Another cooling problem

[Anonymous]

Hello six members,

I to am having cooling problems also. I live in Mariposa California and the temp is 102 EVERYDAY!! I am in the process of putting on a fan shroud on Saturday. I have a 66 200 thermactor motor and a fairly new three row radiator (I hit a deer in mid january) I recently put some water weter in the radiator and it helped somebut it runs at 3/4 of the way on the temp gauge. The engine only has 14,000 miles on it rebuilt, what should i do?? Nasty N8

 

[CZLN6]

Howdy Nate:

And welcome to the Forum. When it's this hot, your engine will run hotter too. Are you running AC? How new is your thermostat? What temp? What kind of driving? Now new is your lower readiator hose? How long since you've lushed the block? What are you using for coolant? What is your initial timing set at? What kind of fan? Auto or standard trans?

A shroud will help, in slow traffic especially.

You might consider a diverter under the radiator support. I'm looking at one from a Taurus. It is a plastic dam that hangs down, causing a high pressure in front and putting more air through the radiator. It also causes a low pressure behind it pulling hot engine compartment air down and away.

I think I heard the California heat wave is almost over.

Adios, David

 

[Anonymous]

I am not running Ac or power components (Steering/brakes) The Thermostat is fairly new i do not remember when i installed it. It is a daily driver with steep mountains. I think i will need a new lower radiator hose. I have never flushed the block (Hopefully the last owner did). The coolant is 60 water 40 coolant with a water weter. Since the motor is a thermactor, the standard ford shop manuel says to run it at top dead center. It is a four blade fan with a standard three speed. Thanks David

 

[69Falcon]

Please forgive my ignorance, but what is a "thermactor engine" and why would you need to run it at TDC?

 

[wallaka]

Thermactor was the emissions package. TDC was factory specs, and the reason to run it there is emissions, not for performance or gas mileage.

 

[ludwig]

You can take the Thermactor system off. It's basically an air injection system. By now that charcoal can is probably a container of dust. Block off the holes with threaded brass plugs and set it to non-Thermactor spec.

 

[JackFish]

I thought the thermactor crap didn't come out 'til the 70's.
This stuff is on a '66?
Even if so, the California emissions for the '78 and up was 6*BTDC, and 8* for the other 48 states, according to my Fairmont manual.

Just checked my Ford Falcon Straight Six 1964-70 Autobook, and it calls for 6* advance.

 

[CZLN6]

Howdy bck All:

The '66 Calif. Emmissions 200, in addition to the air pump, got a smaller venturi carb, reduced compression and retarded ignition. It also got rid of the Load-a-Matic distributor in favor of a points type distributor with both centrifugal and vacuum advance.

Given the info you just shared, I'd bet your A/F is on the lean side and your lack of initial advance is adding to the engine heat. If I were in your shoes, I'd be trying 6 degrees of initial advance to see what effect it has.

A good carb upgrade would be an Autolite 1101 from a '69 Mustang with a 250 engine.

Your lower radiatior hose could be adding to the problem is it is cavitating at all. I'd replace it to be safe.

Keep us posted on your progress.

Adios, David

 

[CobraSix]

Just to play devil's advocate, you talk about the gauge, and I assume you mean the stock POS that is in there, right? In all honesty, to get a true idea of if and how much your car is really overheating, you need to run a mechanical gauge. The Temp. Sending Units can vary wildly from one to the other. Take mine for instance. I had one that would read 3/4 of the way to Hot and the mechanical only would read 180*F. I put another TSU in and it would read the same 180*F at 1/3 from Cold.

So before you go spending tons of money to find the overheating, make sure it is overheating. If you are really fast with your hands, you can do this without having to drain the system. Just have a catch pan under the block, the most you should lose is like 1 cup.

Slade

 

[Anonymous]

Thank you for all the tips you guys are truly helpful. I put in the fan shroud and it did help. I guess it is either the temp sending unit or the gauge. I will replace the temp sending unit and let you know what happens.

 

[Anonymous]

Well i put in a mechanical gauge and it runs good now a comfortable 170 up and down hills. I DEEPLY appreciate all the help you guys have given me. I think i need to invest in a book from david Also how would i remove my thermactor parts?