How can I reduce the coolant temperature?

[prairiepegger]

When the engine is warmed-up (20 minutes of normal driving 85 deg outside temperature) the engine temperature hovers around 230 F. A couple of days ago it overheated just as I parked in the garage. It lost about a pint of 50/50 mix through the rad cap. My 5.0 liter ford belt configuration was modified due to a/c and power steering delete. A smaller serpentine belt was chosen. As a result of the delete process, the belt provided minimal contact around the water pump pulley - less than 1/4 contact. I'm thinking that the belt was slipping and caused the overheating so today I added an idler pulley where the power steering was. The belt now wraps around the pulley by at least 1/3 the circumference.
I drove the car for 30 minutes and although no slippage was detected, the temperature reached 230 F but did not overheat. Not sure if there is much more I can do to bring the temp down another 20 degrees.
The rad is completely filled to the top and the thermostat was replaced last summer. I believe it's rated to open at 195 F.
The electric fan is working well.
What do you think might be happening? Could I have a defective thermostat? Rad capacity issue, although I would not think so because these combos are tried and true from RPM?

 

[railroad]

I would change the thermostat to eliminate it and while at it go to something closer to 180*.
Make sure you fan is moving the air from the front to rear on the car. If your climate allows, reduce the antifreeze to 25% or less and add a bottle of water wetter. Make sure your timing is not too high at cruise and your carb is not too lean. Is your fan coming in soon enough or are you already above 200 before it kicks in? You might try getting it in the game sooner, if it is not already running with the key on or about 180*-190*
With the passing of Mike, don't know what will happen here.
Good luck,

 

[prairiepegger]

I would change the thermostat to eliminate it and while at it go to something closer to 180*.
Make sure you fan is moving the air from the front to rear on the car. If your climate allows, reduce the antifreeze to 25% or less and add a bottle of water wetter. Make sure your timing is not too high at cruise and your carb is not too lean. Is your fan coming in soon enough or are you already above 200 before it kicks in? You might try getting it in the game sooner, if it is not already running with the key on or about 180*-190*
With the passing of Mike, don't know what will happen here.
Good luck,

Thanks railroad.
I will change the thermostat tomorrow. A 180 F rated one seems like a good idea. The fan is on full time and it is pulling from the front.
I advanced the timing by 3 degrees a month ago but I seemed to have had the problem with high temp from day one. I'm just driving the T longer since the build and realizing I cant go very far. Seems 30 minutes is the limit before I have to pull over and wait for the temp to drop.
Hopefully the new thermostat does the trick.

 

[2old2fast]

Do you have a fan shroud ? Retarded timing will cause overheating. Where are takiing the temp reading from ?

DAVE
did I miss something ...what happened to Mike ?

 

[prairiepegger]

Do you have a fan shroud ? Retarded timing will cause overheating. Where are takiing the temp reading from ?

DAVE
did I miss something ...what happened to Mike ?

Hi Dave
The electric fan is attached to the rad with those plastic poke-through zip ties. No shroud - just the electric fan against the fins.
The sensor is located on back, driver side, of the intake manifold.

 

[2old2fast]

What dia fan ?
dave

 

[prairiepegger]

What dia fan ?
dave

I believe it's 14"

 

[prairiepegger]

I just confirmed that it is 14"

 

[Indycars]

Has the car been cooling just fine and it just started over heating.... OR you just got the car together and it's been over heating from day one???

What size radiator are you using ... ? x ? and number of rows such as 2 rows or 3 rows.

 

[prairiepegger]

Has the car been cooling just fine and it just started over heating.... OR you just got the car together and it's been over heating from day one???

What size radiator are you using ... ? x ? and number of rows such as 2 rows or 3 rows.

As you said just got it together and had not been driven very far before turning it off. I'm now driving further but have to stop @ 30 minutes for fear of overheating. I believe the core is 16x18. I think it's 2 rows ....? how do I tell

 

[prairiepegger]

It's a 2 core. Just removed the cap and looked inside
16.5 x 17.5 core

 

[Indycars]

If you don't count the tanks top and bottom (just the finned area) I'm 17 x 19 and 3 rows. The engine is 400 cuin and puts out about 475 HP, so like you might be in the ball part for your engine.

First thing...... I would maximize cooling by making sure the fan is getting at least 13.5 volts at idle or about 700 RPM. The fan RPM will drop considerably when it doesn't get full voltage.

Second ...... if you get on the highway before it over heats and drive 60 MPH, does it over heat then? This eliminates the fan and put the cause on the size of your cooling system.

Do those two things and get back with us with the facts, then we can go from there.

 

[PotvinGuy]

Well, read this article by some know-it-all: Cooling Secrets

What is your timing? Initial, vacuum and speed numbers, please. And are you sure; that is, have you a good TDC reference? Retarded timing is most common cause of overheating, next to a bad thermostat.

And what happened to Mike?!?!?!

 

[Indycars]

Well, read this article by some know-it-all: Cooling Secrets

What is your timing? Initial, vacuum and speed numbers, please. And are you sure; that is, have you a good TDC reference? Retarded timing is most common cause of overheating, next to a bad thermostat.

And what happened to Mike?!?!?!

Good information above!!!

About Mike:
Bad sad news

 

[john dioli]

I think its a typo but in the the third post you said your fan is in the front and is pulling if it is in the front of the the radiator it should be pushing if its in the back of radiator it should be pulling?
john

 

[fordsbyjay]

I think its a typo but in the the third post you said your fan is in the front and is pulling if it is in the front of the the radiator it should be pushing if its in the back of radiator it should be pulling?
john

I was going to say the same thing. Also, sbf's have two different waterpumps, one goes forward and one turns backwards. Are you sure you have the right waterpump for the belt configuration you have?

 

[prairiepegger]

I think its a typo but in the the third post you said your fan is in the front and is pulling if it is in the front of the the radiator it should be pushing if its in the back of radiator it should be pulling?
john

You are correct. I'm pulling

Thanks

 

[prairiepegger]

Good information above!!!

About Mike:
Bad sad news

This was a good article.

This is what I've done so far.
- drained the mixture
- moved sensor from back of manifold to front, just behind the thermostat
- Bought 160 F rated thermostat
- purchased a bottle of Red Line Wetter water additive
- purchased distilled water
- Mixed 50/50 with a gallon of distilled water and an entire bottle of Wetter Water

Discoveries
When I removed the thermostat housing, I noticed that the thermostat was installed incorrectly. The spring was towards the radiator......

I just put it together and will start it in a while.

Will let you guy know if the issue is fixed.

 

[choppedtop]

Wow, that could explain why are/were, having a heating problem. Good that you probably found your problem.
Lee

 

[prairiepegger]

Wow, that could explain why are/were, having a heating problem. Good that you probably found your problem.
Lee

Just got back from a 25 minute test drive. Unfortunately the temp was still at 230 F. Didn't want to push it with a longer drive in the event it overheated.
Spent pretty much all day working on it and nothing to show for it.