FE Cooling issue

[Racer_X]

That has to be it. 1 very clean cylinder as a result of steam cleaning.

[undy]

Take a close look at the corresponding bore too. Steam/water cleans oil off cylinder walls... BIG TIME. I'd be looking for signs of cylinder wall scuffing and general poor ring sealing. Let's hope that's not the case...

[951mat]

I guess a compression test would be a good idea before I tear it down. Would doing it cold still give any good information?

Mat

[Racer_X]

probably not as the head gasket is most likely the culprit and it won't produce descent compression numbers.

[951mat]

OK, a couple more questions. Side pipes are off the car and passenger side header is off too with plugs pulled. I'm still thinking #6 is the culprit. #5&6 cylinders build same pressure on compression tester (cold) for what its worth (~150+ psi) I'm thinking at temp and load a small leak can still be opening up vs cold. The temp will jump when I hit the go pedal (for 3-4 seconds) on the highway almost instantly, then cool slowly.

Tonight I put a pressure tester on the radiator, its holding like a jug. I do have a big exhaust leak on the header (#6) up next to the head. Lots of soot on the flange of the header. I know the exhaust blows out, but can you suck air in there as well to clean all the soot from that header tube as well as thru the collector on the sidepipe. Thats the white tube I showed earlier. Oh yea, on the exhaust port itself, there is what looks like a white scale deposit on the lower side of the port, like water sitting there leaving a deposit. All other exhaust ports are just black.
Just trying to be 110% sure the head needs to come off.


Mat

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by 951mat

... on the exhaust port itself, there is what looks like a white scale deposit on the lower side of the port, like water sitting there leaving a deposit. All other exhaust ports are just black. Just trying to be 110% sure the head needs to come off.

Pics of that would be helpful, but I can't see how the head is not going to have to come off.

[951mat]

Here's a pic thru the driver side gill. You can see the 6,7,8 exhaust ports. #6 did have a big exhaust leak as I mentioned before.

[lovehamr]

Yup, sorry dude but I'd yank it.

Steve

[Michael C Henry]

Once I had the head(s) off I'd also have them checked . For flatness ,cracks et. As you remove the intake manifold look for any sign of coolant leaking at front head to manifold area. I had a time with FelPro print-o-seal gaskets leaking. Head gaskets, the blocked water passages go to the front (both sides). Coolant is pushed rearward by coolant pump through block around cylinders, Coolant then rises through open rear coolant passage in the head gaskets and starts moving forward in the heads, Coolant then circulates into the front of intake manifold to collect at thermostat area. Chrysler products use a thermostat that has a large valve as GM and will fit the large thermostat socket in Ford manifold. The OE thermostat has a large body but a small valve. Do not abandon the thermostat bypass below the thermostat from block to coolant pump, otherwise coolant stops circulating in the engine completly untill the thermostat opens. A small hole up high point in thermostat helps get the air out of engine coolant system especially when refilling coolant. Also makes sure that the thermostat is in the flow of the hottest coolant so it will open and send that hot coolant to the radiator.
My brother in law had a 84 F250 Coolant recovery tank all ways empty and antifreeze all over the place. Turns out the thermostat bypass hose between intake manifold and top of coolant pump had an internal blister. It completely shut off coolant flow untill enough hot coolant at thermostat collected and then the thermostat would open violently. Coolant temps at rear of the engine were even higher causing really hot coolant to rush into radiator and then opening the pressure cap release valve to discharge hot coolant violently into the coolant recovery tank.
I'm using the old style surge tank with a closed system cap and then a coolant recovery tank to collect expanded hot coolant being pushed out of engine system when up to temp and then refill it's self when cooling.

[951mat]

Well, I think I have my engine as sorted out as it can be right now. The first thing I did was fix my massive exhaust leaks at both header flanges and driver side header. I actually think that has reduced temps under the hood dramatically. I have mouted a shroud that keeps air from running over the laid back radiator. I've also re insalled my oil cooler. I know thats not altogether necessary for most street engines, but in Tulsa right now, I think its a good thing. I do think its mainly an airflow issue. I noticed earlier that with the hood proped open some the temp seemed to settle a bit. I've given up getting it to run at 185 right now since its 100 degrees at 10PM most nights right now. currently is cruised down the highway at ~195. In traffic it may warm to 210, but I think it maintains right there. If I do anything in the future, I might consider that 800HP radiator and find a bigger fan, but all in all I think I'm OK considering the rediculous heat we have right now. I'll find out at Hallett on Aug 6,7 how it handles the heat on the track. A little worried about that but I'll take a large cooler of beer in case the car overheats, or I do. Thanks for all the help guys.

