Yet another overheating problem - Ford Forums

Dmax · 01-19-2005, 16:23

Just installed the proper thermostat after recieving it from Nev, Thanks Nev. It certainly has made a difference in the cooling but I am still running to hot for my liking.

Got a 78 P6 LTD with original 351C with about 210 000km,s on the clock.

Initially the car was heating up slowly and was fine on cool to moderate days and would sit on about 1/2, but as soon as it got warm to hot the temp would rise to 3/4, and with the air con it would go to the red. Regardless of temp, it would always spit out coolant from the overflow when I turned the motor off (the hotter, the more coolant).

Now with new thermostat and moderate day, temp rose to 1/2 within 1-2 minutes then slowly climbed to 2/3 and generally hovered around their. Still lost some coolant, about 60-70 mm in the header tank.

Anyone got any ideas, every thing looks good. New thermostat and housing, hoses, flushed system twice.

Dmax

grey_esp · 01-19-2005, 16:52

Are you running it on Ultimate 98? You may have to pull the timing back a bit more, this fuel we have to use these days is s@#$. Next thing is to look at the thermo option. I put a set on my very tired 302 and it has gone from a boiler to not over half on the factory guage. You can also buy a water wetter product which increased the waters ability to absorb and disperse heat. If that doesnt sort it out, there are a few palces around perth that fit they higher volume impeller to you water pump.

Im actually toying with the idea of fitting an engine oil cooler in the front with a small thermo of its own, because ultimately its the oil that need to be cool isnt it. Im thinking if you can get the oil temp down then all the water has to do is cool the cylinder walls. Just a thought.

xdclevo · 01-19-2005, 18:04

I too just fitted the dayco 333-180 stat. I did have a 160, but now the dayco is a 180. I too found it get hotter than before initially, but doesnt overheat. It sits on 185 at night(first drive last nite) and 190/195 at the lights and giving it a hard time. The std dash temp gauge sits over 3/4.
I find it doesnt go to 200/205 anymore.
Maybe you need new headgaskets or at the least a new radiator cap with a higher pressure rating.

Dmax · 01-19-2005, 19:59

Have a new 16psi cap. I am running on premium unleaded so i might adjust the timing and see how that goes. I was looking at the AU thermo setup, hopefully they would do the trick.

Dmax

grey_esp · 01-19-2005, 20:36

Do the thermos, not only does it run cooler but You can feel the power difference, and its alot quieter.

xbhoon · 01-19-2005, 22:14

hi
does it get hot while driving ifso it may be clogged radiator,
have you checked the water pump impellor is not rusted away ?

cheers pete

V8_GRUNT · 01-19-2005, 23:35

hi there i am assuming it is stock ? I dare say it would be a partially clogged radiator, my stock 351 used to sit at idle for 10 minutes running at around 180 deg all i run is a ford flexi fan and shroud and a reco'd 3 core cross flow radiator. I also run a dayco 180 deg stat. I am going to try that setup with my new worked engine i am currently building, i am going to try and avoid thermo's. - hope this helps a little - mark

Dmax · 01-20-2005, 00:04

Yes, everything is stock. I thinki the thermostat I got from Nev is a 195 (so it says on the side). Prior giving the radiator a flush, it would get hotter the faster I drove. The thing that puzzles me is the way it spits the water out when the engine is switched off, even when its not that hot.

xbhoon · 01-20-2005, 00:15

the reason it spits water out is because the engine gets hotter after its stopped briefly ( with no air flow or water circulation) thus reaching higher pressure than the cap can handle & overflowing , thats why late model cars have a recirculating system & retrieve that water back into the cooling system,

cheers pete

Dmax · 01-20-2005, 00:42

But is it normal to spit out about a litre of coolant after driving ten minutes down the road? I've been thinking of putting a recovery setup on there but it never came out with one so it should'nt need one,... I would like to think so anyway.

Dean