Trying to Stay Cool - FIXED!!!!

[Cudajason]

Jason FYI. I have three temp gauges in my car. The factory one which really don't have much info. An Autometer mechanical gauge and the computer temp read out from my Fitech EFI. The Autometer gauge is consistently read at least 10 degrees F higher than Fitech. I trust my Fitech more. Best to get an electronic temp gun to scan it. HF has one cheap.

Last weekend we had a heat wave and got up to the 90s. I was driving locally and my car hit 195-200 F range stop and go 30 mph. Once I hit longer road between stop, it drop back to 185-190 F. 175-180 F range once I am on the freeway.

Thanks @7212Mopar yep i have one, the IR heat gun at the t-stat housing is always right on to the gauge reading.

What rad / water pump are you running. are you running to keep things that cool. Your numbers are where I want to get too!

[70Barracuda]

Jason FYI. I have three temp gauges in my car. The factory one which really don't have much info. An Autometer mechanical gauge and the computer temp read out from my Fitech EFI. The Autometer gauge is consistently read at least 10 degrees F higher than Fitech. I trust my Fitech more. Best to get an electronic temp gun to scan it. HF has one cheap.

Last weekend we had a heat wave and got up to the 90s. I was driving locally and my car hit 195-200 F range stop and go 30 mph. Once I hit longer road between stop, it drop back to 185-190 F. 175-180 F range once I am on the freeway.


I have Speedhut gauges.  I used to have Fitech, it always ran 15/20 deg less than the gauge.  I trusted it as correct too, of course, it's number I liked much more.  Then I sent my heads in for some porting work.   These heads have been seeing some serious heat I was told.  I switched to Sniper, its within 5 of my Speedhut gauge.

New Griffin radiator on the way.  Will see. 

[7212Mopar]

Actually I am more comfortable when the engine runs at 185 F all the time. I am running a replacement water pump from Summit when I replace the pump back in 2013 but low miles. Probably a standard unit. Radiator is a 26" repro brass unit bought from classic industries. I removed the freeze plugs, drain plugs and got rid a lot junk from my block. I flushed and chip off some scales before I drop off my block to the engine builder. The cooling circuit should be clean and free of blockage but still runs hotter than I want. May be a high quality aluminum radiator down the line. I like to keep the engine driven fan though.

[Cudajason]

Filled it back up with Vinegar this morning, not t-stat and went for a 50 mile cruise with my son (he was the DJ, well he is always the DJ!)

First off, I needed that...car ran great, and there is nothing like a nice cruise with nowhere in particular to go!

With no t-stat, I could see really good flow in the rad, I'll take a video later. 

Out driving the car struggled for get over 185 as we drove through 2 lane roads for a while.

Once back in the city, it got to about 195. but never much higher then that even sitting a stop light.

I wonder how much of the heat is caused form the flow restriction in the t-stat.  I understand the purpose of the t-stat, but seems to be causing at lease some of my problems.

@Cuda Cody you mentioned before that you run restrictors in most of you cars and no t-stat.  Anyone else use those.  I don't really care if my car heats up fast or slow.

[Cudajason]

Here is a quick video of the coolant flow with no t-stat.

Not sure if you can see it that well, but there is noticeable flow

No comment on how dirty the fluid is...it was clear this morning.

[JonH]

Used to always use a restrictor vs a tstat. Will work just fine if you get the correct size. 2 things from my point of view. Makes me wonder if you have the correct pulley ratio? I know you have checked this but a motor will typically overheat without the restriction of a stat. Water moves too quickly to be cooled in the radiator. Also if the inside of your block/heads is coated with some kind of gunk, (like you are seeing) heat cannot transfer from the metal to the coolant efficiently. Might try to flush with something a little more caustic?...

[Cudajason]

Hmm, interesting, I went out today to check on the car and pop the rad cap to check things out. As I did, fluid cam spewing out everywhere. Seems the straight vinegar is building some pressure as it sits overnight. Interesting, not sure what it really means.

[Bullitt-]

If you have a calcium carbonate buildup the vinegar could be dissolving & releasing carbon dioxide which I imagine could cause some pressure

[Cudajason]

Hmmm looks like its time to flush everything out again.

Went for a spin today, nice cool day, car ran 200 -210 the whole time around town. That is hotter then the last spin. Going the wrong way now!!

Ill flush the heck out of it tomorrow and fill it with water and see what happens.

I have some coolant restrictors coming so Ill try those too.

I may tru some thermocure...75 bucks off amazon though and I can not find a place to buy it in Canada. Could ship some from summit with some other parts I want to get.

[Cudajason]

Hmmm looks like its time to flush everything out again.

Went for a spin today, nice cool day, car ran 200 -210 the whole time around town. That is hotter then the last spin. Going the wrong way now!!

Ill flush the heck out of it tomorrow and fill it with water and see what happens.

I have some coolant restrictors coming so Ill try those too.

I may tru some thermocure...75 bucks off amazon though and I can not find a place to buy it in Canada. Could ship some from summit with some other parts I want to get.

Dropped the fluid today...yuck!!!

[7212Mopar]

Drain plugs at side of block. Have you try flushing and let water out of the block?

[Cudajason]

Drain plugs at side of block. Have you try flushing and let water out of the block?

I tried them a few years ago...they did not want to budge. 40 plus years of use has seized them solid.

I figure flushing with a hose and air gets most crap out.

[Cudajason]

Well some progress, I think.

After the second round of vinegar I flushed it again real good.

Filled it with water and ran it the last few days.

Here is what the water in the rad looks like now.

Just rusty gunk. There do not appear to be any solid chunks, just the slurry rusty gunk.

You can see in the second pic where I wiped it off inside the rad. I will drain and flush the rad until i get no more of that stuff in the rad.

I am also going to try a restrictor in the water outlet to see how that affect flow and temp.

I am hopeful I will get there and it will stay cool.

[Cudajason]

More flushing again today.

I wanted to try the moroso flow restrictors instead of a t-stat, a word to the wise, despite comments on Summit's QA the moroso restrictors do not fit a mopar. The damn things fall right into the manifold.

Well, I had them, so I set out to modify the t-stat to hold the restricter. A bit of a pain, but pretty easy to.

Ill see how it works one the coper right stuff cures.

[dodj]

To each their own....but I would never use a restrictor on a street car. Race car? Sure.
If everything else is in good shape, your car will run better with a t-stat. If it runs better with a restrictor, there is another issue left unresolved.

Just my