[BAsque1]

Originally Posted by RICK LAKE

951Mat Here is some of the things to check. All these thing helped drop my coolant temps.
Start with the radiator, straight up and down help let the most air throught it without fan assistance. The more the angle the less the flow of air with out the fan running all the time. I have found that the splitter that ERA sell with the car work well. I like the look of the 2 small fans in the front but they don't do alot to move the air through the Radiator. They also block the air flow to the rad. Choice is yours on this.
Hoses, Are you running all rubber hose on the bottom line or steel with short turns. I have found that this hose will collapse when the motor is running if it doesn't have a wire support. Exhaust pipe works great for this run with just 2 short turns on the ends. Same applies for upper hose, more steel less rubber.
Pulleys, who's are you running??? If they are March, you will have a heating problem at Idle I went through the same problem of 215-225f at idle. March sells pulleys that slow down the speed of the water pump and Alt. This is the wrong way to go. You want to look at the custom Kirkham pulley set they sell. Water pump and crank shaft are the same size, look great and increase flow on the water pump. I would have to measure but 6" upper and lower are about the correct size.
Intake manifold gaskets and ports for coolant flow. Depending on who's manifold you are using, some need to have the grinder used to clean out the coolant passages. You can gasket match with the intake gasket and go in about 1" and clean out the scale. Becareful to not remove too much and cause a leak. Just good cleanup. Intake gaskets, if you are using the 1247 ones they slide down and partially block off the flow between heads and manifold. They should be RTV or High-Tac into the correct position on the intake manifold and allowed to dry before installing. This applies with the return on the oil from the heads too. Trim the gasket to make sure you get a clear return.
Thermo stats I use BB dodge RB motor ones and trim about 2mm off the outside edge. The hole is about a 1/2" larger than the FE one they sell. This means alot more flow through it. 2, 1/8" holes in the housing for air to get out on the motor. If you can find a garage with a vacuum coolant machine this works the best with removing the air and complete fill of coolant.
The last thing is getting a pressure gauge hooked to the coolant system, This is a long shot, a small leak of the headgasket. This would be the last thing to go through. This would be IF you have felpro 1020 gasket in the motor. Look for an funny looking crud on the inside of the valve covers, could be either side. AGAIN this would be last and sending out the heads for a pressure test.
The coolant mix has been talked about. I use 50/50% and 1 bottle of waterwetter.
Do you have the headers rapped or heat coatings on them? A big problem is getting the heat from under the hood area. I run to small fans that pull the heat from under the hood and go out the side vents in the fenders. Brings the temp down about 15-20 degrees.
Start with the thermostat going larger in flow and hoses and see what happens. I think with the thermostat, hoses and correct pulleys for speed of the water pump this should bring down your temps in the motor. Good luck Ps some of the guys park their cobra with the nose up on jack stand to help get all the air out of the coolant system and get a complete fill of coolant, it's a free trick. Rick l. Ps I have an Aluminum motor and went through all that is posted above to get my motor to idle in the 180's and race in the 205-210f range. I am also running a Griffen rad in my car after pulling the copper one from ERA. I was looking for lower readings too.

Hi Rick:
Maybe you can shed some light my way. I have a West Coast Cobra with a 427 FE side oiler. The engine is now running between 180-200, however, in traffic is another story. I have the std. pulleys (not March pulleys) I have the 50-50 coolant + the water wetter. I do not have the headers wrapped up in heat dissipating material, only the starter is wrapped. I think at this juncture that my problem is gas boiling off. The other day I adjusted the floats to Holley specs I have a 770cfm single quad. The gas system is mechanical constant 7lbs of pressure, the filter has a brand new 100 micron element, the timing is fine, I have an idle speed of 1100rpms. All this said if I run for an hour and turn the car off, it is hell to get it started again, this past sunday was hot out ane we went for a drive the car stalled in the middle of traffic and while I was able to start it within a few minutes this is not acceptable and could be plain hazzardous. I am thinking about wrapping the gas lines and perhaps install a cool can, planning on an MSD ignition module and coil. I don't know what else to do . By the way I also installed a 1/2" phenolic spacer (highest I can go for hood clearance). I also have double electric fans behind the radiator which normally go on and off as the temp rises. Your thoughts...