Cooling Help!!

[RichV]

Figured I'd ask my knuckedragger brothers for some help...

I'll be getting a new radiator for CMC71 and was wondering if there are any specific name brands preferred over others. I looked at the Jegs/Summit and I'm expecting to shell out 2-300, unless that's not good enough.

Any suggestions? Would Leary stock those? I'm looking at the aluminum stuff, 2 or 3 core?

Thanks!!

[mustang1988]

My Mustang overheated, again, even after changing hoses and thermostat (I put in a 180). So, someday after all my safety items are done in the car I'm looking at installing a Fluidyne. The least expensive I've found is from an online company I don't anything about, called Absolute Radiator (so, if anybody has dealt with them, let me know, thnx). This one is still 2 core, but supposedly the best fit w/o mods (that is important to me). Also, I've heard good things about Fluidyne.
http://www.absoluteradiator.com/ProductPage.asp?idProd=110

[RichV]

That does look like a nice one Paul. And the price is good too.

I want to make sure it's a one time purchase. :D

[joestang]

Interesting Rich.
After we talked last night, I was reading this month's "Modified Mustangs" and it was talking about cooling cars. I think the focus was on S197's, and extra cooling needed for power adders, but none the less, it talked about cooling. It was mentioning buy a $5-$10 do-hicky (technical term) that you can measure your cooling ratio of coolant to water. Not sure if it does the same for Water Wetter. Also talked about different hoses you can use that'll assist in keeping the temps down.

Sidenote: "Modified Mustangs" had quite a bit of articles about road racing, WHOO HOO! Especially the new FR500C and FR500S out on the track and in the Miller Cup.

[RagingAardvark]

Sidenote: "Modified Mustangs" had quite a bit of articles about road racing, WHOO HOO! Especially the new FR500C and FR500S out on the track and in the Miller Cup.

Yeah, the couple issues I bought had at least one road racer and an article each month. I had to stop buying it when Beth caught me eyeing up her baby with catalogs and articles in my hands ;)

[BADVENM]

Speaking of Learys, does anyone know if they sell ballast...say 150 pounds of it?

I was gonna stop by and talk to them but if anyone knows it would save me a trip.

OK, back to Richs cooling issues.

[Mustcone347]

after 10 years battleing temps in the mustang the solution is.

Ron Davis tripple pass Radiator.....500.00
Stewart Stage 3 or 4 waterpump........350.00
CR radiator fill neck inserted in upper radiator hose allowing air to be purged at the cooling systems highest point. Mustangs are notorius for air pockets which can cause overheating.

BTW the water pump is expensive but it flows 3 to 4 times what the stock one can and this makes all the difference.

I used to see water temps from 240 to 260.leading to short engine life.

Now I see 220 at the worst(Pueblo at 100f+) and that is dissapated to 180f in just the cool down lap.

THis setup also helped oil temp by 40 to 50 degrees

Malcolm

[FOXBAT]

Ron Davis...You get more than you paid for...

[bobcowan]

Not a Mustang, but pretty close. And a much bigger engine (427W).

Griffien two row radiator. Stock Mustang size.
Edelbrock alum pump
High flow 180* thermostat with the hole.
Off the shelf corrugated lower hose,
stock mustang upper hose.
In line filler neck, 16# cap.
20% anti-freeze with a surfactent.
simple recovery can
No heater lines. Stock bypass hose in place.

It might get as high as 220*. But it comes right back to 180* or so on the cool down lap.

Any air pockets in the sytem will cause problems. Make sure to burp it well.

It's important that all the air passes through the core. Block off any open side panels. Seal the hood to radiator support area. Seal around the radiator.

If all that is in good shape and you still have a heat problem, you should look in other areas - too much timing, lean mixture, leaking head gasket.

[abacab]

Ron Davis...You get more than you paid for...
What he said.

My old Rustang club in Phoenix swore by them. Custom made and very capable of handling the desert heat.

(623) 877-5000

[RichV]

Bob, you mentioned something interesting. Bypassing your heater. On my SBF, there is a line that comes out of the H2O pump that normaly would from the heater core, and the supply is off the intake. Do I need to bypass that line? Or, can the line just be blocked? Mine is blocked, but I wonder if the bypass creates more flow to the radiator.

[MHISSTC]

Rich,

The Great Pumpkin has the stock radiator with the stock water pump. Before this last weekend we drained the coolant/antifreeze and refilled it with water and "10 minute radiator flush" It actually took us about an hour to complete the system flush as the thermostat cycled open and shut before we got the water to run out clear. We followed that up with a container of water pump lube, Redline Water Wetter and distilled water to top it all off. We had no temperature concerns during the racing last weekend. We only have the stock temp gauge, so all I can tell you is it stayed in the NORMAL range. Dave can tell you more about what letters were indicated and when.

