Cooling Problem, can you help?

[WicKeD_SS]

Hey lat-g,

I think I have a cooling issue. I have a 396 BB with a high flow alum water pump, alum summit brand radiator with a single 16" elec fan and I blocked off the hose that goes from intake to water pump(I have no idea why I did that). I have only driven the car a few times but here is whats going on......

just driving accross town she gets over 210 degrees. I drove it home and two blocks from my house, I looked at the gauge and it was very very close to 250. I turned it off and it started to blow coolent out the over flow. It dose that almost every time i drive it or start it for longer then 10 min. I thought maybe the thermostat was stuck so I pulled it out and cut the guts out of it and put it back in. Drove it all around town and the temp was holding under or arround 210. I bought a over flow tank and when I drive it that hose (overflow tank hose) gets rock hard. I have a 8 lbs cap on the radiator...

Is that normal?
Could it be the high flow water pump and get a stock one?
Do I need the hose that connects the intake and water pump?

Thanks for your time,
-Brian

[camcojb]

What temp does it run at a steady 40-50 mph or higher? Is it heating up when you get slow or idle, or the same everywhere?

I've never seen an 16" electric fan that would properly cool your combo at idle and low speeds.

Jody

[WicKeD_SS]

Originally Posted by camcojb

What temp does it run at a steady 40-50 mph or higher? Is it heating up when you get slow or idle, or the same everywhere?

I've never seen an 16" electric fan that would properly cool your combo at idle and low speeds.

Jody

I havent had it up to 40 - 50 mph. Didnt want to go to far away with the it over heating. Hmmm maybe the 16" is too small then? What should I get??

Still not sure why the over flow hose is getting hard and it over spilling to the overflow so much. any ideas?

Thanks!

[camcojb]

Originally Posted by WicKeD_SS

I havent had it up to 40 - 50 mph. Didnt want to go to far away with the it over heating. Hmmm maybe the 16" is too small then? What should I get??

Still not sure why the over flow hose is getting hard and it over spilling to the overflow so much. any ideas?

Thanks!

8 psi cap is too low, which is likely why you are pressurizing the overflow. I've had great luck with the Lincoln Mark VIII fan, cools over 1000 HP without issue. Puts out probably 3 times the airflow of your 16" fan. Dual Spals also work pretty well, though I lean to the Mark VIII.

Jody

[Ruslow]

That hose you blocked off is the bypass hose its purpose [or atleast one of them ] is to keep the water[coolant] from dead heading against the thremostat.look at the t-stat it opens in towards the motor with the hose blocked off the water builds up against the t-stat and will not let it open.you can either run a t-stat with 3 1/8 holes drilled in it to releive some water psi or do like you did and remove the guts.BUT you have to have some back psi in the system to help eliminate air pockets and bubbles.As for temps each motor will seek its on temps the majority of mine run rite at 190 and that is running hard[wot for miles].another thing to llok at is were you have the sender?it HAS to be in coolant FLOW not just in a touching coolant.[Fixed one of those about 3 weeks ago]Stan

[69bird]

I'd get a high flow thermostat if you don't already have one. I use a mark VIII fan and it works great. You can find them pretty cheap on ebay.

[bwindy]

This sounds more like an air flow problem than anything else. Quite a bit of times with your situation air from the engine compartmnent (very hot air) has know where to go and gets sucked back into the radiator. This air will not cool you engine since it is already hot. Make sure there is no gap from the radiator forward that will allow engine compartment air to go back through the radiator. Also make sure you fan is sealed tight against the radiator, if not it will suck air between the rad and fan bypassing the rad fins all together.