Cooling problems

[LaGrasta]

My car does not like the heat. Every time it's over 85°, my temp gauge is higher than it should be, often resulting in puking of the green stuff.

Notes:
Aluminum radiator ( I don't think it's clogged in any way)
Electric fan (set-up as a pusher, not ideal)
No mechanical fan due to lack of space with the alum rad.
Flushed system, but only with water

Fixes:
Could I have the rad cleaned and cored?
Should I try to find a low profile mechanical fan to fit?
Should I flush the system with a additive?

I have a recovery bottle hooked up, but it doesn't seem to matter if I use it or not, the system reacts the same. I also had the head rebuilt awhile ago due to a blown head gasket and maybe some gasket material got in the block, could that be the case, blocking a passage of some sort?

 

[CoupeBoy]

I'd start with the simple (very little downtime) options first
1. Mechanical temp gauge at the thermostat if you don't already have one
2. Replace the radiator cap
3. Replace the thermostat
4. How old are your hoses and are you 100% positive that your lower radiator hose has the 'anti-collapse' spring installed in it?

-ron

 

[Funky Cricket]

Same as above, and also make sure you have a fail open thermostat.
Definately check the lower hose for the anti-colapse spring (I had that issue, took me 3 weeks to figure it out).

I'd also, if that doesn't pan out, make sure you pumping water well. with it cold, take off the raditor cap and make sure your getting good flow, you should see the fluid moving around in there pretty quickly even at idle.
If it looks slow or erratic, somethings wrong.

I never had heat issues with mine, but I had the big 2 row radiator from the 80's on a fox body.

 

[LaGrasta]

Hoses are recently new along with the stat and cap. As for the anti-collapse spring, it doesn't have one. However I have never seen it collapsed, ever. The water pump was replaced when the head was rebuilt recently but I will check for flow like you suggest.

 

[ludwig]

Check your pump impeller as well. It could be slipping on the shaft.

Oh, and smaller belt wheel to make it go faster.

 

[66 Fastback]

I guess my post from earlier did not make it.

In addition to the other tips,
Check the ignition timing. Retarded timing = hot engine
Doug

 

[gtm1086]

A leaky head gasket can cause an overheat.

 

[fordconvert]

I guess my post from earlier did not make it.

In addition to the other tips,
Check the ignition timing. Retarded timing = hot engine
Doug

Strange, I am 99% sure I posted in this thread also......
At least I wont be the only one in the mental hospital or shopping for a new computer, which ever comes first.

 

[Vin Man]

My post to thread is also missing...

 

[Asa]

I have a recovery bottle hooked up, but it doesn't seem to matter if I use it or not, the system reacts the same. I also had the head rebuilt awhile ago due to a blown head gasket and maybe some gasket material got in the block, could that be the case, blocking a passage of some sort?

well, it's supposed to puke coolant into the recovery bottle, then when it cools it reclaims it, the entire purpose of the bottle

what is the temperature that it's doing this at? do you have a "cool-hot" gauge, or a gauge that actually tells you the temp?

 

[kukm66]

Anthony:

I suggest that you get a pressure test done. Close off your heater outlets from the engine. You had this nagging problem with the leaking coolant in the rear. Pressure is being lost and that is one of the main culprits for overheating on these engines.

After dealing with the above suggestions, make sure you have your hose clamps close to the ridge on the radiator outlet/inlet and tightened down very securely. I had this issue on my 289 Ranchero and found a Ford tech specialist who came over and after repositioning the clamps and securing them down, the overheating issue completely disappeared. These cooling systems MUST be pressure tight.

 

[LaGrasta]

I too have posted in threads only to find they never materialized. Strange...

As for the comments that are here, thank you as these are all great things for me to check. Some of which I have, but many others I haven't. I hope to explore all of these this weekend.

Off the top, I know I need to retard my timing, I'm almost positive I'm too far advanced.
I just retightened all the hose clamps.
The recovery bottle has been working fairly well, "giving and taking" as needed, but when the outside temp is above 85°, it fills and overflows sometimes like this past Monday.
My gauge works well, but is the stock one so no actual temp readings.
I'll swing over to Autozone and get their pressure tester and see what I have as well.

I'll report back... Thanks again everyone, great tips.

 

[ludwig]

Fuel mix that is too lean will lead to overheating. I know from personal experience. And timing that is far too advanced.

