Engine Temperature is 220 too high?

[Credzba]

I just had a new engine built. It was broken in on the dyno at the shop, so I believe it is working properly.

I took it out for it maiden voyage, and it warmed up to 180, and stayed pretty steady until I got on the highway. Then it went up to 220, and after that didn't drop even when I slowed down.

I have a new 3-core radiator in it, the old solid metal fan blade (will look into replacing this), new water pump, and new engine.

It does have an after-market air conditioner on it, so the condender coils are adding to the heat problem, but I live in Texas. My days of driving will be limited without air conditioning.

What do you guys think. 220 too high?

 

[MustangMatt1966]

mine will run around 180 here in florida but then in traffic and stoplights it gets up to 190 200 210 around there, i am wondering the same question???? any help for credzba and i????(sorry if i hijacked the thread, just have the same question)

 

[Gud T.B. Blown]

are either of you using a fan shroud? my engine ran similiarly hot until i added a shroud and now i can barely get to 185. i would also replace the solid metal fan with a more modern design like a six blade flex unit.

 

[MustangMatt1966]

i havea fan shroud, optional electric fan that i use when it gets hot, edelbrock aluminum water pump.....i think it might be my radiator, i have a modded engine and stock radiator...bad combo

 

[grego37]

If you carb is adjusted incorrectly on the idle mixture screws (too lean)
would also cause this.

 

[MustangMatt1966]

humm that could be and lus i have been having idle problems, it seems my carb is in need of adjustment to begin with

 

[Blown4.6]

humm that could be and lus i have been having idle problems, it seems my carb is in need of adjustment to begin with

Things to examine:

1) Timing too retarded. Fuel which is still burning after the the end of the power stroke is energy which has no outlet other than to heat the water jacket. I'd check here first

2) Carb too lean

3) radiator too small (least likely imo)

 

[rbohm]

also make sure that air can get out of the engine compartment as well as it gets in. some overheating problems have been sovled simply by lowering the trans mount about an inch.

 

[65ShelbyClone]

I took it out for it maiden voyage, and it warmed up to 180, and stayed pretty steady until I got on the highway. Then it went up to 220, and after that didn't drop even when I slowed down.

Does your lower radiator hose have an anti-collapse spring in it? It keeps the hose from imploding and blocking coolant at higher engine speeds(like highway driving w/o overdrive). Since the temp did not drop after you slowed down, that leads me to believe that the system just cant get rid of all the heat. 220 is way too high. Your engine shouldnt run more than 10-15 degrees above your thermostat rating.

 

[Hack]

I just had a new engine built. It was broken in on the dyno at the shop, so I believe it is working properly.

I took it out for it maiden voyage, and it warmed up to 180, and stayed pretty steady until I got on the highway. Then it went up to 220, and after that didn't drop even when I slowed down.

I have a new 3-core radiator in it, the old solid metal fan blade (will look into replacing this), new water pump, and new engine.

It does have an after-market air conditioner on it, so the condender coils are adding to the heat problem, but I live in Texas. My days of driving will be limited without air conditioning.

What do you guys think. 220 too high?

The temperature 220 isn't too high in that there's nothing bad that will happen to your engine from the coolant temperature getting to 220. As long as the car doesn't puke coolant, you're safe.

However, there is a cooling problem if your engine is getting a lot hotter than the thermostat value. Was it tuned on the dyno as well, or just broken in?

A new rebuild will run hot for a while. At least I noticed that on my 6 cylinder years ago when I got it rebuilt. The first few times I drove it the temperature got higher than usual (I just have the stock gage, so no numbers). Now I don't have a problem at all. I haven't made any cooling system changes. Somebody even vandalized my radiator by punching a hole in it with a screwdriver and the car still cools just fine.

 

[MustangMatt1966]

what happens if it does puke, my radiotor does that a lot, and then i end up filling it again, and then when it gets hot it will puke again....the damn thing has a mind of its own

 

[2bav8]

If you carb is adjusted incorrectly on the idle mixture screws (too lean)

The idle mixture screws control the idle, that its. They will not effect your mixture while cruising, that's controlled by your main jets.

 

[Credzba]

Answers to questions asked

I do have the anti-collapse spring in the lower hose.
It was tuned on the dyno, and I have contacted the builder to see if he has any ideas.
220 doesn't boil over. 212 is boiling and by the time you add antifreeze, and pressure it isn't boiling yet.
I don't have a shroud on it, and I will put it on this weekend.
It has a metal 6 blade fan.

And another question. I checked on radiators.
I can get a 4 core brass radiator from Dallas Mustang, or I can get an aluminum radiator from Griffen. I looked at be-kool radiators and they are only rated for 350 hp engines, so that wont be enough. Griffen rates at 600 hp.

 

[65fastback2+2]

what happens if it does puke, my radiotor does that a lot, and then i end up filling it again, and then when it gets hot it will puke again....the damn thing has a mind of its own

this most likely means your radiator is clogged

 

[65fastback2+2]

i would also replace the solid metal fan with a more modern design like a six blade flex unit.

one thing you do NOT want to do, flex fans are pieces of crap

 

[84convertablegt]

what happens if it does puke, my radiotor does that a lot, and then i end up filling it again, and then when it gets hot it will puke again....the damn thing has a mind of its own

try replacing your radiator cap with a new 16 lb. unit instead of a 13lb unit. this will increase the boiling point in the radiator, solved my 190' boil over problem.

 

[MustangMatt1966]

thank you

 

[65ShelbyClone]

Flex fans are definitely not crap if you get a halfway decent one. Sure they're loud and another parasitic power loss, but with a shroud they move alot of air at low speed. I wouldnt rule one out. Ideally for a street car you'd have a thermostatic fanclutch or for any high car a Lincoln Mark VIII electric.

For the radiator, I think Be Cool underrates their stuff, unless they're just a ripoff($400 for a 350hp rated radiator?). I personally think they are overpriced and an Afco, Northern(sold by/as Summit) or Griffin will definitely do the job.

 

[Pakrat]

what happens if it does puke, my radiotor does that a lot, and then i end up filling it again, and then when it gets hot it will puke again....the damn thing has a mind of its own

In your case you could simply be putting way too much in to begin with. It seems alot of folks are unaware that you should only really fill the radiator up to the top of the rows, not to the top of the neck. What you see as puking could simply be your radiator trying to get rid of the excess and then you keep filling it back up too much. These days all cars should be fitted with an overflow container anyway whether they are pukers or not.