351C Running Hot - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

Groovie · 12-27-2003, 22:56

Hey guys, I've got an XY falcon with a 351 Cleveland, it's only got a lil bit of work done to it, 780 holley, electronic dizzy, mild cam, bout 240rwhp on the dyno, anyway it seems to be running real hot all the time, I've got a brand new 3Core XY GT Radiator from Aussie Desert Cooler and just put in a new Thermostat from GT Performance, sposed to have about 30% more flow, but the temp sits on about half most of the time and if I'm in peak traffic and have to stop and start heaps it goes upto 3/4's and even into the red, any ideas or thoughts? if needed I've got some pics of the engine bay if that might help

RevHeadRon · 12-28-2003, 00:46

what type of fan are you running? do you run a shroud over the fan to help draw the air through the radiator?

clevo · 12-28-2003, 02:15

What temp range is the thermostat?, I run 160 degrees, with a 7 fin fan with a shroud. If you have aircon and a tranny cooler in the front of the radiator, airflow will also be reduced.

xacoupe · 12-28-2003, 02:24

cooling on clevos canbe an issue. The XB I had was a b!tch for over heating and I ended up replacing all sorts of things until one day it just got better and I could drive around in 40+ with no probs.
What fan / shroud combo do you run?

smciner1 · 12-28-2003, 02:43

Are you sure the Gauge is okay?

TyreToaster · 12-28-2003, 03:14

not that it helps alot but did you widen the radiator support panel 1 inch either side to alow for its extra width? if its a gt sized radiator u should make the most and cut out the support, only other thing i can suggest is run a fanshroud and make it agood one or u will never get it to cool.

RevHeadRon · 12-28-2003, 03:29

thats what i'm saying tyretoaster, it needs one of the shrouds that runs all the way around the fan, we upgraded the cooling system on my mums 66 mustang, no matter what size radiator it had it still overheated, we ended up fabricating one out of steel, but yeah long story short the fan has to draw the air through the radiator to work.

TyreToaster · 12-28-2003, 03:39

yeah the radiator is being wasted if air is not drawn through the whole unit, at speed it is not cooking right? but at idle fan is only pulling air directly infront of the fan so its not cooling as well as it could, you rother option is to lean in the mixtures.

I until now have run a standard 2 core (as fitted upto xe's) becuase fords 2 cores have large tubes and their 3 cores have small tubes they cool very similarly (factory 3 core not everything ppl make em out to be) and i could sit my car in 40 degree heat with aircon on and it goes a touch past half, using a factory fixed flex fan and factory fanshroud from my ZH Marquis ( now all being replaced).

TTNOS8 · 12-28-2003, 13:01

a bit ot, but i was having terrible troubles in traffic, even on not so hot days, into the red as well.

just a few days ago, fitted a thermo setup off an AU, brand new bout $260, nearly bolted straight up, and with my adjustable temp control, the needle doesn't move. awesome cooling.

very compact and neat looking also :)

If you do find that your fan cooling is not sufficient, i would have to highly recommend this setup over the conventional davies craigs I had on there.

they struggled.

xdc351 · 12-28-2003, 14:59

I'd say its a fan issue. Either a shroud or a conversion to thermos (I run an aussie 3 core triple flow, 12" davies craig and a 10" davies craig thermo and rarely ever have a problem anymore).

Failing that try replacing your water pump, that was the original cause of my overheating problems, but was only discovered after everything else was replaced (the first time, the above setup came later).