New radiator, still overheating

paddyrk · Sep 3, 2018

Hello, I have a 1991 LX with a rebuilt 347 stroker, and it keeps overheating. I run straight water with royal purple, (water wetter) but when I am sitting and idling, even even park the temperature keeps increasing. I run the hp efi system so I know the temperature is accurate, but it will stay cool enough if I keep moving, 40+ mph. I replaced the radiator since the old one was somewhat damaged, and it keeps it a little cooler, but not enough for me to feel comfortable. I am using an electronic fan since the radiator support was dented upwards and there’s no room for an engine driven fan. Is there something I’m missing? Is it just because it’s a high displacement v8? Anything helps, thanks.

General karthief · Sep 3, 2018

Underdrive pullies?
whats your timing set at?
thermostat?

paddyrk · Sep 3, 2018

General karthief said:
Underdrive pullies?
whats your timing set at?
thermostat?

The thermostat is a new OEM one and every time I fill the radiator I can easily tell it is open, I have stock pullies except for the crankshaft pulley, and the timing is computer controlled but is set at 10 degrees

General karthief · Sep 3, 2018

Thats all good, things to do:
Change back to the stock lower pulley
with the engine cold, jack up the front end as high as you can with the radiator cap off, squeeze the lower radiator hose many times, this will force the trapped air from the system.
get a cheap mechanical temp gauge and zip tie it to the wiper or mount one permanently, the stock gauges are a best guess.
BTW, where on the gauge is it hitting when hot?
will your hp efi show you a/f ratio?

paddyrk · Sep 3, 2018

General karthief said:
Thats all good, things to do:
Change back to the stock lower pulley
with the engine cold, jack up the front end as high as you can with the radiator cap off, squeeze the lower radiator hose many times, this will force the trapped air from the system.
get a cheap mechanical temp gauge and zip tie it to the wiper or mount one permanently, the stock gauges are a best guess.
BTW, where on the gauge is it hitting when hot?
will your hp efi show you a/f ratio?

Okay thank you for the advice, it reads about 210 or more if I drive it to or from work which is about 7 miles. The efi has a handheld device where I can see everything including the temp and afr, and it’s usually rather rich, in the 13s and low 14s. At 220 degrees the gauge on the screen turns yellow to signal a warning, and will shut itself off around 235 degrees.

Steel1 · Sep 4, 2018

What fan/controller are you running ?

billison · Sep 4, 2018

Make sure you have a shroud on your E fan and that it is pulling air into the engine bay through the rad.

Swap out that under drive pulley. Nothing good about slowing down your water pump and alternator to gain a horse.

paddyrk · Sep 4, 2018

Steel1 said:
What fan/controller are you running ?

http://www.jegs.com/i/SPAL/063/30100401/10002/-1 it is this one or one like it

paddyrk · Sep 4, 2018

billison said:
Make sure you have a shroud on your E fan and that it is pulling air into the engine bay through the rad.

Swap out that under drive pulley. Nothing good about slowing down your water pump and alternator to gain a horse.

Ok, I will most likely try that soon

billison · Sep 4, 2018

paddyrk said:
http://www.jegs.com/i/SPAL/063/30100401/10002/-1 it is this one or one like it

That fan is WAY TOO small

RangerJoe · Sep 4, 2018

That fan is a pusher, which side of the radiator do you have it mounted to? Like stated above, way too small. Would need two at the cm that thing pulls. Really need to be somewhere around 2500cfm to cool it well.
My 331 has a stock style replacement radiator with dual fans from a contour. Even with the small radiator it cools fine.

Joe

Boostedpimp · Sep 4, 2018

1298 CFM is weak... the fan is your problem

paddyrk · Sep 4, 2018

billison said:
That fan is WAY TOO small

https://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS/555/52165/10002/-1 this is the exact fan, it is the largest that would fit into the shroud so I don’t know what I could use instead of that to improve flow

wiseguyk · Sep 4, 2018

It might be more work than you're looking to do, but I recently upgraded my SVE dual fans to a single Lincoln MK VIII fan and it keeps my car SO much cooler even in 90+ degree FL summer weather.

Like @RangerJoe said, Contour fans are also an option and will fit nicely on the Fox radiator. It just depends on how comfortable you are with minor fabrication for the brackets and figuring out what you want to use for a fan controller.

I think if you're trying to keep the original shroud, you probably won't find an electric fan that'll fit and pull enough CFM to keep things cool...

Blown88GT · Sep 4, 2018

Boostedpimp said:
1298 CFM is weak... the fan is your problem

Lincoln Mark VIII fan is 4500 cfm.
This Spal would be better (3000 cfm) than what you have now. The shroud has to go.

Steel1 · Sep 4, 2018

You could also use a dual fan set-up out of a 2000 Intrepid, fits the width of the radiator almost perfect.
That combined with a Flexalite vsc 33054 works well.

mikestang63 · Sep 4, 2018

contour dual fan ftw

Boostedpimp · Sep 5, 2018

Steel1 said:
You could also use a dual fan set-up out of a 2000 Intrepid, fits the width of the radiator almost perfect.
That combined with a Flexalite vsc 33054 works well.

I've had this setup in two of my foxes for many years and one is daily driven every day without zero issues.

afso · Sep 9, 2018

paddyrk said:
Okay thank you for the advice, it reads about 210 or more if I drive it to or from work which is about 7 miles. The efi has a handheld device where I can see everything including the temp and afr, and it’s usually rather rich, in the 13s and low 14s. At 220 degrees the gauge on the screen turns yellow to signal a warning, and will shut itself off around 235 degrees.

try running no thermostat

mikestang63 · Sep 9, 2018

afso said:
try running no thermostat

tell me what that accomplishes

New radiator, still overheating

paddyrk

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General karthief

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

paddyrk

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General karthief

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

paddyrk

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Steel1

Mustang Master

billison

I like tinted tail

paddyrk

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paddyrk

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billison

I like tinted tail

RangerJoe

I leave the horn on while driving

Boostedpimp

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wiseguyk

Blown88GT

Steel1

Mustang Master

mikestang63

Boostedpimp

afso

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