Cooling problems

[diddylx50]

Well here it goes...I have had cooling problems for a long time now and no matter what I do I cannot keep the car cool. My cooling system consist of a Be-Cool aluminum radiator, meziere electric water pump, black magic fan, Mr. Gasket 180 t-stat, 70/30 water to coolant mix. When im moving the car rides at 190 degrees (auto meter gauge) and when im stopped or moving slow the temps keeps rising up and up. It usually goes up to around 210 or 220 degrees and it might possibly go higher if im stuck in traffic. The under hood temps are unreal. The car barely wants to start when its hot cause of heat soak on the starter and I even have heat wrap on it. Any ideas can help!

Andrew

 

[Snouter]

My only suggestion would be go to 50/50 coolant to water ratio with some Redline Water Wetter (mainly because it worked fine with my car) and verify that the electric water pump is getting the voltage needed for it to function properly at low idle. A 130 Amp 3G alternator should help achieve the voltage requirements.

 

[diddylx50]

I have a 3g 130amp alternator but im also running alot of accessorys (electric fan, electric water pump, bottle heater, inline fuel pump, and the battery is relocated) The reason why I went to the electric water pump was because the car was running hot. I thought that the edelbrock water pump wasnt moving enough coolant at idle so I got the Meziere.

I also tried water wetter with no luck at all.

Thanks for you suggestions and let me know if you have any more ideas.

Andrew

 

[AUBURN1111]

did you try going back to your stock fan and shrowd?

 

[diddylx50]

did you try going back to your stock fan and shrowd?

I thought about doing that but my electric pump does not have the pulley that the stock clutch fan bolts on to and I sold my edelbrock pump so I dont have a stock style water pump to go back to. I have noticed that my Black Magic fan only covers about 5/8s of the radiator...

 

[Daggar]

Where did you get your thermostat? I'm going to assume that it is opening and closing but I've had a couple that did not open or close the whole way. A part open thermostat will allow enough coolant through to give you the symptoms that you describe. It's summer time, you could always try removing the thermostat completely for a while and see if anything changes. If it does then you'll know what the problem was.

 

[diddylx50]

I was running a Mr. Gasket 160 degree stat and it was having cooling problems so I switched to a no name 180 degree stat. The no name stat did not open until 190 degrees so I got rid of that and got another Mr. Gasket stat(180). Would having the thermostat installed backwards restrict flow at all? I think im going to remove the stat completely and see if that does anything. Thanks for your help so far and keep the suggestions coming!!!

 

[Daggar]

Installing the stat backwards CAN create a problem. Removing it for a couple of days won't hurt anything at all this time of year.

 

[347 Special]

do you have a tranny cooler? that dropped the temps. in my AOD

 

[HISSIN50]

as said, are your sure your water pump and fan are coming on at the specified temps? and do they have enough juice at idle? that is where i would start - your other stuff sounds fine (unless the stat is backwards. LOL).

 

[diddylx50]

I have the pump and fan wired to a switch panel and I turn both of them on when I start the car up. Im going to check the t-stat out tomorrow and ill let you guys know.

 

[blackstangt]

try a 160 thermostat, and check the system for air bubbles, run it with the cap off until it's running at 180 for a while, if the coolant level drops, fill and you found your problem.

 

[HISSIN50]

the low temp t-stats and all that are a nice bandaid, but the cooling system should stand alone at spec and be fine. i would assume the elec pump flows as well, if not better than a mech pump.

from what i remember of this thread, i would check: pump voltage at idle. fan voltage/performance at idle.

if good, go make sure the system is bled (as mentioned) - most systems are closed and self bleed, though some of us have had to jack and burp the thing. the pressure in the system raises boiling point. make sure the cap is up to par. ditto the t-stat. the Mr G stat is a great piece - i highly recommend them.

then go from there. also, if you drive it before checking, when it is getting hot in traffic, double check your voltage. if 13 or under, the pump could be flowing less (like fuel pumps flow less with less voltage).

also, i might have missed it - do you have a/c and are you running it when hot? what is the fan set to come on at? id shoot for 195 on, 185 off.

my random thoughts. good luck.

 

[IMPORTSMOKER]

dude....dith that black magic and get yourself a flexalite dual 12" e-fan from summit racing....with the combonation of summer and your engine setup...there is way too much heat for that fan....i have one sitting in my garage (useless now!)....those black magic fans are really only good for sock applications...

 

[Quick93Stang]

I am having the same problem. I have a mechanical pump, afco aluminum radiator, and a 160 Tstat. My car will run around 210 on open roads and jump to 270 at stop lights in a hurry. My fan only covers about 3/4 of my radiator. If I run cool water over my radiator while it is running it will run cool. I have 40 below coolant which isn't helping at all. My suggestion as mentioned before, to go with a Flex a lite 12" dual fan. I think this will solve your problem as well as mine. I just hate spending $369 when I already have an electric fan.

 

[diddylx50]

i did the 160 stat again...the car rides around at 170 degrees and when im stopped it just keeps going up and up. My car is also having charging problems and I have a feeling that it caused by the scorching underhood temps. I called PA performance and they told me that having really high underhood temps can cause the alternator to not perform as well...and it figures that if the alternator isnt doing good them my electric pump and fan will not perform 100%.

I'm going to get my 4in hood fixed (to help get some of the heat out from under the hood) and put that back on the car and I might get a lincoln mark 8 fan to help with cooling.

 

[gt90stang]

Another thing to try is to make sure the areas above and around the radiator are blocked. I used closed cell pipe insulation and it really reduced my temps. What happens is the air gets heated and recirculates back through the radiator.

Good Luck, Don

 

[rsw007]

this is off subject a little, but is anyone using a probe/contour dual fan. price in junkyard should be less than 100 bucks.

 

[Michael Yount]

I suspect you didn't need the electric water pump - hope it works out for you. I think your problem is your fan not moving enough air. Go here - they make the best controller available, with a MkVIII fan, and the controller will control your water pump as well. Only way to go. www.dccontrol.com