And make sure your cooling system is completely purged of air. Sometimes that takes a while with the cap off. I know that a trapped air bubble will purge the coolant and not suck it back in. I had that problem for a while.

 

[LaGrasta]

More troubleshooting has taken place. Outside temp at 60° in the morning, I can do 80mph all day. At 80°, it rises over mid point (twice as far as the morning drive) after 10-15 miles of high speed. When I finally get to my exit and drive through the neighborhood, it cools back down to normal. This tells me it's the water pump, no?

Clamps are good
recovery bottle seems to be working, full when hot, near empty when cool
heater works as it should
timing is correct, I retarded it to about 12° or so
With the rad cap off, I see water flowing, more so when I rev the engine. It's not a flowing river by any means, but it does move and react to the throttle.

I didn't do a pressure test as it seems pointless. I see no leaks, smell no antifreeze and if the water passages are blocked, it won't tell me that.

 

[Frankenstang]

Just a thought...an infrared thermometer may help you in checking the condition of the rad (cool spots in areas of the rad represent poor/no ciculation)...some are even laser guided 8) If you know anyone in the HVAC business, you can probably borrow one.
Good luck!

EDIT: Not much to go bad in a water pump, a bearing & a seal. If the bearing goes you usually get the associated roaring noise, or the shaft or housing break and you spit the belt...either way the seal is not usually far behind. If the seal goes you'll get major water purging out of the housing weep hole. Personally I chased a tempestuous over heating issue for way too long trying multiple solutions; thermostats, water pump, no thermostat, etc...till I sprung for a new rad ...then I had to go to a 195* thermostat to get it to run warm enough. I'm not going to say for sure it's the rad because these engines are prone to building massive scale in the block that could also impede flow&cooling.
EDIT 2: I'm edit happy...I also had what appeared to be decent flow in the top tank from looking with the cap off, but that couldn't tell me how many rows were clogged...this is where a IR thermometer might help

 

[mustang6]

Assuming the internals are OK- waterpump, thermostat, head gasket, fuel-air ratio, timing:

Overheating that gets worse at low speeds is usually caused by airflow problems, overheating that occurs at high speeds is usually caused by cooling system capacity/flow problems- sometimes by a collapsing hose but in my experience 9 times out of 10 it is coolant flow through the radiator.

Frankenstang's idea of using an infrared thermometer is excellent. Drive it up to your overheat situation and then pull over. Point and shoot at 6 or 8 equally spaced spots on the radiator. If you get unequal results (I'm betting you will), a radiator boilout or replacement is needed.

 

[Stubby]

Hoses are recently new along with the stat and cap. As for the anti-collapse spring, it doesn't have one. However I have never seen it collapsed, ever. The water pump was replaced when the head was rebuilt recently but I will check for flow like you suggest.

You might not see it happen. It will happen when the RPMs are higher. The thermostat should be the restriction and you will have a high pressure side between the pump and stat. You will have a low pressure side between the stat and pump suction. The high and low pressure zones are variable with RPMs. High gets higher and low gets lower. The hose can't be viewed when it is most likely to colapse.

When the radiator gets stopped up (I don't think yours is) the high side iextends to the upper tank on the radiator. This will push water or steam past the cap. Again, most likely at speed.

Another thing that can happen is air restriction thru the radiator caused by a poorly designed fan. I have seen many V8 cars that you could run, "at speed"without a fan. You couldn't stop for long, but the faster you traveled, the cooler it got. Maybe you can find an Old School louvered hood to let more air out. 8)

You might consider putting some of the dye in the radiator that checks for combustion gasses, then move on to water circulation and air flow.

 

[karfer67]

timing makes a huge difference. i just bumped mine a bit and it does run about 10 hotter and once it gets really warm outside i might have to bring it back a bit but no ping so i am good. i would toss a light on it and see where your at. also a temp guage is manditory i think. also when you fill it do you fill it all the way to the top when cold? i noticed when i did this then would stop a bit would run out till it got to a level it liked. also some aluminum rads from what i understand are more for race than dailly driving, it has something with the way they are internally designed.

 

[LaGrasta]

I have a friend with a point & shoot temp gauge. I'll swing by his place and see about the hot and cool spots within the radiator.

In addition, I'll see about finding a lower radiator hose with an anti-collapse spring inside.

 

[Stubby]

That will be good insurance, if nothing else.