water temps climb at idle

[yellow wagon]

The last 2 shows I have been 2 have had POOR parking practices. Not uncommon to have to sit for 10 minutes or so just creeping along in gear in this humidity. The last straw was friday night...around 5:30pm. 80 degrees, no breeze, dew point damn near 70 I think. REALLY sticky. Saw water temp get up almost to 230 right about when I parked her.

Here is my set-up:
.030 327
roller cam (not sure exact specs)
Harrison radiator
stock shroud
flex-a-lite fan (no clutch)
edelbrock water pump
holley double pumper
Howard 180 degree thermostat
MSD mech advance distributor
AC45s plugs

The tune seems to be right on based on my plugs...I'm thinking it might be time for a recore of the radiator. I noticed some corrosion in there yesterday when I popped the cap off. Any other thoughts? Maybe just flush it and refill first?

 

[rstreet]

A couple of things in your list to check. Vacuum advance is important in low speed applications especially heating/cooling. Mechanical will work but it's easier with vacuum advance.
The second thing is with the flex fan; it is important that the depth of the blades in the shroud is correct. A rough rule is 1/3 to 2/3rds insertion. The fan shouldn't be totally in or out.
Most of the temperature items will have to be corrected one at a time but the two biggest is timing and fan depth IMO.
robert

 

[yellow wagon]

good tips. I know the mechanical advance is probably hurting me on these hot days but 95% of the time, it works just fine. Has actually worked REALLY well for me.

I'll see if I can snap a photo of the fan/shroud from the side and see what you guys think of how that's mounted. Off the top of my head when I put everything back together I want to say its about 1/2 way into the shroud. No more, no less.

 

[yellow wagon]

what methods of flushing the radiator have you guys used? Vinager and water? ANy off the shelf brands seem to work?

 

[rstreet]

I have used Prestone with good success but make sure it isn't the aggressive clean product. I would rather do 2 applications than dissolve a heater core
robert

 

[jester]

core

Been there, done that.

 

[JimKwiatkowski]

what methods of flushing the radiator have you guys used? Vinager and water? ANy off the shelf brands seem to work?

I would take the radiator to a radiator shop and have them clean the radiator,if its pluged you might need a re-core or new radiator.If your running stock exhaust manifold you might have a stuck heat riser.How long have you owned your car and has it always run hot ?

 

[Phil Reed]

Jason...........I have always been under the assumption if you overheated driving down the road, it was a radiator problem. If you overheated standing still, it was a fan blade or shroud problem.

Good luck either way in your trouble shooting.

 

[rstreet]

Jason...........I have always been under the assumption if you overheaded driving down the road, it was a radiator problem. If you overheated standing still, it was a fan blade or shroud problem.

Good luck either way in your trouble shooting.

Phil: I agree with that as a good starting point and is usually correct but I have experienced a reduction in idle heat with a good radiator shop cleaning.
robert

 

[yellow wagon]

it runs nice when driving (airflow). But as soon as I try and sit for a few minutes on a hot day idling forward (no airflow) she gets hot. I didn't even boil over but she was hot.

It runs 190 on the money usually at cruise. Maybe 200 around town doing 30mph-ish. Maybe even a lil cooler than 190 on the freeway...like 185. Usually the temps will creep just a little bit sitting at a stoplight but then once moving again they come back down. Last friday night she hit 230 once I got into the show and parked. :

 

[yellow wagon]

I would take the radiator to a radiator shop and have them clean the radiator,if its pluged you might need a re-core or new radiator.If your running stock exhaust manifold you might have a stuck heat riser.How long have you owned your car and has it always run hot ?

I've had the car about 3 years now. I'd say it has run about the same since I've owned it. HOW hot it runs depends on length of time idling/sitting etc....I think last year once I got the car road worthy and started taking it to shows I just got lucky and got in and parked faster than this year.

No stock manifolds, Hedmann headers.

 

[yellow wagon]

I have used Prestone with good success but make sure it isn't the aggressive clean product. I would rather do 2 applications than dissolve a heater core
robert

I saw the Super Flush and the Clean product at the auto parts store last night...I'll go with the super flush

 

[skipxt4]

Jason: Don't forget to backflush the heater core. Car's that aren't driven much, tend to build up crud, in there. Skip

 

[DonSSDD]

What are you using for a gauge? If it hasn't boiled over, maybe its reading wrong?
Don

 

[yellow wagon]

Jason: Don't forget to backflush the heater core. Car's that aren't driven much, tend to build up crud, in there. Skip

the heater core isn't even hooked up Skip

 

[yellow wagon]

What are you using for a gauge? If it hasn't boiled over, maybe its reading wrong?
Don

Autometer mechanical temp gauge in the intake next to the thermostat housing. Installed last fall

 

[rwagon57]

I think this a flow issue. A smaller diameter water pump pulley will create more air and coolant flow at idle speeds, there by improving cooling. All the symptoms you describe point to low air and or coolant flow at idle.

JimK has posted a lot of good info on this problem and may even have the part number for the smaller pulley.

 

[yellow wagon]

I think this a flow issue. A smaller diameter water pump pulley will create more air and coolant flow at idle speeds, there by improving cooling. All the symptoms you describe point to low air and or coolant flow at idle.

JimK has posted a lot of good info on this problem and may even have the part number for the smaller pulley.

I think you are on to something here....The radiator is getting cleaned/flushed tonight if I have time or tomorrow if not. Then It'll go back in the car ready for another test to see if cleaning her out will help any. Its supposed to be 93 and humid saturday so it should be a good test day. I think it may need that smaller water pump pulley that you mentioned.

 

[MRHP]

Being in Wisconsin, what is the freeze point of your coolant. The higher the freeze point, the worse the heat transfer is. Too much coolant will make a car run warm.

 

[yellow wagon]

good point also.....I'm thinking a 50/50 mix might be too much coolant...