390 overheating
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2003
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Originally Posted by highrider76
Is there anywhere i can get a waterneck to fit the gt intake? the gt intake and the 2bb waterneck hold different size thermostats. I originally bought one but it fell into the intake. the one thant fits the intake doesnt fit into the recessed portion of the waterneck.
Last edited by highrider76; Jul 25, 2005 at 07:34 PM.
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,056
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From: Union, Washington
Not thermostat will give you instant overheat as the coolant doesn't spend enough time in the radiator to cool off. We tried the no thermostat thing in race cares and the only thing that worked was to punch out the valve in the thermostat and use the rest as a restrictor. Water necks are cheap and the late style manifolds run the smaller thermostat. Put one in.
Freshman User
Joined: Apr 2005
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I have similar problem I think...my truck has been overheating lately...put on a new radiator - even bigger than the first - still overheats. I also noticed that mine has no thermostat. I don't see why this could be the problem. It never overheated for the first year that I owned the truck, until lately. Never had a thermostat. My other 69 - with an old radiator and no thermostat - I have tried so desperately to overheat - full speed up the grapevine (for those not in California, a steep, long grade) with a trailer - didn't even get hot. Didn't even have a fan shroud. So I am ruling out the thermostat - it makes no sense. What else could be the issue in my case? I have also noticed that the truck sometimes pings, especially going up hills - even with 89 fuel in it. Whats the problem with this truck? Pisses me off too because the 69 that doesn't do this is a complete piece of crap.
Elder User
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 686
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From: Edgewood, Wa
Originally Posted by EDMCCLOUGHLOCH
I have similar problem I think...my truck has been overheating lately...put on a new radiator - even bigger than the first - still overheats. I also noticed that mine has no thermostat. I don't see why this could be the problem. It never overheated for the first year that I owned the truck, until lately. Never had a thermostat. My other 69 - with an old radiator and no thermostat - I have tried so desperately to overheat - full speed up the grapevine (for those not in California, a steep, long grade) with a trailer - didn't even get hot. Didn't even have a fan shroud. So I am ruling out the thermostat - it makes no sense. What else could be the issue in my case? I have also noticed that the truck sometimes pings, especially going up hills - even with 89 fuel in it. Whats the problem with this truck? Pisses me off too because the 69 that doesn't do this is a complete piece of crap.
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Joined: Apr 2005
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but I don't want to be humorous...haha. Maybe I'll think about it - but I'm more likely to think its a timing problem. It probably has to do with the screwing around with my points - probably also why the truck pings you think?
Freshman User
Joined: Apr 2005
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problem found...
Wow...definitely some problems found ---I took off the distributor and opened it up...one of the springs inside had unwound and wrapped itself around everywhere...probably not good right? Anyways, I got another one and I am going to combine them to make one good distributor. Ill post if this solves the overheating problems, but I assume that its royaly f-ing up the timing?
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,056
Likes: 8
From: Union, Washington
Originally Posted by EDMCCLOUGHLOCH
I have similar problem I think...my truck has been overheating lately...put on a new radiator - even bigger than the first - still overheats. I also noticed that mine has no thermostat. I don't see why this could be the problem. It never overheated for the first year that I owned the truck, until lately. Never had a thermostat. My other 69 - with an old radiator and no thermostat - I have tried so desperately to overheat - full speed up the grapevine (for those not in California, a steep, long grade) with a trailer - didn't even get hot. Didn't even have a fan shroud. So I am ruling out the thermostat - it makes no sense. What else could be the issue in my case? I have also noticed that the truck sometimes pings, especially going up hills - even with 89 fuel in it. Whats the problem with this truck? Pisses me off too because the 69 that doesn't do this is a complete piece of crap.
Freshman User
Joined: Apr 2005
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Not to be argumentative, but I don't think I was lucky driving that think thousands of miles on long trips, over grades, many times in 100 degree + weather, and not taking it easy on the truck - in fact pushing it to the limit. Without even coming close to overheating. 390's i've come to know are tough as hell and should rarely overheat due to cooling system problems. My problem with this truck is, as I posted above, distributor related. Not only was that spring completely messed up and likely causing problems, but also the points were not set accurately when I put them in - I just set them by ear. Now I have put in a rebuilt distributor with a pertronix ignitor set correctly. I need to find my light and time it - and then I'm going to go out and drive the hell out of it. Hopefully it'll be hot tommorrow. If it overheats - then I'll get a thermostat. If not...Ill continue to be a stubborn *** and run it without it. Its not that I don't understand the purpose of a thermostat - its just that I believe that they are fake...same thing with the fan shrouds. That thing is coming off next. 
Elder User
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 686
Likes: 1
From: Edgewood, Wa
Originally Posted by EDMCCLOUGHLOCH
Not to be argumentative, but I don't think I was lucky driving that think thousands of miles on long trips, over grades, many times in 100 degree + weather, and not taking it easy on the truck - in fact pushing it to the limit. Without even coming close to overheating. 390's i've come to know are tough as hell and should rarely overheat due to cooling system problems. Ill continue to be a stubborn *** and run it without it. Its not that I don't understand the purpose of a thermostat - its just that I believe that they are fake...same thing with the fan shrouds. That thing is coming off next.
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 6,056
Likes: 8
From: Union, Washington
Originally Posted by EDMCCLOUGHLOCH
Not to be argumentative, but I don't think I was lucky driving that think thousands of miles on long trips, over grades, many times in 100 degree + weather, and not taking it easy on the truck - in fact pushing it to the limit. Without even coming close to overheating. 390's i've come to know are tough as hell and should rarely overheat due to cooling system problems. My problem with this truck is, as I posted above, distributor related. Not only was that spring completely messed up and likely causing problems, but also the points were not set accurately when I put them in - I just set them by ear. Now I have put in a rebuilt distributor with a pertronix ignitor set correctly. I need to find my light and time it - and then I'm going to go out and drive the hell out of it. Hopefully it'll be hot tommorrow. If it overheats - then I'll get a thermostat. If not...Ill continue to be a stubborn *** and run it without it. Its not that I don't understand the purpose of a thermostat - its just that I believe that they are fake...same thing with the fan shrouds. That thing is coming off next.
Elder User
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 686
Likes: 1
From: Edgewood, Wa
Originally Posted by Bear 45/70
You and people like you are the reason mechanics have jobs.
"Hey!! Pick up them parts that just fell off!! yer littering!! "