Me again. Your last update gave me a clue. The getting hot when slowing down to under 45 mph sounds like a bad clutch fan also if this vechile has air on it make sure there is about 1/2-3/4 of an inch space between the condenser and the radiator also make sure that the the condenser fins are not plugged with debris and are not bent shut. I have driven vehicles without fans on them and as long as we stayed about 30 mph there was no cooling problem below that speed they would get hot, not enough air flow. We have also seen some Fords that if the Air dam attached to the bottom of the bumper was missing would run to warm. Just some more ideas to look at. Could luck and keeps us updated I would like to know what finally fixes this one.

 

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 02-Jul-01 AT 08:40 PM (EST)[/font][p]My original thought was airflow problem as well. I changed the stock fan/clutch system for a 19 inch flex fan. I still had the same problem. I have taken the A/C system off including the condenser. The radiator fins are nice and clean. Recently I changed the Flex fan for a set of high performance electric fans. which feel like the pull alot more air than the stock fan ever did even before I had the overheating problem. The electric fans I have are rated at 3000 cfm each and I have to mounted on the truck.

One thought that has crossed my mind since the balancer has some dry rought on the rubber ring is if the outer housing has rotated to where the timing shows correct when a timing light is put on it but in fact is advance would this cause the overheating?

R.F.

 

My heater hoses are about 2 1/2 to 3 ft each.
I've thought about trying a aftermarket high flow pump but I would rather fix the problem that is causeing the overheating instead of compensating for it.

R.F.

 

I don't know what to tell you. It still sounds like something is wrong, like gaskets or something. I just rebuilt my 460 bored 0.030 over and I have NO problems with overheating. I had my radiotor flushed out and I have a Weiand aluminum water pump and 160 degree thermostat. It gets up to the first line and never moves any higher. Now that my engine is broken in, I'm thinking about switching to a 180 degree, although I've seen articles where changing to a lower thermostat gained several hp.

 

If it was that far advanced (like if your balancer spun like you were talking about ) You would run hotter, sure.. But you would also have knocking and pinging up the YANG....
Lets see... we have :
New water pump
new thermostat, pellet toward block
new radiator, 4 core
new gaskets all the way around

High temp when under load ("pulling trailer, going uphill" etc.) indicates either not enough water being circulated, or not enough air passing thru radiator to cool it.... Either one or the other.
Head gaskets. Most gasket makers require one of the gaskets on the 385-Series block to be put on upside down,The passenger side, If Im not mistaken, or the water ports will be blocked. You said your set was marked "Front" AND "Top"? Both stamped into it?
You said you looked at the water jackets... How closely did you look at them? It sounds like you have done everything else to the cooling system that can be done, which leaves water jackets INSIDE the block left. Did you have the block tanked when you did it? There may very well be clogged jackets inside, where it wouldnt be visible OR noticable... until you start the engine. Also, when building, some debris may have gotten in a clogged the jackets.
Just a couple more Ideas... Good luck.

J/.c

1965 Ford Galaxie 500 (okay, so not quite a truck)
460/C6 transplant @ 389hp/491 lb.ft.
14.29@103.8, 13-14 mpg heheheheheh

 

now your using a 4 core rad. are you using atleast a 13 lb. radiator cap?? and another thing to think about is when you take a block to get worked on at a machine shop, when they start work on the block sometimes if the freeze pulgs are left in they will depending on what type of shop and mechanic will just punch them into the block and leave them in there. just say for the sake of a long discussion if all of them where left inside they will all collect some where in the passages plugging up or restricting the flow.

 

Well I've finally figured out the problem. The electric fans were not pulling enough air through the radiator and neither was the flex fan. I went back to the stock fan/clutch and shroud and this has solved the problem. thanks to all for the sugestions and help.

R.F.