Overheating- WTF?

[protrash64]

Originally Posted by Oklahoma

LOL, yea, that does look a little silly, 200+ degrees

That wouldn't make me happy if it was a new engine, either!!

[Malibob]

Okay, so here is an update from me. The heads are off. The gaskets were not all blown through or anything but a friend of mine from work said they looked blown. I also have one shiny piston so that may be it. Sunday it all goes back together. Wish I had my other cruiser together- Beaver Falls PA is having their cruise and it is one of the best around here.

[Captainfab]

Did you have the heads checked for cracks?

[ed70]

if both head gaskets are good i wouldnt rule out intake gasket...

[protrash64]

A clean piston is a sign of 'steam cleaning'....I had a used motor with a cracked cylinder bore and that one piston was looking brand new.

Glad you found some clues Malibob; probably save the engine before something catastrophic happened.

[Malibob]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

Did you have the heads checked for cracks?

Kids are on a budget- not enough money to get them pressure checked right now. If once it is together I still have the problem I will be putting my 350 back together and droppin it in there.

Originally Posted by ed70

if both head gaskets are good i wouldnt rule out intake gasket...

I got a whole head kit- includes all gaskets for top end so it sould take care of those too.

Originally Posted by protrash64

A clean piston is a sign of 'steam cleaning'....I had a used motor with a cracked cylinder bore and that one piston was looking brand new.

Glad you found some clues Malibob; probably save the engine before something catastrophic happened.

We are hoping that it is just bad gaskets. I have been told cast iron heads are hard to crack- but knowing my luck that will be the problem. I have a way of being the exception to the rule.

[Oklahoma]

Well I just turned back my timming and that helped with my heating issue, I turned it back to the correct timming, about 4 deg back and that seems to have helped quite a bit.

[Malibob]

Well she started today. Now I got to get her timed then see if I am still burning or losing coolant. Can I run without a thermostat? If so how long?

I know I have to flush everything anf probably do like 5 oil changes in a row but at least it is road worthy again.

[ed70]

iv ran without a thermostat before... its ok till it starts to get cold out... remember though there is a reason its there lol... but you should be fine for a lil while...

[jonzcustomshop]

what happens with a thermostat is that it opens and closes, it closes, the coolant in the rad cools, it opens, coolant switches out and cools the motor, and keeps cycling...

with out , your coolant will just keep getting hotter and hotter, because it will not have much time to sit in the radiator and cool.

at least that is how I understand that they work...

we never ran a therm. in our demo derby cars, but after the heat we would run directly to a water hose and run the cold water on the radiator for a few minutes to cool everything down before shutting off.

also a leaned out carb could cause you to run hot...

[lakeroadster]

You can run without a thermostat, but it's not a long term good idea.

Keeping the engine a constant temperature is a good thing. Running too cold can lead to oil sludge build-up and other related problems.

[Malibob]

Just to clarify, I was planning on running that a couple of days to clean it out. Then put the thermostat back. Not a long term thing for me.

[protrash64]

Glad to hear it's going again. I dont think the power flush for a few days would hurt anything.

[stsalvage]

I could never under stand why any one would be able to blow a head gasket in these old chevy engine.First off you never remove the thermostat.Its the one thing that keeps your truck cool.One other thing I live in Calif. I have a 1965 3/4 ton.I have over 550,000 miles on my engine.I've owned this truck for 16 years and its been in are family form 1969.It was Known as a trash truck we used it to take loads up to the dump.When i got it It had a 307 in it that had been in there sence 1972.It died on me 1 year later.I bought one from a re-builder and its a 355 30 over 260 Horse power.My truck has a 2 speed power glide with a 410 rear gear .The first thing i did when i stated using it as a scrap truck i earned enough money to Buy a new heater core and blower and hoses and changed it my self.Next I had a flex fan that came on the 307 and lucky for me the hood was down when it came apart and 2 blades went throw the hood and cut the top Hose.I found a 1968 ford 7 blade fan blade and bought a clutch fan for it. the next thing i did i found a shroud and that made a big difference.then Came a new radiator a factory one that fit the truck.I had to change the water pump 4 time cus the bearing went out.


Now this is lesson ONE if you have a temp Gauge and its getting Hot Turn on the Heater.

You fry or the truck fry's. Me i'm not one to walk in 103 temp so I don't mind opening the vent wing and put my setting on defrost and blow it out the passenger window.

Open the Air vent By your legs and it will keep you a little more cooler

Now remember the more you pull that Hot water away from the engine like 35 seconds that water going throw that little radiator will cool down water at 220 to 180 in 35 seconds and if you Have a auto matic Run at second trans cooler in front of the radiator

One other thing you might want to buy Get a 13 pound Radiator Cap 16 pounds is to much for these old trucks .

one last thing have a over flow Bottle for the radiator it helps when it want to push the water out as soon as the truck cools down it will suck it back in.

and if you want to Know why i use a ford Factory fan Blade cus chevy dose not make a 8 blade Fan that is really good and pulling the air throw the radiator.

If your going to drive this truck and make money with it make sure you give it as much as you take from it

In all my 16 years for using this as a scrap hauling trailer I've only lost 1 hose cus it got old this is my baby and its bought me every thing i own It has 1972 front disc brakes Power brakes power steering on the frame and i'm running Motor home tires that Cost me 1000.00 every 5 years i get 285,000 mile out of these 10 ply tires 233/85/16 done a lot of up dates to this truck But it make me over 50,000 doller a year take home

[Malibob]

stsalvage- all motors are different. if you have read the posts on here some of us are not as lucky as you have been and have had cracked heads, blocks and bad head gaskets. Mine WERE bad