercraft-digital-temperature-reader-0574554p.html#srp

Jas, what year is the 360, as if it were newer, it might have been a serpentine drive engine and the water pumps run in the opposite direction than the v-belt ones. Grasping at straws here and by the way, don't knock out a freeze plug to drain the engine- there's hex headed drain plugs screwed into the block. you wouldn't be happy replacing the freeze plug, trust me. 

Ian, a quick confession, I have one of those expandable plugs in one, ok two, of the freeze plug holes...block froze a few years ago and that was the only way to fix it at the time.  Never been a problem.

I figure its easier to get at them that it will be to get the engine drain plug to come free, but I may try it.

The engine is a 1980, so it should not be a serpentine belt drive.  I have considered changing out the water pump, but that is an expensive guess.  I do see a lot of flow in the rad when the engine is running and the cap is off...

Jason

[YellowThumper]

I would check with a temp gun on thermostat housing. Top and bottom of rad as well. There should be 30 deg difference aprox over the rad

well look what's on sale this week at 75% off...might be time to pick one up!

http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/mastercraft-digital-temperature-reader-0574554p.html#srp

Jas, what year is the 360, as if it were newer, it might have been a serpentine drive engine and the water pumps run in the opposite direction than the v-belt ones. Grasping at straws here and by the way, don't knock out a freeze plug to drain the engine- there's hex headed drain plugs screwed into the block. you wouldn't be happy replacing the freeze plug, trust me. 

Ian, a quick confession, I have one of those expandable plugs in one, ok two, of the freeze plug holes...block froze a few years ago and that was the only way to fix it at the time.  Never been a problem.

I figure its easier to get at them that it will be to get the engine drain plug to come free, but I may try it.

The engine is a 1980, so it should not be a serpentine belt drive.  I have considered changing out the water pump, but that is an expensive guess.  I do see a lot of flow in the rad when the engine is running and the cap is off...

Jason

If you can have motor running at somewhat proper temperature and also have the  ap off to see the flow. I would place odds that the system is correct. Blocked thermostat would show no or minimal flow. If radiator was plugged enough to limit its effectiveness the flowing water would shoot out the open cap. Been there with an old Mustang.
So... then there could be motor issues as you have eluded to. Buy the temp gauge and along with testing the thermostat housing. Test the exact spot the gauge is plugged into. You will have comparison temps then. You can also take some random spots on the motor. Pick spots on drivers side and same exact spots on passenger side. They should be the same. Simple checks to see if you can identify a hot spot.

Good luck.

[blown motor]

@Cudajason You better hurry and get one of those temp guns. They only have 73 left. 

By the way, are you going to try the CLR trick we talked about on the weekend?