Hot Running Windsor based 427 FFR Roadster

[jhv48]

First, make sure your timing is spot on. Retarded timing will raise temps.
Thermostat should be a 180 degree thermostat. Not the problem here.

Sounds like Air is still in the system. If the water temp climbs to 210 degrees and sits there, there's a pocket of air sitting around your sensor and the water is turning to steam. Do a search on getting rid of the air in your cooling system and follow it.

[DanEC]

Originally Posted by jhv48

First, make sure your timing is spot on. Retarded timing will raise temps.

I don't think 210 is anything to get too anxious about but I second checking your timing. I suspect you may not be running a vacuum advance unit as that seems to be pretty common with a lot of Cobra motors. If not, then initial timing could be very critical to your engine keeping it's cool. If not running vacuum advance the distributor needs to have the centrifugal advance limited so somewhere around 15 to 18 degrees initial timing can be run.

If you are running vacuum advance it should be hooked up to manifold vacuum and not a ported vacuum outlet. My 66 Corvette was set up by GM for ported vacuum advance but by just switching it to manifold vacuum I dropped the engine operating temperature significantly.

[TButtrick]

Can you snap a picture of your Tstat housing to Filler to Radiator setup and post? Picture might get you further down the road to a solution more quickly. The filler has an important dimension between the top mating surface and the bottom pressure relief seal surface. If it aint right, you could be sucking in air while you're driving instead of your reserve coolant at rest. There's been some sound advice given here so tell us what you've done so far. Small blocks and Windsors are notorious for needing a good burp. Does your temp spike and go back to Tstat temp a few times up and down during the first few miles or does it steadily rise and stay there no matter?

At only 6.5 miles, your gonna run a little hot during break-in as the engine is working harder than it ever will when mating surfaces get acquainted. What oil are using for break-in?