STILL OVERHEATING! I FN give up!
10-21-2007, 04:59 PM
#201
FINALLY!
We got the Trick Flow heads on and temps dropped a lot. Right before we made the swap the temperature reached 230 with no signs of peaking. Of course we pulled over and left the electric pump running with the fans on and the engine off. After installing the Trick Flows the temps were only reaching 202 on a 20 mile drive on the highway. At idle temps would slowly fall back down into the 190s.
I still wasn't satisfied so I looked over everything one last time. I had already tried taking off my Super Sucker Ram Air while my stock radiator was on but I had not tried taking it off since installing the Be Cool radiator. Well, the Be Cool radiator is a lot thicker and it really closed up the already small gap in between the SSRA and the Be Cool. I know from past experience that blocking the radiator can cause overheating on the highway. So I thought what the hell and took it off just to see.
Now? How about 178* on the highway and holding steady!
And my friend was able to meet up with me last night and get my car completely tuned on the street, part throttle and WOT. Tonight is the last night of racing at my local drag strip so I am really looking forward to it after a season long fiasco. I'm on my way to the dyno in a couple hours here so hopefully I put up some good numbers on the dyno and the strip. The car feels really strong.
Many thanks to everyone who helped with their hands or their minds.
I think in summary I had "the recipe" for overheating...clogged radiator, contaminated coolant, blocked coolant passages and finally a partially blocked radiator.
We got the Trick Flow heads on and temps dropped a lot. Right before we made the swap the temperature reached 230 with no signs of peaking. Of course we pulled over and left the electric pump running with the fans on and the engine off. After installing the Trick Flows the temps were only reaching 202 on a 20 mile drive on the highway. At idle temps would slowly fall back down into the 190s.
I still wasn't satisfied so I looked over everything one last time. I had already tried taking off my Super Sucker Ram Air while my stock radiator was on but I had not tried taking it off since installing the Be Cool radiator. Well, the Be Cool radiator is a lot thicker and it really closed up the already small gap in between the SSRA and the Be Cool. I know from past experience that blocking the radiator can cause overheating on the highway. So I thought what the hell and took it off just to see.
Now? How about 178* on the highway and holding steady!
And my friend was able to meet up with me last night and get my car completely tuned on the street, part throttle and WOT. Tonight is the last night of racing at my local drag strip so I am really looking forward to it after a season long fiasco. I'm on my way to the dyno in a couple hours here so hopefully I put up some good numbers on the dyno and the strip. The car feels really strong.Many thanks to everyone who helped with their hands or their minds.
I think in summary I had "the recipe" for overheating...clogged radiator, contaminated coolant, blocked coolant passages and finally a partially blocked radiator.
10-21-2007, 05:33 PM
#202
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It's a long story that I'll try to explain as shortly as possible. I think a sequence of events would work best.
-Stock motor w/ bolt ons, car runs 185 to 195 range
-Stock motor w/ LG cam only, car runs 185 to 195 range
-Switched to Evans coolant, car runs 185 to 195 range
-Car sits all winter
-End of winter we install ETP heads (Cometic gaskets) and FTI cam, now car overheats to nearly 230
-Discovered ETP put solid roller springs on my heads by mistake, collapses all of my Morel lifters, take motor apart and discover I have a cracked piston also, time for a rebuild
-Weber 383 stroker w/ same ETP heads (GM MLS gaskets) and FTI cam, car overheats to infinity (250+)
-Tried 3 different thermostats, still overheats to infinity
-Tried 2 different water pumps, still overheats to infinity
-Boiled out the radiator and switched back to regular coolant, much better now but still overheats to 220
-Installed Be Cool radiator, no change, still overheats to 220
I'm out of ideas. The coolant is flowing just fine, there are no leaks, I'm not losing any coolant, hoses are connected right, engine is not running lean, etc. etc.
What the hell else could it be?
