ok i have a 383 with aluminum heads, headers, and a high flow water pump. i currently am running no thermostat because when i do on a semi hot day it will overheat. i used to run a 165* stat. i have the third gen rad from summit that is supposed to fit our cars but dont without mods so mine is tilted a little bit...to lazy to cut and weld since i dont know how to lower the supports. in front of the rad i have a oil cooler mounted to help with oil temps. i have a stock dual elect. fan set up mounted behind rad pulling air towards the motor. and another of the same type of fan mounted in front of the oil cooler pushin air towards the oil cooler and rad. on my way to work in the morning i ran around 160 at 65* outside temp. on my way home i was pushing 240 by the time i got home from being in stop and go traffic. at 85* outside temp. which also put my oil temp close to 235*. also my fans are hooked up so they are all on all the time. it just seems like i can never just keep this under control these are all new parts except the fans but they seem fine. when my 305 was in with the stock rad it never ran above 165* with a 195* stat. this engine has roughly 2000 miles on it. any ideas on how to tame this firebreathing beast?

 

You didn't by chance remove the black flap under the radiator in the front did you?

 

i am unsure of what you are talking about i have a new chin on it but i am unsure of the flap you are mentioning... there is a black piece on each side of the rad too

 

also i have a 16# rad cap is this too high should it be lower? maybe 13#?

 

I'm talking about the black flap that is bolted in at the very front. It's right before the motor when you look under the car. Should be right under the radiator. That is there to keep air flowing into the radiator from under the car. If you removed that... You'll get heat

 

well there is nothing between the motor and the rad but in fron of the rad there is a black flap that is pointed which part of the chin bolts to. is this what you are mentioning and also does any1 know if a different rad cap may help and if so should i go higher or lower than the 16#?


also how much help would royal purple in the water and the pro blend engine oil cool in the oil help? i would think together they may help

 

bump

 

Just an idea, but did you switch to a serp belt setup?If you did but used the original waterpump the car will overheat, rotates the wrong way.

 

no i wish it was that simple any ideas on the rp and oil cool?

 

I have some ideas on the additives - find the problem first. most are not using this stuff and it cools just fine. Don't try masking the symtoms.

The thermostat will only cause it to overheat if it is stuck closed or near closed.

Check lower rad hose to see if collapsing.

Make sure your timing is correct.

Make sure you have good air flow.

Since it is a new engine could something have been in the water passages and has moved and is now restricting flow? Make sure pump is pumping by looking at water flow in radiator.

That should cover the major stuff - Water flow, air flow, timing. Maybe running too lean?

 

actually it runs rich at idle and doent pass idle emissions, there is no thermostat and lower rad hose is metal can't collapse timing could be off a little i dont know it hasnt been properly tuned by a performance shop yet. just a little short on cash.

 

not familiar with the metal hose - could the rubber inside it collapse?

 

no it is all metal no rubber at all