Cooling, out of options!!!! head gasket ?

jerrys84 · 07-01-2002, 08:29 AM

out of options, car refuses to run below 200-210.

Installed the Griffin radiator and a different 180 stat.

I guess that's it, can't think of anything else to do... sad part is when it runs that hot, i get lifter noise, time to try an oil cooler??

I also saw on another thread, to run .60 over bore head gaskets on a .060 overbored engine.. I did'nt even think of that when i installed my heads, checked Summit, they don't list such a part..

I am confused?

Smokedawg · 07-01-2002, 09:20 AM

Wooo....boring .60 over is quite a bit...
Try checking your waterpump, burping your lines, do you have underdrive pulleys, check your timing.

RPM427 · 07-01-2002, 10:31 AM

If your engine is .060 over, its probably been rebiult more then once. It may have a cracked, clogged, or blocked water passage.

jerrys84 · 07-01-2002, 10:43 AM

timing is set at 12 deg., not underdriven, motor was a reman shortblock from Recon. Engine & water pump only have 2000 miles on it.

would'nt a blocked or cracked water passage make the temp irratic??

I was thinking a possible bad head gasket, but no smoke, no coolant in the oil and the coolant level remains the same.

the only other thing I am hoping is with the outdoor temp being 100 deg or so lately and the car being black???? it started doing this about a month ago when the outdoor temp got over 85 deg.

don't know what else to try... cowl hood??

what do ya mean when you say "burping my lines"????

Smokedawg · 07-01-2002, 10:48 AM

What I meant by burping the lines was making sure all the air is out of the lines.

jimberg · 07-01-2002, 12:11 PM

Replace the radiator cap if you haven't done so already.

You can "burp" the water passages by removing the radiator cap when the engine is cool and then start the car. Watch the coolant level in the radiator. When it drops, wait for it to stop dropping and then top off the radiator. Put the new radiator cap back on.

What type of coolant are you running and what is your water/coolant ratio? If it's really hot, you may want to go 25% coolant and 75% water.

jerrys84 · 07-01-2002, 12:37 PM

radiator cap was new with the rebuild, i think it's a 16 psi cap.

coolant is currently about 90% water, 2 bottles of water wetter and about 10% anti-freeze..

tarmon8r · 07-01-2002, 02:12 PM

i have personally had new radiator caps be bad out of the packaging. go to a repair shop and ask if they could pressure test your cap and cooling system. will tell you if cap is bad and if you have a leak somewhere else ( head gasket as you are conserned, but i doubt it). i think you can pick one up at a parts store also.

tarmon8r · 07-01-2002, 02:24 PM

a few more tricks for you to try:

1. 160 dgree high flow thermostat

2. drill 1/8 diameter holes ( approx. 6) around the outside of the thermostat you have know to flow more water.

3. make sure you are getting full advance from your distributor while you are at crusing speed. they do go bad. running retarded will cause your motor to run hot.

4. havn't heard of this one until lately at a mustang club meeting, but do you have your front valance on the front of your car. it is the plastic peice under your radiatior. it is perpendicular withthe road and your car. what happens as it is expalined to me is if it is not there, at crusing speed, the air that goes under your car sucks there air out from in front of the radiator and it doesnt go through the radiator, especially on the 79-86 cars.

5. high flow water pump.

good luck i am dealing with something simaliar. and let me know if any of those suggestions helped you and by how much.

Dark Knight · 07-01-2002, 03:16 PM

a couple things too.. you DO have the fan shroud right? it you dont, get one... also is it the right water pump? yours should have a reverse rotation pump.. if you have an older one.. it's running backwards....

BTW... .060 over is WAY thin on a 302..it's going to run hotter than normal... I wouldnt try to run alot of HP in it...

jerrys84 · 07-03-2002, 08:38 AM

yippee (i hope)!!!

well after much *** scratching, i think we got it.. (granted the temp outside right now is only 80).

went to the local speed shop (TNT Specialties) and bought a Autometer temp guage and a Mr Gasket hi-flow stat. car ran 179-185 degrees on the way into work this morning.. we will see what happens tonight on the way home, but even idling last night it only ran 189 or so..

thanks for all the help guys....

tarmon8r · 07-03-2002, 01:33 PM

so jerry
what did you do anyway? just the thermostat?you had all of those suggestions. did you do any of them?and did you try any of them and they actually helped and which ones did you notice that helped?

jerrys84 · 07-03-2002, 04:19 PM

tarmon

i was running straight water (which everyone sez works the best for cooling), i added 50/50 coolant and installed the 180 highflow...

