Radiator temp to high
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Elder User
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 525
Likes: 2
From: Deridder, LA
Radiator temp to high
Gentlemen,
I got a problem with my truck heating up...the temp gauge shows 190 degrees most of the time and creeps above that after i hit it a couple of times...what can i do to cool my little 302 down...i have upgraded to an 18" mechanical fan and i have an electric fan but not installed...do i need both to keep it cool or what??? also the mechanical fan blows on the engine right???? or does it blow on the radiator?? i also have those flowtech headers that keeps her warm also...want to run it more down the street before she overflows....i am going to by an overflow bottle to catch the cook-off flow... H E L P P L E A S E !!!!!!!!
James
54 Ford F100 302/AOD
I got a problem with my truck heating up...the temp gauge shows 190 degrees most of the time and creeps above that after i hit it a couple of times...what can i do to cool my little 302 down...i have upgraded to an 18" mechanical fan and i have an electric fan but not installed...do i need both to keep it cool or what??? also the mechanical fan blows on the engine right???? or does it blow on the radiator?? i also have those flowtech headers that keeps her warm also...want to run it more down the street before she overflows....i am going to by an overflow bottle to catch the cook-off flow... H E L P P L E A S E !!!!!!!!
James
54 Ford F100 302/AOD
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,328
Likes: 124
From: Iowa
Radiator temp to high
James
190 degrees is not overheating range. Is it getting significantly higher than that on occasion? Yes, the fan should pull the air through the grill and towards the engine.
190 degrees is not overheating range. Is it getting significantly higher than that on occasion? Yes, the fan should pull the air through the grill and towards the engine.
Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 2,070
Likes: 2
From: Boise, Idaho
Radiator temp to high
Has you had your raditator to the shop to get boiled out? :You'll need to put a restrictor into the heater hose to slow down the flow of coolant through the heater core. It bypasses the radiator. Use a 30/70 mixture of coolant/distilled water. Anti-freeze has a lower specific heat than water (about half). But it has a higher boiling point.
Cargo Master
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,759
Likes: 70
From: Elk River, MN
Radiator temp to high
If you concern is heating up "after" hitting it, does that mean, that you have stopped and are idling when the heat rises? High temps at idle are caused and cured by different things than high temps going down the road. For good idle cooling you must have a shroud. You should have about 3/4" to 1" between the fan tip circle and the shroud. The fan should have 1/3 to 1/2 of the blade tip edge behind the shroud to draw air through the radiator and shroud.
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 8,813
Likes: 13
From: Littleton, New Hampshire
Radiator temp to high
James,
If it's running warm now, wait until Summer! What thermostat are you running? Are you running a shroud? How close is the fan to the radiator? All these are factors that can affect cooling. Although temperatures up to 220 can be okay, you don't want to run at that temperature constantly (at least I don't...it makes me nervous). Assuming your radiator is in good condition and of the correct capacity, if the temperature goes up when you are sitting in traffic, you need more air flow. Air flow can be improved with a larger diameter fan, a fan with more blades, an electric fan, a shroud, or placement of the fan closer to the radiator. In your location you don't want to use more than a 50-50 coolant ratio. As pc mentioned even a 30-70 ratio might be better where you are. Anti-freeze will increase the boiling point, but does not transfer heat as well as pure water, so the more water you have in the system, the better the heat transfer will be...
If it's running warm now, wait until Summer! What thermostat are you running? Are you running a shroud? How close is the fan to the radiator? All these are factors that can affect cooling. Although temperatures up to 220 can be okay, you don't want to run at that temperature constantly (at least I don't...it makes me nervous). Assuming your radiator is in good condition and of the correct capacity, if the temperature goes up when you are sitting in traffic, you need more air flow. Air flow can be improved with a larger diameter fan, a fan with more blades, an electric fan, a shroud, or placement of the fan closer to the radiator. In your location you don't want to use more than a 50-50 coolant ratio. As pc mentioned even a 30-70 ratio might be better where you are. Anti-freeze will increase the boiling point, but does not transfer heat as well as pure water, so the more water you have in the system, the better the heat transfer will be...
Postmaster
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 2,881
Likes: 1
From: North of Tulsa, Oklahoma
Radiator temp to high
I agree with the replies on the mixture. Most books/places reccomend a 50/50 concentration, but I use a 30coolant/70water mixture on all my vehicles. They all cool much better in the summer and the 30%coolant keeps me safe down to -20 degrees farenheit.
The 302 in my 50 F1 had a heat problem too when I first got my truck. The previous owner kept the stock flathead radiator and it just was not enough to cool that engine. I bought a custom 3 core radiator and it solved my heating problem.
Aside from the fan shroud and fan distance placement, I would try blasting the front of the radiator with the jet setting of your water hose. If it is the original radiator it just might be full of bugs, dirt and rocks? I know that was the issue with my 78 F150 last year.
Good luck.
-Ron
The 302 in my 50 F1 had a heat problem too when I first got my truck. The previous owner kept the stock flathead radiator and it just was not enough to cool that engine. I bought a custom 3 core radiator and it solved my heating problem.
Aside from the fan shroud and fan distance placement, I would try blasting the front of the radiator with the jet setting of your water hose. If it is the original radiator it just might be full of bugs, dirt and rocks? I know that was the issue with my 78 F150 last year.
Good luck.
-Ron
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Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 2,070
Likes: 2
From: Boise, Idaho
Radiator temp to high
I am still running the 223 ohv 6 and the stock radiator. Everything looks like it is stock/original (although it's all running well, now). But the engine block has a lot of rust scale in it. I took a pair of my wife's panty hose, cut the foot off of one legging, and put it over the inlet pipe of the radiator. If you want, I can show you the stuff it has already trapped. I empty it out periodically and keep what I get in a jar.
My point is that this kind of stuff can block a radiator. Take it off and get it boiled out.
My point is that this kind of stuff can block a radiator. Take it off and get it boiled out.
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