need help with hot running FE
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need help with hot running FE
Hey Members,
My 55 ford has an overheating problem. Need suggestions. So here it is!!
My truck has a 66 modelt 390 that has been bored .060 and also has a 428 crank for a little stroke, Comp Cam and FRP headers, 2500 stall convertor and a beefed up C6. when I bought it it ran cool going down the highway but idling it gets real hot and boils over. So I put a new thermostat 160 in it. No improvement. It has an Edelbrock waterpump, becool radiator and a 1600 cfm electric puller fan. My first attempt at improving this condition was a new radiator from Custom Auto Radiator, 7 cores thick. Installed it and now no improvements seen. Then I bought and installed with a custom bracked set up 4 qty. 8 inch fans with a total of 3240 cfm of air flow. No improvement. Then I installed a 180 deg. thermostat and still no improvement.
Several old timers like myself have suggested that the head gaskets 1 or both might be either the wrong gaskets or installed bottom side up blocking the water passage. Before I tear it down I would like to hear from some of you fellow Big Block experts.
My 55 ford has an overheating problem. Need suggestions. So here it is!!
My truck has a 66 modelt 390 that has been bored .060 and also has a 428 crank for a little stroke, Comp Cam and FRP headers, 2500 stall convertor and a beefed up C6. when I bought it it ran cool going down the highway but idling it gets real hot and boils over. So I put a new thermostat 160 in it. No improvement. It has an Edelbrock waterpump, becool radiator and a 1600 cfm electric puller fan. My first attempt at improving this condition was a new radiator from Custom Auto Radiator, 7 cores thick. Installed it and now no improvements seen. Then I bought and installed with a custom bracked set up 4 qty. 8 inch fans with a total of 3240 cfm of air flow. No improvement. Then I installed a 180 deg. thermostat and still no improvement.
Several old timers like myself have suggested that the head gaskets 1 or both might be either the wrong gaskets or installed bottom side up blocking the water passage. Before I tear it down I would like to hear from some of you fellow Big Block experts.
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Hello- Welcome to FTE! I have moved your post to the specialized forum we have here for your question. Check out the list of tech forums we have on FTE. There is a wealth of information and expertise here to help you. There are a number of links in my sig below to help you also. Have fun! 
If it works OK running down the highway there is nothing wrong with the water circulation or thermostat. Cooling while idling is a function of airflow propelled by the fans. Apparently yours are not able to pull enuf air thru the radiator. Anything more than a 4 core radiator is inefficient and could be blocking your airflow. A 3 core radiator is just about optimum.
If it works OK running down the highway there is nothing wrong with the water circulation or thermostat. Cooling while idling is a function of airflow propelled by the fans. Apparently yours are not able to pull enuf air thru the radiator. Anything more than a 4 core radiator is inefficient and could be blocking your airflow. A 3 core radiator is just about optimum.
Last edited by Torque1st; Sep 23, 2006 at 04:39 PM.
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Thanks for the input. It had a 2 core BeCool radiator when I bought it and I had the same results then also. At that time it only had 1 qty. 16inch fan puller style. Thanks again - any more ideas? Maybe I need to put the 2 core aluminum radiator back in and use the new 4 fan set up.
Last edited by 55fordguy; Sep 23, 2006 at 04:51 PM. Reason: mispelling
I'll have the Roast Duck
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My suggestion is to borrow a temp. readout gun and aim it at the heads, radiator, waterpump, intake, etc ... See if there's a noticeable hot spot. Another possibility is the water pump is a high flow and is circulating the coolant too fast, that it isn't allowing it time to "rest" in the rad. Another thing is a fan shroud...they help alot more than most people think. If the temp gauge is bouncing up and down slowly, it could be the heater core or blockage in the line. Or maybe the gauge isn't working right, improper resistance, voltage, etc... I think a thermo/temp. gun will help with diagnosing it.
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Tried the temp gun. I am getting readings from all accessible points of the intake, heads, lower radiator hose, waterpump and radiator core consistent with the temp shown on the gauge. The gauge is a mechanical one. No hot spots found however it doesn't mean that one does not exist. I thought I would have one of those tests done while the engine is running to see if gases are present in the coolant. This would help diagnose whether there is a cracked valve galley or seat. What do you think of these type of tests?