1 i did try the 160 stat, it ran 200+.

2 i triple checked the timing and am running a brand new distributer

i could'nt see replacing my water pump yet, it's brand new..

the guy at the race shop also told me they get 10-20 degree drop using watter wetter in their race cars?? so whatever that's worth..

srv1 · 07-03-2002, 06:53 PM

jerry are you still overheating? it seems to me you have done all the basics. do a cylinder leak down test. that will give you an answer.

07-01-2002, 08:29 AM	#1
jerrys84 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: minnesota Posts: 129	Cooling, out of options!!!! head gasket ? out of options, car refuses to run below 200-210. Installed the Griffin radiator and a different 180 stat. I guess that's it, can't think of anything else to do... sad part is when it runs that hot, i get lifter noise, time to try an oil cooler?? I also saw on another thread, to run .60 over bore head gaskets on a .060 overbored engine.. I did'nt even think of that when i installed my heads, checked Summit, they don't list such a part.. I am confused? __________________ 91 LX 'work in progress' previous stangs; lightly modded 84GT 81 2.3 converted to 302 auto

07-01-2002, 09:20 AM	#2
Smokedawg Tires Fear Me... Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 867	Wooo....boring .60 over is quite a bit... Try checking your waterpump, burping your lines, do you have underdrive pulleys, check your timing. __________________ 1990 Mustang GT- 347 Stroker-Tremec 3550-Compucar Nitrous, AFR, Systemax Intake, AFM, 30lbers, 70MM TB, 76mm MAF, full suspension and lots more 1995 Chevy S-10 406 SBC, Dual tunnel ram, Dart heads, Nitrous, full tub, 4-link, adjustable drag shocks, coil-overs, 9in rearend, 4.56 gears...etc

07-01-2002, 10:31 AM	#3
RPM427 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Huntington NY Posts: 573	If your engine is .060 over, its probably been rebiult more then once. It may have a cracked, clogged, or blocked water passage. __________________ -1993 Mustang, 900rwhp 03-04 cobra based 4v swap, full Griggs setup, project underway -1994 Ranger w/ 427cid windsor (daily beater) check it out!

07-01-2002, 10:43 AM	#4
jerrys84 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: minnesota Posts: 129	timing is set at 12 deg., not underdriven, motor was a reman shortblock from Recon. Engine & water pump only have 2000 miles on it. would'nt a blocked or cracked water passage make the temp irratic?? I was thinking a possible bad head gasket, but no smoke, no coolant in the oil and the coolant level remains the same. the only other thing I am hoping is with the outdoor temp being 100 deg or so lately and the car being black???? it started doing this about a month ago when the outdoor temp got over 85 deg. don't know what else to try... cowl hood?? what do ya mean when you say "burping my lines"???? __________________ 91 LX 'work in progress' previous stangs; lightly modded 84GT 81 2.3 converted to 302 auto

07-01-2002, 10:48 AM	#5
Smokedawg Tires Fear Me... Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 867	What I meant by burping the lines was making sure all the air is out of the lines. __________________ 1990 Mustang GT- 347 Stroker-Tremec 3550-Compucar Nitrous, AFR, Systemax Intake, AFM, 30lbers, 70MM TB, 76mm MAF, full suspension and lots more 1995 Chevy S-10 406 SBC, Dual tunnel ram, Dart heads, Nitrous, full tub, 4-link, adjustable drag shocks, coil-overs, 9in rearend, 4.56 gears...etc

07-01-2002, 12:11 PM	#6
jimberg Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1998 Location: Rogers, MN Posts: 2,089	Replace the radiator cap if you haven't done so already. You can "burp" the water passages by removing the radiator cap when the engine is cool and then start the car. Watch the coolant level in the radiator. When it drops, wait for it to stop dropping and then top off the radiator. Put the new radiator cap back on. What type of coolant are you running and what is your water/coolant ratio? If it's really hot, you may want to go 25% coolant and 75% water. __________________ 351W 89 Mustang GT Convertible

07-01-2002, 12:37 PM	#7
jerrys84 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: minnesota Posts: 129	radiator cap was new with the rebuild, i think it's a 16 psi cap. coolant is currently about 90% water, 2 bottles of water wetter and about 10% anti-freeze.. __________________ 91 LX 'work in progress' previous stangs; lightly modded 84GT 81 2.3 converted to 302 auto

07-01-2002, 02:12 PM	#8
tarmon8r Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: manassas, va Posts: 186	i have personally had new radiator caps be bad out of the packaging. go to a repair shop and ask if they could pressure test your cap and cooling system. will tell you if cap is bad and if you have a leak somewhere else ( head gasket as you are conserned, but i doubt it). i think you can pick one up at a parts store also.

