Overheating concern
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From: Milwaukee, WI
Overheating concern Not sure what the issue is here. My car heats up quick and doesn't stop. I have two 67's and the radiator is positioned completely vertical with 2 spal fans (which work). I can't remember what rad it is but I got it from speed inc when the setup was built. I think it is fine but the temps keep going up unless I am on the free way then I can get them back to about 200 - 210 after some decent cruising but the minute I slow down or stop they shoot back up towards the 250 mark which maxs out the gauge. Never let it go to the max yet but don't want it to either. If I ever end up in traffic I'm screwed. Any suggestion? I also looked at a ron davis radiator but like I said I don't think this is the problem.
Thanks.
Thanks.
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From: IOWA
sounds like your water pump isnt working or the thermostat is stuck open. when you go down the free way. the air is passing faster and cooling down the coolent. so i would swap out the thermostat first. or pull it out and put it in pan of boiling water and see if it opens and closes. just a thought...
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From: Castro Valley, CA
Which thermo is in your car, and at what temps are your fans coming on? Are the fans mounted directly on the radiator? And the obvious question: are they wired correctly and actually blowing in the direction you think they are?
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Yeah I checked the fans and they are mounted directly to the radiator and are working correctly. The thermo is a 160 degree. What temps should I be expecting if everything is working like it should? I know the turbo make everything hotter.
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1) fans are not working (but I know you said they are) Fans are only used while doing city driving, the ram air from the air dam during highway cruising is all that is used to cool the coolant while moving, the fans stay off.
2) the t-stat is stuck open and the same applies as #1, the ram air can keep you cool, but when you the stop and go driving, you're screwed.
The water pump has to be fine, if that didn't work you will over heat fast no matter what kind of driving you're doing, period.
Start the engine when its cold, with the radiator cap OFF, see if coolant immediately starts to flow, if it does your t-stat is stuck open. But....if its not immediately flowing I would stand there and wait for it to start flowing and make sure that after it opens it closes again. If it just keeps on flowing and does not stop flowing, then its sticking open after it gets hot.
Obviously if it flows at all, the pump is fine.
If the t-stat is opening and closing, its the fans. Fans also have low and high settings, do the spals do both? And what are they set for? This may sound stupid, but are the fans mounted right and pulling the air through the radiator towards the engine?
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From: Ft. Irwin, California (But Virginia is home)
From the symptoms, check to make sure the fans are PULLING air through the radiator and not PUSHING air back into it. The car willact as you described if the fans are turning the wrong direction. Easy fix if that's the case.....reverse the +/- wires. 
Good luck.
Good luck.
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From: Milwaukee, WI
I realized one of my fans wasn't kicking in and I rewired it so it works now. My question is could one fan make this big a difference or could there be other issues yet???
Not sure what the issue is here. My car heats up quick and doesn't stop. I have two 67's and the radiator is positioned completely vertical with 2 spal fans (which work). I can't remember what rad it is but I got it from speed inc when the setup was built. I think it is fine but the temps keep going up unless I am on the free way then I can get them back to about 200 - 210 after some decent cruising but the minute I slow down or stop they shoot back up towards the 250 mark which maxs out the gauge. Never let it go to the max yet but don't want it to either. If I ever end up in traffic I'm screwed. Any suggestion? I also looked at a ron davis radiator but like I said I don't think this is the problem.
Thanks.
Thanks.
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From: Milwaukee, WI
It is by no means a stocker. I have my stocker and this one is thicker and better quality. I also had every part delivered to the house first so I could see it and I just can't remember the company for sure. I am positive it isn't stock though. They use the stockers on the smaller kits I believe but I have a large custom setup.
I'm running:
Smaller custom radiator from Speed Inc. nothing mega fancy
One pusher fan
One puller fan
Last year I had one fan wired wrong, the puller was wired up as a pusher, my bad. Corrected that and it it cruises at 190F all day long (though I have not driven the car in 90F) weather.
So if both fans are working, and you have the air dam on, you need to do some digging. If you run hotter if you sit at a light, you need to see what's going on. Make sure the fans are really working.
Get a new radiator cap, easy check.
I have a friend with the Speed Inc. TT kit, I think he cruises around 190-200F most of the time.
Smaller custom radiator from Speed Inc. nothing mega fancy
One pusher fan
One puller fan
Last year I had one fan wired wrong, the puller was wired up as a pusher, my bad. Corrected that and it it cruises at 190F all day long (though I have not driven the car in 90F) weather.
So if both fans are working, and you have the air dam on, you need to do some digging. If you run hotter if you sit at a light, you need to see what's going on. Make sure the fans are really working.
Get a new radiator cap, easy check.
I have a friend with the Speed Inc. TT kit, I think he cruises around 190-200F most of the time.
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Well cruising around the temps seemed to hold steady at around 200-210. Then dropped to 175 when the rain came Didn't do a lot of stop and go but it seems to be working. I will test it a little more but I think it will be fine!
Didn't do a lot of stop and go but it seems to be working. I will test it a little more but I think it will be fine! Maybe also run a bottle of water wetter, and check the coolant level when cold. If it looks low, top it off, then I run the car, and watch the level. 190-200F is fine for cars with big turbos.