-Stock motor w/ bolt ons, car runs 185 to 195 range
-Stock motor w/ LG cam only, car runs 185 to 195 range
-Switched to Evans coolant, car runs 185 to 195 range
-Car sits all winter
-End of winter we install ETP heads (Cometic gaskets) and FTI cam, now car overheats to nearly 230
-Discovered ETP put solid roller springs on my heads by mistake, collapses all of my Morel lifters, take motor apart and discover I have a cracked piston also, time for a rebuild
-Weber 383 stroker w/ same ETP heads (GM MLS gaskets) and FTI cam, car overheats to infinity (250+)
-Tried 3 different thermostats, still overheats to infinity
-Tried 2 different water pumps, still overheats to infinity
-Boiled out the radiator and switched back to regular coolant, much better now but still overheats to 220
-Installed Be Cool radiator, no change, still overheats to 220
I'm out of ideas. The coolant is flowing just fine, there are no leaks, I'm not losing any coolant, hoses are connected right, engine is not running lean, etc. etc.
What the hell else could it be?
10-22-2007, 06:34 PM
#205
Good to see this thread as an educational one, it is what this site it truly intended for.
That being said, I have noticed quite a few posts about products and sponsors that really don't belong here. If any member has a problem with a product from a sponsor, please post that up in the proper forum. There is no point in posts that bring that up only when this is a good topic to get information on how easy or difficult troubleshooting a build can be.
That being said, I have noticed quite a few posts about products and sponsors that really don't belong here. If any member has a problem with a product from a sponsor, please post that up in the proper forum. There is no point in posts that bring that up only when this is a good topic to get information on how easy or difficult troubleshooting a build can be.
10-23-2007, 08:55 AM
#207
STOP! you uped the displacement? but used the original heads?! you just bumped compression again. you have to increase the chamber volume of the head to match the increase in displacement. Someone will chime in on this with more specifics I hope. But I think that is the reason for your over heating. If not then you have blockage of a coolant passage (wrong gasket?). Stay with it someone will tell you but more soecific info maybe needed.
Did you even read the thread? I actually LOWERED my compression with the new motor. My 346 was 11.8:1 and my 383 is 11.5:1. I didn't increase the bore size if that's what you are thinking. It's a 383 STROKER. We just increased the stroke! The heads still need to be on a 3.9" bore and that's what they are.As I said a few posts ago, the overheating was caused by several things but most of all the coolant passages on the heads.
As a final update, Ed Curtis has finally come through for me and has asked me to send him the ETP heads. He is also helping me out with a new cam shaft. I'm not sure why he wasn't answering emails for a while, maybe it had to do with the LSX shootout.
Anyway, everything seems to be taken care of. Hopefully the new cam will kick ***. I have a video of my car from last Friday posted in the Racing Results section. Thanks for everyone's help.
10-23-2007, 09:30 AM
#208
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I'm glad to hear that your cooling issue is resolved. I 'm also glad to hear that the sponsors, as they should be, are stepping up to the plate and helping you out with issues that were clearly not your fault.
I'm a little surprised to hear that the ramair tube was causing some of your woes, but not surprised to see the heads causing the majority of it. It's amazing to think that those tiny little coolant passages could cause such a big problem.
I also think that once your engine break in and loosens up a little, it will put down some better numbers. Also keep in mind that a cam should be matched to the heads, and since you switched heads, a new cam is in order to make the best power.
Congrats...I'm glad you got one race out of it...whether it was a record setter or not!
I'm a little surprised to hear that the ramair tube was causing some of your woes, but not surprised to see the heads causing the majority of it. It's amazing to think that those tiny little coolant passages could cause such a big problem.
I also think that once your engine break in and loosens up a little, it will put down some better numbers. Also keep in mind that a cam should be matched to the heads, and since you switched heads, a new cam is in order to make the best power.
Congrats...I'm glad you got one race out of it...whether it was a record setter or not!
10-23-2007, 01:38 PM
#209
A FINAL note about mentioning sponsors and non-sponsors in this thread:
One more slipping in about that and it will be locked.
Some were not given the chance to address the issues the member was having which is why it never showed up in Sponsor Feedback.
Stick with the build and vid to come.
One more slipping in about that and it will be locked.
Some were not given the chance to address the issues the member was having which is why it never showed up in Sponsor Feedback.
Stick with the build and vid to come.
10-31-2007, 11:42 AM
#212
Man, really glad to hear you got it figured out. Sorry to hear your power numbers/times aren't what they should be (see other thread).
What are the people who sold you the heads going to do about it? Anything (if that's what Gearhead was talking about, then sorry, ignore this question)?
What are the people who sold you the heads going to do about it? Anything (if that's what Gearhead was talking about, then sorry, ignore this question)?
