I just got my 352 all buttoned up with rebuilt heads, new gaskets, edelbrock intake and carb. I start it up and it is overheating. Is there a way to screw up the head gaskets and block the water passages? or what other issues?

Mike

 

Unlike SBFs, dunno of issues with head gasket orientation.

Tolerances too tight? Timing verified as accurate?

Stuck/bad thermostat? Did ya drill a 1/8-inch hole on the t-Stat flange to bleed odd trapped air? Is the t-Stat facing the right way?

Btw, is it truly boiling over or are you relying on the notoriously inaccurate OEM temp gauge?

 

It is truly boiling over...

 

Yes yes yes.

I will do my best to explain this in the little time I have before I leave for work. The FE heads have open water ports on both sides of the head. This allows the heads to be inter changed and not specific to one side of the block so to say. This means when you put the gaskets on the heads, there should be a side blocking the water ports on one side. (Cannot remember off the top of my head but I'm sure a quick search would help.) You need to make sure you have appropriate gaskets and are blocking the correct water ports of each side of the head. I ran into this exact same issue as you a while back and it drove me crazy for a good 2-3 weeks. If I happen to remember when I get home from work I will send you a link regarding the correct information. Many guys see there gaskets are going to block one of the water ports and think it is an issue with the gasket, they proceed to cut open the other water port and then get confused as to why there engine is overheating despite having all the water ports cut open. (What happened in my situation, except that mistake was done by a machine shop that flips used engines.)

 

I guess I am pulling the heads
Send me the pics please...

Mike

 

Not to insult, but the question we always ask:
Are you sure the thermostat is not backwards?

 

It sounds like the head gaskets are in backwards. You can tell by looking at the exposed edge of the head gasket if it is back to front. Sorry I can't send you a pic but if you look at another FE with the gaskets installed correctly you will see what I mean. If yours look the same, the heads can stay on. If they look different, then...

 

Front goes to the front on both sides, so the word "front" will be facing the head on one side and the block on the other. I remember passenger side facing up with drivers side facing down. This part from memory in last time 06.

orich

 

front water jackets of head should be blocked with rear ones open . like picture

 

Well done Mike! Saved me a ton of words!
Don't always look at other engines. I myself am a detail freak and shave off the extra material "hanging out".
X3, ch class the T stat....

 

Thermostat is in the right way. I really don't want to pull a head just to check. Any way to tell with heads on?

 

I don't know how true but hear say that right bank rockers did not get any oil.

I never tried laying out any head gaskets to see if it was true or not getting any oil if flipped over won't

Most likely it's false BS
Orich .

 

Agreed in the BS. Oil gets to the rockers via rocker assy bolts....

 

Yes true but oil has to pass through the head gasket hole. And, since, I don't have a pair of gaskets to compare them by flipping one over then realigning them back over each other an see how all hole sit lined up of offset..

Orich

 

Ah yea, I heard ya the second time....