Blocking any coolant lines sounded like a bad idea to us since it appeared that doing so would prevent some coolant flow through the intake, so our missing heater core is "bypassed". We used the existing multi-bend hoses that route the coolant hardlines running along the side of the intake back to the heater core, flipped them around and hooked them together with an adapter fitting that was about $1 at the local parts store.

Scott

[Mustcone347]

blocking the bypass lines is a given and get rid of the thermostat we usually use a restrictor to regulate flow/temp by trial an error.

you dissapate heat most efficiently through volume of water moved. Restricting the flow with a thermostat will reduce this efficiency.

more water, more water, more water.

[RichV]

Is there anything special for the restrictor? Or can I just use a thermostat with the guts cut out?

[BADVENM]

Rich,

The Great Pumpkin has the stock radiator with the stock water pump. Before this last weekend we drained the coolant/antifreeze and refilled it with water and "10 minute radiator flush" It actually took us about an hour to complete the system flush as the thermostat cycled open and shut before we got the water to run out clear. We followed that up with a container of water pump lube, Redline Water Wetter and distilled water to top it all off. We had no temperature concerns during the racing last weekend. We only have the stock temp gauge, so all I can tell you is it stayed in the NORMAL range. Dave can tell you more about what letters were indicated and when.

Blocking any coolant lines sounded like a bad idea to us since it appeared that doing so would prevent some coolant flow through the intake, so our missing heater core is "bypassed". We used the existing multi-bend hoses that route the coolant hardlines running along the side of the intake back to the heater core, flipped them around and hooked them together with an adapter fitting that was about $1 at the local parts store.

Scott

Water temperature was up to the "A" in the stock "NORMAL" range on the gauge. I was somewhat concerned as I hadnt seen the temp this high but its also the first time we've run the car in that kind of heat for 20-30 minute sessions.

I was given a free Suntune water temp gauge the other day, maybe we can add it along with a few more gauges to get us closer to weight :D

Speaking of Great Pumpkin, I saw we had a new person register with the same name...who is this? :)

[bobcowan]

Bob, you mentioned something interesting. Bypassing your heater. On my SBF, there is a line that comes out of the H2O pump that normaly would from the heater core, and the supply is off the intake. Do I need to bypass that line? Or, can the line just be blocked? Mine is blocked, but I wonder if the bypass creates more flow to the radiator.


I just blocked it. It doesn't affect radiator flow at all.

We all know that turning the heater on when the engine is hot will help to reduce engine heat. The heater core is just another small radiator. I suppose if you really needed to you could hook up a couple of heater cores in the engine bay for an auxillary radiator. But if you build your cooling system right, you wouldn't need to.

[mustang1988]

Speaking of cooling, is there anyway to tell if the thermostat is working? I put in a new one as well as the small hose that goes from the water pump to the thermostat housing and noticed the engine seemed hot, but the radiator not so hot. It seemed that water was not flowing thru the block as well as it should have. The new thermostat was 180 instead of stock 195.
Thnx.

[BADVENM]

Speaking of cooling, is there anyway to tell if the thermostat is working? I put in a new one as well as the small hose that goes from the water pump to the thermostat housing and noticed the engine seemed hot, but the radiator not so hot. It seemed that water was not flowing thru the block as well as it should have. The new thermostat was 180 instead of stock 195.
Thnx.

Could there have been an air bubble in the system?

[RichV]

I ordered up a new radiator, oil cooler, and a oil temp gauge. The radiator is probably gonna make the most difference. Who knows how many coolant passages are clogged up in mine. The coolant seems to get discolored after running it for a while, that's gotta be a sign of crud. The block is a new rebuild, so I think the contaminants are in the radiator.

[mustang1988]

Could there have been an air bubble in the system?

Quite possible, and I believe I start/run it with the cap off and watch the level as the thermostat is suppose to open to let air out? I'm also thinking of making the hose a little shorter as it might be kinked, right now it is a pretty tight bend, might be restricting flow. :confused:
I don't want to ruin the motor before I get to CMC.

[MHISSTC]

It's been 20+ years since I've checked a thermostat, but here's how I did it.

I put a saucepan full of water on the stove with a candy thermometer and the thermostat in it and watched the temperature climb on the thermometer as I heated the water. Sure enough, right as the temperature reached the number stamped on the thermostat, *BING* she opened up. I removed the pan from the heat and watched the thermostat close again as the temperature dropped back down.

It was a cool thing to do on a dateless night as a teeneager.

[ker]

It's been 20+ years since I've checked a thermostat, but here's how I did it.

I put a saucepan full of water on the stove with a candy thermometer and the thermostat in it and watched the temperature climb on the thermometer as I heated the water. Sure enough, right as the temperature reached the number stamped on the thermostat, *BING* she opened up. I removed the pan from the heat and watched the thermostat close again as the temperature dropped back down.

It was a cool thing to do on a dateless night as a teeneager.

heck i did this on a date :eek: