Cooling issue
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Senior User
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Cooling issue
I have a 1972 460 in my 78 f250. New Champion 4 core radiator, new heater core, hoses and coolant. It was running a little warm last summer so I just put new dual fans on and pulled the radiator to put them on. I didn't have time to hook the fans up so I took it to a trusted shop. They said when they started it up they let it warm up and the fans came on like they should. They pulled it outside and left it running. Within a couple minutes it was puking coolant and the temp spiked like it had an air pocket which is pretty normal when the coolant is drained. I drove it home this morning (about 1/2 mile) and let it idle in the driveway for about 20 minutes. Fans came on when it warmed up, defrost blew hot but the top hose was hard as a rock and the overflow tank filled up to the top. The bottom hose was also hard and stayed cool to the touch for a lot longer than the top hose. Any idea why the tank would fill up and the hoses we're so hard? Maybe stuck thermostat?
More Turbo
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 710
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From: Oregon
ya if the bottom hose stays cold, or the bottom of the radiator stays cold, I'd suspect the thermostat , we had that exact problem in my father in law's 1985 honda accord, top hose actually would get somewhat hot because most thermostats still let some coolant through their little "weep" hole but not enough to keep the engine cool properly, but the bottom of his radiator was cold. If the bottom of the rad is cool then for sure the thermo isn't opening up
touch the bottom of the radiator
touch the bottom of the radiator
Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 9,606
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From: San Jose, CA
Just to be sure, the hoses can be compressed by hand when the engine is not running, correct?
Just asking because some will have the metal coils inside to keep them from collapsing. Those would be hard to squeeze in any conditions.
And what is the gauge doing when this is happening? Not that we can always trust the gauges to tell us the whole truth and nothing but the truth of course, but at least you still get secondary indicators from it.
Oh, and what is your ignition timing set at currently? Did you set it initially?
Paul
Just asking because some will have the metal coils inside to keep them from collapsing. Those would be hard to squeeze in any conditions.
And what is the gauge doing when this is happening? Not that we can always trust the gauges to tell us the whole truth and nothing but the truth of course, but at least you still get secondary indicators from it.
Oh, and what is your ignition timing set at currently? Did you set it initially?
Paul
Moderator & parts slinger
Joined: Feb 2007
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From: S/W Missouri, Polk county
Never trust a shop.
When you refill a rad, on 1st start up, park it a little nose up ( basic metal car ramps), let it idle with the radiator cap loose, to get the air out. IMO a trusted shop should know that.
X2 on is the lower hose a style with an inner coil type spring?
X2 on have you replaced the thermostat lately?
My 460 4 core OEM radiator does not like to be full full either.
When you refill a rad, on 1st start up, park it a little nose up ( basic metal car ramps), let it idle with the radiator cap loose, to get the air out. IMO a trusted shop should know that.
X2 on is the lower hose a style with an inner coil type spring?
X2 on have you replaced the thermostat lately?
My 460 4 core OEM radiator does not like to be full full either.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 136
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Never trust a shop.
When you refill a rad, on 1st start up, park it a little nose up ( basic metal car ramps), let it idle with the radiator cap loose, to get the air out. IMO a trusted shop should know that.
X2 on is the lower hose a style with an inner coil type spring?
X2 on have you replaced the thermostat lately?
My 460 4 core OEM radiator does not like to be full full either.
When you refill a rad, on 1st start up, park it a little nose up ( basic metal car ramps), let it idle with the radiator cap loose, to get the air out. IMO a trusted shop should know that.
X2 on is the lower hose a style with an inner coil type spring?
X2 on have you replaced the thermostat lately?
My 460 4 core OEM radiator does not like to be full full either.
Moderator & parts slinger
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 50,243
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From: S/W Missouri, Polk county
Congrats on the new shop, 12' walls..why so high? Did you put a storage deck or appt up there?
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Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2000
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From: Albuquerque
Are you sure the fans are blowing the right direction? wired correctly for direction? when they are on you should feel quite a breeze going throught the radiator.
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From: Angier, NC
I got to ask why is it everyone thinks that electric fans are better than what the factory used and then wonder why they run hot / over heat?
What you may have saved on power you just moved over to the charging system and the factory charging system was never made to support electric fans.
I just don't get it
Dave ----
What you may have saved on power you just moved over to the charging system and the factory charging system was never made to support electric fans.
I just don't get it
Dave ----
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I'll e putting a lift in. I'm getting too old to be rolling around on the floor. lol I'm also attaching a winch to the rafters so I can store my lawnmower and other stuff up there during the winter. It's cheaper than getting a shed.
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Yeah they are blowing correctly. There is a good breeze. I think the problem might be all the open area around the fans and they probably don't move enough CFM.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jan 2018
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From: Coos Bay
Had an old trans am I built, had the same issue. I built it for street and weekend racing and was trying to get every cheap edge i could. I installed one of those thin racing fans and a 190 thermostat. It hit 200 degrees around the 20 minute mark and I'd have to shut it down.
Fast forward a month or so. Replaced the fan with a high flow fan and changed the thermostat to 180. No more issues, no over heating, and no coolant loss, even with the heat of North Carolina summers. Shipped the car when I moved back to Oregon and never had a problem here either.
I would suspect, since it takes that amount of time to get so hot, that you aren’t getting enough airflow. I would consider changing the thermostat so it opens sooner, cheapest test given your current configuration.
Fast forward a month or so. Replaced the fan with a high flow fan and changed the thermostat to 180. No more issues, no over heating, and no coolant loss, even with the heat of North Carolina summers. Shipped the car when I moved back to Oregon and never had a problem here either.
I would suspect, since it takes that amount of time to get so hot, that you aren’t getting enough airflow. I would consider changing the thermostat so it opens sooner, cheapest test given your current configuration.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Jul 2016
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I got to ask why is it everyone thinks that electric fans are better than what the factory used and then wonder why they run hot / over heat?
What you may have saved on power you just moved over to the charging system and the factory charging system was never made to support electric fans.
I just don't get it
Dave ----
What you may have saved on power you just moved over to the charging system and the factory charging system was never made to support electric fans.
I just don't get it
Dave ----
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