Overheating Very Quickly

[stang89bidges]

I've watched that video before, he does a super job of explaining every little part of getting your timing right. And shows you how to do it.

Good luck. You should be fine getting it close enough to putt around town.

I feel your pain/anxiety about finding that leak. Dude I just finished rebuilding my entire engine because I had a similar problem. Never did find the definitive answer. She's purring like a kitten now though

Main thing is do it right the first time. I never listened to that bit of advice everyone on this forum kept telling me until I blew my head gaskets for the 3rd time in less than 6 months. I wasted so much money...

 

[m3x1c0]

I've watched that video before, he does a super job of explaining every little part of getting your timing right. And shows you how to do it.

Good luck. You should be fine getting it close enough to putt around town.

I feel your pain/anxiety about finding that leak. Dude I just finished rebuilding my entire engine because I had a similar problem. Never did find the definitive answer. She's purring like a kitten now though

Main thing is do it right the first time. I never listened to that bit of advice everyone on this forum kept telling me until I blew my head gaskets for the 3rd time in less than 6 months. I wasted so much money...

What kept blowing them out?

I actually left the dist on and found out I had actually crossed a couple of the wires. Set them correctly and she idled just fine! no backfires! One tire is low so I havent driven her yet but I aim to putt around town for a bit to see if it continues to inhale coolant. If not then I'll throw a timing light on it and set it up right. Any ideas as to what total timing I should be running on a boosted motor? On my buick its easy I just set it using software. I started with 15 degrees at WOT and slowly added until I found the limits of my fuel ending up at around 21 degrees. I have no idea what im doing on this fox.

 

[stang89bidges]

I'm boosted with vortech v2 model SC and it calls for 10° initial. I think I ended up around 31-32° total timing at 2500rpm.

 

[stang89bidges]

And overheating was the cause of heads blowing. But timing may have been an issue for me as well with no tune, just a boost retard box. Using 19lb injectors with a fpr.

 

[m3x1c0]

And overheating was the cause of heads blowing. But timing may have been an issue for me as well with no tune, just a boost retard box. Using 19lb injectors with a fpr.

Yea I need to figure out tuning. Like I said it was tuned using Tweecer by a reputable company. But not knowing any timing or air/fuel details makes me nervous.

 

[Krystle]

I have had everything from gaskets, heads, manifold radiator water pump/Stat fuses fan all replaced, my car still overheats, I usually can control it with the heater, however anytime I am stopped at a light or traffic with my ac on, it blows hot air instead of cold and will start to overheat! I'm not sure I'll ever get my situation under control

 

[m3x1c0]

I have had everything from gaskets, heads, manifold radiator water pump/Stat fuses fan all replaced, my car still overheats, I usually can control it with the heater, however anytime I am stopped at a light or traffic with my ac on, it blows hot air instead of cold and will start to overheat! I'm not sure I'll ever get my situation under control

rad not big enough or need better fans.

 

[omegathree]

I have a 68 with a 302ci power steer and factory air.. An aircon engine fan to replace the standard,and a push fan on the front. I did have the radiator recored with a triple core instead. Extreme I know, but I can do 75mph all day,in 40 c with passengers. I've had it fifteen years and it's never given me a problem. Oh if yours has air, ditch the boat anchor compresser for a rotary type. ..


phil

 

[omegathree]

Um.. A later model with an electronic distributor, it might be something as simple as the alternator not putting enough volts or variations in voltage into the system. This can cause the computers etc to advance the timing, and therefore overheating it trying to compensate for the problem. I would be giving the vehicle a thorough electrical check,and make sure the correct voltages are where they should be. Before I spent any more on it. A few of these cars made it to Australia, and thus were converted to right hand drive. That meant wiring alterations and all kinds of dramas like these., I hope this helps.
Cheers


phil

 

[m3x1c0]

Drove around town for a bit and she seems ok. Two major issues. She still is getting a little warm. After driving around town for 30 minutes she stayed right in the middle of the temp gauge. After a quick break for dinner I took her on the highway where teh needle got a little above the middle. Its raining and in the 70's right now so I hate to find out how she will do in real hot Virginia temps tomorrow. I figure it will need a rad soon. So far no hint of coolant coming from exahust.

Second major issue is the exhaust leak. It sounds like a rod knocking. Need to get that taken care of very soon as I can smell exhaust in the cabin.

Will a replacement heavy-duty spectra rad do ok in this setup? They are aluminum. Also My alt has been relocated to the drivers side. Ever since I owned the car the Amp light has been on but has never had charging issues. I noticed that the belt is turning the water pump Clockwise. Is not a 302 Water pump supposed to turn CCW?

 

[stang89bidges]

Did you check your water pump before you put it on to make sure it's a left hand or right hand propeller? You can buy either depending on you setup. This is a common issue with many folks. Sometimes you buy a pump for cc rotation and in the box is the opposite.

Also you can have your belt routed incorrectly, or PO did and you followed suite. Check that too.