07-01-2002, 02:24 PM	#9
tarmon8r Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: manassas, va Posts: 186	a few more tricks for you to try: 1. 160 dgree high flow thermostat 2. drill 1/8 diameter holes ( approx. 6) around the outside of the thermostat you have know to flow more water. 3. make sure you are getting full advance from your distributor while you are at crusing speed. they do go bad. running retarded will cause your motor to run hot. 4. havn't heard of this one until lately at a mustang club meeting, but do you have your front valance on the front of your car. it is the plastic peice under your radiatior. it is perpendicular withthe road and your car. what happens as it is expalined to me is if it is not there, at crusing speed, the air that goes under your car sucks there air out from in front of the radiator and it doesnt go through the radiator, especially on the 79-86 cars. 5. high flow water pump. good luck i am dealing with something simaliar. and let me know if any of those suggestions helped you and by how much.

07-01-2002, 03:16 PM	#10
Dark Knight Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1998 Location: Az Posts: 854	a couple things too.. you DO have the fan shroud right? it you dont, get one... also is it the right water pump? yours should have a reverse rotation pump.. if you have an older one.. it's running backwards.... BTW... .060 over is WAY thin on a 302..it's going to run hotter than normal... I wouldnt try to run alot of HP in it... __________________ 84 convt,roller 302,AFR's, performer 3.55's, underdrives BBK shorties stock cam, 1.7's 13.58@102.84 and a '68 stang .. project 8 sec street car... 557 big block + N20 :-) http://members.cox.net/darkknight302/68nwrear.jpg Last edited by Dark Knight; 07-01-2002 at 03:23 PM..

07-03-2002, 08:38 AM	#11
jerrys84 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: minnesota Posts: 129	yippee (i hope)!!! well after much *** scratching, i think we got it.. (granted the temp outside right now is only 80). went to the local speed shop (TNT Specialties) and bought a Autometer temp guage and a Mr Gasket hi-flow stat. car ran 179-185 degrees on the way into work this morning.. we will see what happens tonight on the way home, but even idling last night it only ran 189 or so.. thanks for all the help guys.... __________________ 91 LX 'work in progress' previous stangs; lightly modded 84GT 81 2.3 converted to 302 auto

07-03-2002, 01:33 PM	#12
tarmon8r Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: manassas, va Posts: 186	so jerry what did you do anyway? just the thermostat?you had all of those suggestions. did you do any of them?and did you try any of them and they actually helped and which ones did you notice that helped? __________________ 1983 mustang, 393 cubic inch stroker small block, victor jr heads and intake, gold race 1.6 roller rockers. comp cam 304, 244@ .050. .576" hydralic retro roller cam,lunati rods. block was o-ringed,10:1 forged pistons, speed pro fit fit rings, clevite bearings,msd distributor and igniton,be cool huge radiator, black lite electric fan, march underdrive pulleys, mildon deep sump oil pan, mac 1 3.4" long tube headers, 3" dr gas x-pipe and mac exhaust,ARP bolts. car weighs 2900 lbs w/out driver, sub frames, weld wheels, mickey thompson sportsman pro 26 x 10.5 x 15's,#8 fuel line steel braided

07-03-2002, 04:19 PM	#13
jerrys84 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: minnesota Posts: 129	tarmon i was running straight water (which everyone sez works the best for cooling), i added 50/50 coolant and installed the 180 highflow... 1 i did try the 160 stat, it ran 200+. 2 i triple checked the timing and am running a brand new distributer i could'nt see replacing my water pump yet, it's brand new.. the guy at the race shop also told me they get 10-20 degree drop using watter wetter in their race cars?? so whatever that's worth.. __________________ 91 LX 'work in progress' previous stangs; lightly modded 84GT 81 2.3 converted to 302 auto

07-03-2002, 06:53 PM	#14
srv1 Get down..... Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Room 103 Posts: 2,095	jerry are you still overheating? it seems to me you have done all the basics. do a cylinder leak down test. that will give you an answer. __________________ Cobra brakes are on! Finally..... ------------------------------------------------

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