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From: Near Fresno, California
Originally Posted by 55fordguy
Hey Members,
My 55 ford has an overheating problem. . . .I would like to hear from some of you fellow Big Block experts. .
My 55 ford has an overheating problem. . . .I would like to hear from some of you fellow Big Block experts. .
You might also try speeding your engine up - while sitting still and hot from idling. If it cools back down the problem can not be fans or air flow through the radiator.
Last edited by WillyB; Sep 23, 2006 at 06:09 PM.
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The coolant looks very clean and the oil is clean, o foaming you might expect if moisture was present in the crankcase. Also, no foaming is present in the radiator when you remove the cap. It's kinda wierd you would think it was air flow since going down the road it runs cool. I put a goant fan in front of the radiator to simulate highway donditions and it still overheats. After about 20 or 30 minutes of idling it reaches about 230 degrees so I shut it off. That is from dead cool of outside temperature sitting overnite. It has new hoses and new bypass hose on the pump also. Keep the ideas coming. Thanks.
Running hot guy
Running hot guy
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Also,
I have adjusted the timing in both directions to check the effect. Adjusted the carbeurator to see if there was any effect. Ran the engine from 800 rpm all the way up to 2000 rpm for specific lengths of time. No noticeable difference in temp unless traveling down the road at 20 or 30 mph. Then it cools off just fine. Crazy I know.
I have adjusted the timing in both directions to check the effect. Adjusted the carbeurator to see if there was any effect. Ran the engine from 800 rpm all the way up to 2000 rpm for specific lengths of time. No noticeable difference in temp unless traveling down the road at 20 or 30 mph. Then it cools off just fine. Crazy I know.
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From: Near Fresno, California
Originally Posted by 55fordguy
Also,
. . . . No noticeable difference in temp unless traveling down the road at 20 or 30 mph. Then it cools off just fine. Crazy I know.
. . . . No noticeable difference in temp unless traveling down the road at 20 or 30 mph. Then it cools off just fine. Crazy I know.
Also, does it help to open the hood? I have always wondered why people wanted to put vents on the side of their hoods.
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I would still concentrate on the timing AND the jetting of the carb. Too lean down low in the RPM's will make a very hot combustion chamber. And, try a water wetter solution too. Red Line and some others may help the coolant situation. I like the friction concern brought up earlier. A multi-grade Mobil 1 might help your flow and friction situation too. The reality may be that it is no one component that is causing the hot situation. Its probably and combination of a two or three things. good luck.
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Originally Posted by 55fordguy
Hey Members,
. It has an Edelbrock waterpump, becool radiator and a 1600 cfm electric puller fan. My first attempt at improving this condition was a new radiator from Custom Auto Radiator, 7 cores thick. Installed it and now no improvements seen. Then I bought and installed with a custom bracked set up 4 qty. 8 inch fans with a total of 3240 cfm of air flow.
. It has an Edelbrock waterpump, becool radiator and a 1600 cfm electric puller fan. My first attempt at improving this condition was a new radiator from Custom Auto Radiator, 7 cores thick. Installed it and now no improvements seen. Then I bought and installed with a custom bracked set up 4 qty. 8 inch fans with a total of 3240 cfm of air flow.
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Thanks for all the good ideas and input,
This condition occurs whether the hood is up or down. The engine has 3 to 4 thousand miles on it right now. The fans are within 1/4" of the back of the radiator. With the 4 fan set up the only surface of the radiator that does not have a fan directly on it is a small void in the center where the water pump pulley is and a little in the corners. I checked and the fans are pulling the air in the right direction. Over the next couple of days I will work on the oil type, carb, and coolant addative. Keep the ideas coming and thanks a lot.
This condition occurs whether the hood is up or down. The engine has 3 to 4 thousand miles on it right now. The fans are within 1/4" of the back of the radiator. With the 4 fan set up the only surface of the radiator that does not have a fan directly on it is a small void in the center where the water pump pulley is and a little in the corners. I checked and the fans are pulling the air in the right direction. Over the next couple of days I will work on the oil type, carb, and coolant addative. Keep the ideas coming and thanks a lot.
Last edited by 55fordguy; Sep 24, 2006 at 12:24 PM. Reason: spelling error