The truck has just about got me beat. Warmer weather now, and it's overheating. Funny thing is, it's overheating at temps in the early morning where it was fine a couple weeks back. Here's where it sits. A few months ago I replaced the water pump, thermostat/housing/gasket, upper and lower hoses. Not for overheating problems, just to replace a leaking water pump. Flushed the engine with just water. Then it started to build pressure now that it had a thermostat and blew an old rusted freeze plug out the rear side of the block. Replaced that and was fine for three months. A couple weeks ago the top tank on the radiator developed a good leak when one of the old soldered seams came apart. Took the radiator to get it soldered, and pressure tested. Installed the radiator and nothing but overheating since. Because the leak happened I am not positive it wasn't overheating that was the straw on the camel's back with the radiator developing the leak.

I had a set of Flex-a-lite twin fans from a previous F100 build, and decided the old small fan and shroud were having troubles keeping up. It takes longer to heat up, but still goes up to around 240 degrees after 15 minutes. I installed a good autometer temp gauge to watch the actual temp. It hesitates at 180 right where the thermostat opens. Today I warrantied the water pump. I removed the belts and there was free play in the pump bearing. Replaced the pump, new thermostat 180 degree, and even drilled a bleed hole at the top of it. Same effect. Flushed the system with Penzoil super flush. No difference. Last resort, flushed the engine with two bottles of CLR. Then rinsed and rinsed, and neutralized with baking soda. Flushed with water again. Then filled system with 70/30 water to coolant. Not one bit of difference. Used my combustion leak detector. After 40 minutes from cold to hot. No combustion found in coolant system.

Any guesses? 1876 F250, 360ci 2bbl. 4x4. 3 Row, 24" rad.

 

If the radiator was old enough to spring a leak, it is likley not anywhere near 100% capacity. Sounds like radiator time to me.

 

Ya may want to ask this in the engine forum as well.

 

Can it be moved? Not sure why I didn't post this there. Brain fart. I think my head's overheating faster than the truck is now. I am sure the radiator is not 100%. What throws me is the fact that it changed so fast from running cool to overheating every 15 minutes of driving. Only thing keeping me from replacing the radiator is money. But, I might have to. I have to use the truck to pull a trailer and move here in 1 week. Moving is not cheap.

 

I just put in a 4 row in my 77 just before I got rid of it. It was $400. But it was worth it. If you can pull some money together go ahead and look for an aluminum radiator. I think they last longer and cool better.

 

i have a new (from 07) std rad in my 360 and i cant overheat it if I try! they are still less than 200 bucks. they do offer new style aluminum core/resin tank rads i think a bit cheaper that probably cool better too idk but i stick with original style.

you might go ahead and put a 160 degree stat in. i do this in the summer and the gauge stays low all day

 

I agree with Blue and White on this one.

After:
Flushing the block
changing water pump
changing thermostat
Repairing radiator
BLOWING UP RADIATOR

I'd say it's time for a new radiator

 

Are you loosing fluid out the overflow at anytime ? Have you put a rad. psi checker on it and pumped it up to see what happens ?

 

Cap hold 13.2 psi. System has been pumped up to beyond that. Yes it loses fluid when it books over. Only then. Hunting a 4 core down today. Pawning some guns to do it. ugh

 

You can get a Griffin aluminum rad from Summit Racing for 185.00.Two one inch wide cores 31" x 19".I use this on my Ford trucks and they work great.They're not direct fit but it's pretty simple to install.You do need an external trans cooler if you have an auto trans.The Summit Brand has the trans cooler built in for 190.00 part #sum-381431.I've had one of these rads since 2004 and have used it in three different vehicles and it still looks new.

 

Checking it out further. I searched, but for some reason with the keyword or 'radiator' in the search function it limits it to didge truck radiators. Not sure if that's their website, or just me.

 

summitracing.com and type in the part #381431 or 380431.Griffin part # is GRI-1-26272-x.

 

brass conducts heat more efficiently than aluminum. aluminum is cheaper and lighter. Apples to apples, a brass radiator will cool better than aluminum.

a properly designed aluminum radiator should still cool just fine for you, but there is no reason to go aluminum if you can still get brass. I think LMC is still selling the super cooling radiators.

 

I've never seen electric fans do a good job in a street application, unless you want to spend $500+. I went round and round with electric fans and was still overheating. The fix was a good mechanical fan with a good shroud. now I won't overheat in the hottest weather. A good shroud is the key.

 

It's a $500 pair of flex-a-lite fans. They cooled my 490 horse Windsor 408 Stroker. Still have the shroud and mechanical fan. But, these electrics push around 6000cfm and are moving much more air than the stock fan.