 

[m3x1c0]

Now feeling quite frustrated because the header bolts all backed out on the driver side and only has one bolt holding it up. So now after only a couple days driving its sitting useless in the driveway once again while I wait for new stage 8 locking bolts. Additionally the effing thing is leaking oil once again! Looks like its right out of the exact same location out of the back of the intake. Damn it how could I screw that up a second time? I put down a very thick bead of RTV. Its leaking a significant amount.

 

[mikestang63]

Now feeling quite frustrated because the header bolts all backed out on the driver side and only has one bolt holding it up. So now after only a couple days driving its sitting useless in the driveway once again while I wait for new stage 8 locking bolts. Additionally the effing thing is leaking oil once again! Looks like its right out of the exact same location out of the back of the intake. Damn it how could I screw that up a second time? I put down a very thick bead of RTV. Its leaking a significant amount.

just get thin lock washers and 1" bolts. Problem solved

 

[stang89bidges]

I know it seems worse, but i'd rather have those two issues than head gasket problems again!

The header bolts. Mike is right, it doesn't take much, just the right bolts. Did you snug them back up after a heat cycle or two? This is usually needed.

Intake leak. Are you sure it's the intake? Could it be your pcv valve or something else? If it is your intake where it meets the top of block then it may be a configuration issue. I forget your specs but on my new aluminum heads I lasted down a thick layer of "the right stuff", sat the lower intake down and it wasn't even close to my bead of silicone. I ended up putting a second layer on to the first. Turns out the lower sucked down quite a bit after torquing the bolts but I'm glad I put the extra layer on because it didn't have much excess squeeze out. Been working fine.

Those rails where they meet the head are really in need of good silicone. Nice bead on rail and a little bulge in corners up to head. Then it's pretty important that you lay the intake down straight, and more importantly torque the bolts down in correct sequence. Then let sit a while and retorque them again. I ended up retorquing mine 3 times before the intake stopped snugging down into place. I went real slow with the torque wrench to feel its movement cuz you don't want to overtightened then you may crack the intake.

 

[m3x1c0]

just get thin lock washers and 1" bolts. Problem solved

The stage 8's are the only thing that will even fit. The PO had these installed without lockwashers or anything just the bolts. The way these headers are designed those thin head stage 8's are the only thing that will clear the header tube along with being able to be tightened. Tried a few different bolts including a stud and nut combo and nothing else even comes close. Thinking maybe i will need to open up a couple of these header holes to get it to work. Damn On3 headers are terribly designed.

As for intake. I want to get them milled anyway because of some pitting I found on water mating surfaces. How can I make sure it will still fit properly on the heads?

In this pic you can see some of the pitting. could this have cause my coolant leak?

 

[stang89bidges]

Bolts. Lots of guys use the Allen head bolts with lock washers. Then use the pivot ball Allen wrench. These guys work in the tightest of areas! I have pics if you need.

Intake. Yep pitting can cause leaks but if you used silicone that usually seals up the pitting. I usually smear a thin coat of silicone around the water jacket holes along with the intake gaskets for good measure.

If you machine the intake too much you will need to have the heads machined along with the intake so the two mate up with each other properly. If not the angle is changed and it will leak. Has the intake in its life ever been machined? Blueprinting is important for these reasons. I think it's allowable up to .020 before heads need matched. Don't quote me on that number. A good machine shop will know.

 

[m3x1c0]

Bolts. Lots of guys use the Allen head bolts with lock washers. Then use the pivot ball Allen wrench. These guys work in the tightest of areas! I have pics if you need.

Intake. Yep pitting can cause leaks but if you used silicone that usually seals up the pitting. I usually smear a thin coat of silicone around the water jacket holes along with the intake gaskets for good measure.

If you machine the intake too much you will need to have the heads machined along with the intake so the two mate up with each other properly. If not the angle is changed and it will leak. Has the intake in its life ever been machined? Blueprinting is important for these reasons. I think it's allowable up to .020 before heads need matched. Don't quote me on that number. A good machine shop will know.

These dont look like they've seen a mill since the day they were made. I put a nice glob of sillicon around those ports and used the best felpro's I could find. So far no water leaks but thats not gonna stop the oil coming out.

Believe me I tried a ton of bolts. Every option that would screw in will not clear these header tubes. The only ones are the stage 8's I believe. I can show yall a comparison once I get them in from Jegs.

 

[m3x1c0]

GAAHHH this car. Finally got those stage 8's on. Wow this things way quieter with all the exhaust bolts on. Car was acting like it had a vac leak and I checked all the lines I could. Still got to figure that out but while I was driving it started to get EXTREMELY difficult to put the car in gear. I would have to shut the motor off, shift into first and then get going and my hand was bruised by the time I got it home. Seems like a clutch issue. Car has an aftermarket clutch adjuster at the firewall but its missing its screws. How can I find out what size screws those should be? I need the size and pitch of them. After I figure that out I will check the adjustment.

 

[stang89bidges]

While driving does it shift ok?

 

[m3x1c0]

While driving does it shift ok?

No it wont go into gear unless I rev match perfectly. When I first got it I always had trouble shifting into reverse. I had to shift into 5th first most days and then It would no longer fight me to get into reverse. Doesnt do this while engine is off seems like clutch is not disengaging? Im new to manual cars altogether so im just now looking into how to adjust this stuff.