Boiling point of water is 212 @ sea level, or 156 degrees at the top of Mount Everest.

So straight water and a 14 pound cap raises the boiling point to 254 degrees.

If you have the correct pump, a fan installed, a clean radiator, no collapsed hoses, correct ignition timing, carb not too lean or rich you have 2 more possibilities:

The t-stat simply isn't operating or you installed it backwards.

The head gaskets (not sure on this which is possible on an FE engine) were installed backwards.

Josh

 

Ok might of found something. Here is what I did today... Cleaned and flushed the radiator.. nothing.. it was clean to begin with..all hoses are fine and standing up.. The thermostat is installed spring into motorblock.

BUT... I noticed that water was not flowing like it should in the radiator. It does move a little bit but nothing like Ive seen before.. I based this on my 80 f250 with a six cyl. I started it today to check out the flow in the rad. It was moving quite well . Im talking 2x more than mine at idle and when I rev'd it up it was not even close to being the same.. the 300 was really moving the water.. now my 300 does not have a thermostat installed its a play truck.. so I came up with this theory.... when the 79 is at idle it will stay at 190-200 temp for an hour. (I idled it today for 35-45 min to prove this..) Then I took it for a easy ride to my friends farm, I did this yesterday and hit 230-240 on the same trip.. only diffreance is that I kept my rpm below 2k ... soo my temp on the entire trip there was below 200... now on the way home I gagged her on a straight away for about a mile and the temp climbed up.. immediately afterwards I let it fall back right to the 1500 rmp range and the temp settled back down..

So Im concluding this.. the impeller on the water pump is cavitating for some reason... either wore out or ?? keep in mind that the engine this came off of sat for 5 years. The water is moving enough at idle to cool the engine and manages to do it to about anything below 2k rpm.. then the engine is building up too much heat during any accelerating for the water to disapate at that flow rate.. The impellor is just spashing and not moving any more water than at 1500 rpm..

Does this make sense to anyone else..

I guess I could have a junk thermostat.. there is always that chance....
hell I dont know.. should I just pull the thermostat and check the water flow then? it did the same thing with the 160 as well.. what is the chance of getting a junk thermostat vs a 5 year old water pump going bad while sitting?

 

forgive the spelling errors hahahahah fat fingers moving too fast LOL

 

Pure water will cool better than 50/50. So that is not your problem. Is it possible that one of your head gaskets is installed backwards?

 

well.. got me.. honestly dont know.. I know that the part number on the head gaskets were the same for both sides. ... It said tha two were reqd for an engine.. I installed one and then took the other and flipped it to fit the other side.

its a 80 block.. got me.. if it can be done then I probably did it.. at this point who knows.

 

I just double checked the gasket possiblity ... looks like Im 98.9% sure its in correctly. I got two of the identical gaskets from Felpro. they reqire 2... I just put one in and then I wigged out because the other was idenitical ... well my dumba$$ just had to flip it around and wahlah it fit.. I remember checking all the ports etc to make sure ...

So flipped gasket..... nope.

Keep going guys we get this straightened out I promise you a hell of a burn out picture when its done and running cool !!!
Ive got a freebie set of MT dot approved slicks on steel wheel beggin to be burnt off.. Ohh also got a loaner 3rd member from our stock car with a set of 6:00 in them with a spool.. hahahahahah SMOKE EM IF YOU GOT EM

Ohh just checked cylinder pressure a little while ago.. bit disturbing but what do you expect from a Junkyard engine.. I only put gaskets on the engine.
cyl 1-5 <139-140> cyl 6 & 7 <65& 89> cyl 8 <140> no bleed off after 5 min of max pressure..

Thanks for all the imput guys I certainly appreciate it all.

 

When you did the leak down did you pop the radiator cap and look for bubbles?

Most Fords use the same head gaskets for each side, however, there is a front and a back. You want the open port at the REAR for the coolant on both sides, that way the coolant flows thru the block and then up thru the heads and out the stat. Otherwise the coolant goes thru the block and directly thru the t-stat.

Josh

 

No I didnt look for bubbles on the leak down.... I did make sure the gasket lined up front to front on each side.. its stamped on both sides of the gasket ironically enough..

For the leak down just pressurize the cylinder and pop the cap and check?

 

Yep, pressurize and then look for bubbles... but you're saying cylinders 6 & 7 are holding steady though?

Interesting... I would throw out an educated guess that either the cam lobes are toast on those two cylinders, valves just need adjusted or the rings are shot.

Josh

 

yes no change in pressure after 5 min +/_

 

Air trapped in the cooling system will reek havoc with the temps. I had an 77 302 in my truck I had the same issue with the cooling system, air is its enemy. If two tabs"one on each side" of the cylinder head gaskets are showing on the front of the engine, the gaskets are installed properly. I dont remember how many openings are on the top of the 2bbl intake there are probably just two. You could install a regular pipe T in the hole for the heater core hose,put the nipple for the hose in the horzontal hole, then in the top hole put in a radiator petcock, use it as an air bleeder.

Just an old skool idea, it would help get the air out, I would reccomend draining the system, then refilling it slowly when the anti freeze gets to the petcock the system should be just about full. Good Luck!

 

Shouldn't be a problem if the t-stat was drilled with a couple small holes.

Josh

 

Josh,
How do I go about checking the the valve adjustment. Can this be found in my chilton or hayes manual... What about cam lobes. I have a cam that came out of this block. But remember it was fuel injected.

I have noticed something that sounds like an exhaust pipe hitting the frame .. its not a sharp sound kind of a "whup whup whup" sound.. LOL now its come to this.. LOL now if I was to get another cam.. how much of a cam can I put in.. I dont want to modify anything else at this time.. but I dont want to cut my own throat cause if Im going to put something in it.. ya know... someone told me to find a 351 windsor cam and it will change my firing order but change the output a bit.. somthing about a 302 h.o.
Let me know.
Thanks
Chris

Also... are there any issues with a 390? I have came across a few one with AC to put in the truck. Its a thought.

 

Ok tonight I put a new water pump on .. It is moving a considerable more amount of water upon raising the rpms... I took the cover off the back of the Old pump and it looks fine no severe pitting or anything. I dont know why it didnt operate the same. I then took the truck on a 10 mile run at 70-80 mph one way and then onthe other way back ran it at 3000rpm to 3400 rpm for about 3 miles. It got up to 210-220 for a brief moment and settled back down right away.. Its pretty chilly at night in the 80's here so tomorrow afternoon I will do it again in the warm summer sun. I hope it works.
If not.. what about the possiblities of something clogging up a jet or boogering up my carb.. would that make it lean out and run hot? I know I have alot of debris here and there but Ive tried to keep a fresh filter on the line and now put on a magnet also to help with the catching of junk.

Thanks guys

Chris

 

Are you setting your timing with the vacuum advance unplugged?

Once the timing is set, re-connect the vacuum advance and then set your idle.

Your temp probably spiked and then settled after it "burped" the air bubbles and such. I've noticed the same thing when working on vehicles and equipment.

Josh