360 getting hotter than I'd like
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From: Kansas
360 getting hotter than I'd like
Hi, folks.
76 F150 4X4, 360, C6, NP203, 9inR/D44F...
As I drive along, truck get "uncomfortably" hot. Temp needle is on the very high side of "normal" on the gauge. Will drop down a little, then go up again (thermostat opening and closing I'm assuming).
First problem is truck came without a fan shroud, but I'll be ording that this week. Second problem, it is probably a 190 degree thermo. I have a 160 waiting to go in, hopefully this week, too.
Here's the weird part. Idling in my driveway after I've been driving it, it gets COOLER, with no air being forced through the radiator by driving. I know the fan will pull some air through, even without the shroud, and I know driving will tax the engine more, making it run hotter, but it seems the air flow would counteract that.
This radiator has been repaired more than once by previous owner. Time to just replace it? I can get a 4-core from Radiator.com for about $270, or I can get a lifetime warrented one from Auto Zone or O'Reilly's for $150 or less.
I have a related post about overcooling also. Thanks for the help.
Matt
76 F150 4X4, 360, C6, NP203, 9inR/D44F...
As I drive along, truck get "uncomfortably" hot. Temp needle is on the very high side of "normal" on the gauge. Will drop down a little, then go up again (thermostat opening and closing I'm assuming).
First problem is truck came without a fan shroud, but I'll be ording that this week. Second problem, it is probably a 190 degree thermo. I have a 160 waiting to go in, hopefully this week, too.
Here's the weird part. Idling in my driveway after I've been driving it, it gets COOLER, with no air being forced through the radiator by driving. I know the fan will pull some air through, even without the shroud, and I know driving will tax the engine more, making it run hotter, but it seems the air flow would counteract that.
This radiator has been repaired more than once by previous owner. Time to just replace it? I can get a 4-core from Radiator.com for about $270, or I can get a lifetime warrented one from Auto Zone or O'Reilly's for $150 or less.
I have a related post about overcooling also. Thanks for the help.
Matt
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Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 962
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From: Collierville, TN
360 getting hotter than I'd like
And don't put that 160 thermostat in. If you're overheating, putting in a lower stat won't help. Besides, 160 is just too low and will result in excessive wear very quickly.
Inadequate cooling usually manifests itself in overheating at idle and in stop and go traffic. If your engine does fine at idle and overheats only while driving, I'd suspect something other than the radiator and airflow. How's your timing and fuel mixture?
Inadequate cooling usually manifests itself in overheating at idle and in stop and go traffic. If your engine does fine at idle and overheats only while driving, I'd suspect something other than the radiator and airflow. How's your timing and fuel mixture?
Thread Starter
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From: Kansas
360 getting hotter than I'd like
Thanks to both.
DF, you have proven to be an invaluable source of knowledge, and I truly appreciate it. If there's ever anything I can help you with....
You said to get a real gauge. Will the stock sender work with any gauges, or will I need to get a sender, too.
I'm obviously not as bright as I think I am some times...
Thanks again.
Matt
DF, you have proven to be an invaluable source of knowledge, and I truly appreciate it. If there's ever anything I can help you with....
You said to get a real gauge. Will the stock sender work with any gauges, or will I need to get a sender, too.
I'm obviously not as bright as I think I am some times...
Thanks again.
Matt
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From: Kansas
360 getting hotter than I'd like
Okay, I haven't had time to do much yet. Work has been busy. But I did have time to take off the radiator cap, start it up, and let it run.
Here's what happened.
As it warmed up, I watched the coolant level (wearing a splash sheild, of course). As it got warm enough, the coolant level would visibly rise, I'd hear a "click", and it would drop down again. This would repeat, each time the level rising a little bit higher, until it would spill over the filler neck. I know the rise and fall is due to the thermostat opening and closing. In the cab, the relative thermometer was on about "E" in "TEMP", fluctuating with the thermo action. (Sorry, DF... have a new gauge, but no time to put it in yet).
Here's the other part.
Just did the same to my other truck (390 2wd). I let it run more than long enough, the coolant never visibly rose, yet light steam was coming out of the neck, and the top radiator hose was warm, suggesting it was flowing normally.
On the first truck, I'm guessing the thermostat is bad, sticky, or in backwards, and plan to replace it.
Any contributions welcome. Thanks to all.
Matt
Here's what happened.
As it warmed up, I watched the coolant level (wearing a splash sheild, of course). As it got warm enough, the coolant level would visibly rise, I'd hear a "click", and it would drop down again. This would repeat, each time the level rising a little bit higher, until it would spill over the filler neck. I know the rise and fall is due to the thermostat opening and closing. In the cab, the relative thermometer was on about "E" in "TEMP", fluctuating with the thermo action. (Sorry, DF... have a new gauge, but no time to put it in yet).
Here's the other part.
Just did the same to my other truck (390 2wd). I let it run more than long enough, the coolant never visibly rose, yet light steam was coming out of the neck, and the top radiator hose was warm, suggesting it was flowing normally.
On the first truck, I'm guessing the thermostat is bad, sticky, or in backwards, and plan to replace it.
Any contributions welcome. Thanks to all.
Matt
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From: Northern Va
360 getting hotter than I'd like
My '73 runs right between the "E" and "M" in TEMP. I would consider that to be normal. I agree that you should stay away from the 160 thermostat. I never had an overheating problem unless I was pulling me travel trailer in traffic on a hot day. The fan shroud helped immensely with that problem.
As coolant heats up it expands. Since you have no shroud this might account for your coolant overflowing after a while at idle.
As coolant heats up it expands. Since you have no shroud this might account for your coolant overflowing after a while at idle.
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From: Kansas
360 getting hotter than I'd like
I do need to get a fan shroud for this truck, but I don't know that it would make that much difference idling in the driveway.
Since my 74 coolant didn't overflow in the same test, it seems unlikely that the coolant in the 76 would expand so much more as to overflow before the stat opens. And it rose fast, too. About 4 seconds from normal level to overflow. I talked to the local radiator shop, and he said it should do that. Of course, he wants to sell me a brand new radiator. I'll try the $3 thermostat first, then see if the core, pump, etc need to be replaced (heater is brand new, so I know it's good)
Where did you get the shroud for your 73? I can get one from LMC Truck in Lenexa (KC area) for $90, but wouldn't mind spending less.
Thanks.
Matt
Since my 74 coolant didn't overflow in the same test, it seems unlikely that the coolant in the 76 would expand so much more as to overflow before the stat opens. And it rose fast, too. About 4 seconds from normal level to overflow. I talked to the local radiator shop, and he said it should do that. Of course, he wants to sell me a brand new radiator. I'll try the $3 thermostat first, then see if the core, pump, etc need to be replaced (heater is brand new, so I know it's good)
Where did you get the shroud for your 73? I can get one from LMC Truck in Lenexa (KC area) for $90, but wouldn't mind spending less.
Thanks.
Matt
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360 getting hotter than I'd like
Normally if the temp seams normal at an idle, but warms up while driving, its the radiator(but not allways). It may need to be rodded out or replaced. The water isnt circulationg like it should. If the first owner had to get the radiator worked on twice, it sounds like a problem to me, he might have just tried to patch it up to sell not wanting to spend the money for a new one.
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From: Los Alamos, NM
360 getting hotter than I'd like
The 70's radiators are notorious for rotting out. Another thing to try or check, are you overfilling? I had a '76 and the coolant level had to be about 1 - 1 1/2" BELOW the top of the radiator or it would overflow. I later found a factory sticker that said this, when I was replacing the rotten radiator.
Jayson
Jayson
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From: Collierville, TN
360 getting hotter than I'd like
>I do need to get a fan shroud for this truck, but I don't
>know that it would make that much difference idling in the
>driveway.
>
You've got it backwards. The fan shroud makes the biggest difference at idle speed, because it improves the fan's ability to pull air through the radiator. Without the shroud, the fan really isn't effective.
On a truck that overheats at idle or in stop and go traffic but is fine when cruising, the first thing to check is the fan. If it doesn't have a shroud, get one and it will probably fix the problem. If it does have a shroud, check the condition of the fan and the operation of the fan clutch, and replace if necessary. A truck with a radiator or coolant circulation problem will not cool off when driven at speed the way that one with a fan/airflow problem will.
>know that it would make that much difference idling in the
>driveway.
>
You've got it backwards. The fan shroud makes the biggest difference at idle speed, because it improves the fan's ability to pull air through the radiator. Without the shroud, the fan really isn't effective.
On a truck that overheats at idle or in stop and go traffic but is fine when cruising, the first thing to check is the fan. If it doesn't have a shroud, get one and it will probably fix the problem. If it does have a shroud, check the condition of the fan and the operation of the fan clutch, and replace if necessary. A truck with a radiator or coolant circulation problem will not cool off when driven at speed the way that one with a fan/airflow problem will.
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