Overheating and lack of power issue!
#366179
07/04/09 10:29 AM
07/04/09 10:29 AM
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Anonymous
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I have a 73 Dodge Dart and I rebuilt the motor and since then I am having an problem with the enigne overheating after about 20 min of driving. It also seems like it is lacking power. It has the stock exhaust manifolds and a edelbrock 4bl intake with edelbrock 4bl carb 600cfm. It is an automatic with a brand new tranny. New radiator with a 195 thermostat. It is an AC car but I don't turn the AC on in fear of it heating up quicker. I put a new distributor with a new vacuum advance to see if it was a timing problem. Please let me know what this could be. It hits around 230 degrees in about 20 min of driving. It just doesn't seem to be RIGHT! PLEASE HELP!!!!
Last edited by ramdart73; 07/04/09 10:31 AM.
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Re: Overheating and lack of power issue!
#366181
07/04/09 10:53 AM
07/04/09 10:53 AM
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 7,506
Az
Crizila
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master
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Az
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lot of over heat problems can be attributed to timing - or lack there of. If the motor is pretty stock, you should be running around 12 degrees initial timing ( checked with vacuum plugged ). Put a 180 stat in it. Assume you checked things like fan to rad clearance, fan clutch operation, Belt tightness, you are running a shroud, etc. You didn't say if the overheat takes place mostly at idle or at speed. If it's at idle, you are probably not pulling enough air through the rad. You can also try switching your vacuum advance from ported to manifold vacuum. This often helps idle overheat problems.
Fastest 300
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Re: Overheating and lack of power issue!
[Re: Crizila]
#366182
07/04/09 11:04 AM
07/04/09 11:04 AM
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Right now the advance is hooked up to the carb. It was mostly a stock build with a mild cam. Fan and shroud clearance is good. No fan clutch. From what I can tell it only takes place while I drive. I haven't had it just sit idle long enough to see. One other problem I have is that the car runs terrible when the vacuum advance is hooked up and I can not get it to idle no matter what. The car does run once it is unhooked and just lying thier. What could this mean?
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Re: Overheating and lack of power issue!
[Re: ngpSatellite]
#366185
07/04/09 05:35 PM
07/04/09 05:35 PM
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I think the carb is set right and I have played with the timing so much. I have advanced and retarded the timing over and over. The lower radiator hose is a Gates which has the S.S. spring in it.
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Re: Overheating and lack of power issue!
[Re: Supercuda]
#366187
07/04/09 06:54 PM
07/04/09 06:54 PM
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Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,046
ky.
kenworth_goose
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top fuel
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ky.
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Drive it , when it gets hot stop and feel the radiator. If you feel any cold spots it's clogged. Does it overheat while idling? If it doesn't I'd suspect the radiator. My V8 dakota was getting pretty warm while driving in 90 degree heat but would idle all day with no problems. Felt the radiator, half way down was cold. I drained the coolant, put 1 gallon of Purple Power in the radiator, topped off with water, ran it for 30 minutes, drained, flushed, refilled with antifreeze, problem gone, now the radiator is hot all over, cold spot gone. I never tried it before but didn't want to spend the 205.00 for a new radiator so I tried it and it worked good.
Last edited by kenworth_goose; 07/04/09 06:59 PM.
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Re: Overheating and lack of power issue!
#366188
07/04/09 08:04 PM
07/04/09 08:04 PM
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 36,040
Lincoln Nebraska
RapidRobert
Circle Track
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Circle Track
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pull the stat for (1) day. EDIT any possibility of a vac leak?.
Last edited by RapidRobert; 07/04/09 11:18 PM.
live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth
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Re: Overheating and lack of power issue!
[Re: RapidRobert]
#366189
07/05/09 12:06 AM
07/05/09 12:06 AM
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What's the chances of a blocked port somewhere in the intake manifold? I know its not a clogged radiator, brand new one!
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Re: Overheating and lack of power issue!
[Re: Supercuda]
#366191
07/05/09 12:34 AM
07/05/09 12:34 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 32,934
Grand Prairie,Texas
stumpy
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I Win
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Grand Prairie,Texas
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Quote:
Quote:
make sure your bottom hose is not colapsing........ if so you can put a coiled up coat hanger in it to prevent it from happening
We need an old wive's tale smiley.
It does happen and it's not an old wives tale.
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Re: Overheating and lack of power issue!
#366192
07/05/09 01:17 AM
07/05/09 01:17 AM
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 27,347
Today? Who Knows?
1_WILD_RT
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Posts: 27,347
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Quote:
What's the chances of a blocked port somewhere in the intake manifold? I know its not a clogged radiator, brand new one!
The only problem with that idea is it's surprisingly common for a new radiator to get half it's tubes plugged when a new engine sends all the crap from the cooling system into the radiator the first couple times the engine heat & coolant flow dislodges it... Blocks don't seem to get nearly as clean inside now that the EPA doesn't allow seriously caustic hot tanks.. Most shops use a hot water spray bath, some shops shot blast, but even then the blasting can't remove what it can't reach...
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Re: Overheating and lack of power issue!
[Re: 1_WILD_RT]
#366193
07/05/09 01:13 PM
07/05/09 01:13 PM
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 328
Missouri, U.S.A.
JSSuperbee
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Missouri, U.S.A.
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Randy:
I sent you a PM but may be having trouble getting the PM through to you. Would turning the radiator into a 4 row be a good idea for the overheating problem here or is it just slightly helpful? Certainly if the tubes are clogged it would seem that removing both of the existing tubes would eliminate that problem. In short, is this procedure worthwhile?
James Stinebaker
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Re: Overheating and lack of power issue!
[Re: JSSuperbee]
#366194
07/05/09 01:25 PM
07/05/09 01:25 PM
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 27,347
Today? Who Knows?
1_WILD_RT
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Management Trainee
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James I PMed ya back.. FWIW I've always used a four row core with good results, I've read opinion about the need for it..  I live in an area where 100+ is pretty common, my cars never overheat... FWIW when first starting a new engine with a nice new/recored/rodded out radiator I suggest using a filter in the upper radiator hose to catch the debris that can clog your new radiator... I typically run the filter for a few weeks then replace the upper hose.. During the time your running the filter it's not uncommon to have the remove the filter three-five times to clean debris out of it... Radiator filter Gano Filter Company 1205 Sandalwood Lane Los Altos, California 94024 (650) 968-7017
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Re: Overheating and lack of power issue!
[Re: Supercuda]
#366195
07/05/09 02:49 PM
07/05/09 02:49 PM
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 1,629
wilmington,ohio
ohiodemon
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top fuel
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wilmington,ohio
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Quote:
Quote:
make sure your bottom hose is not colapsing........ if so you can put a coiled up coat hanger in it to prevent it from happening
We need an old wive's tale smiley.
i had this happen once and it literally drove me nuts.
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Re: Overheating and lack of power issue!
[Re: CHRGR69]
#366197
07/05/09 03:31 PM
07/05/09 03:31 PM
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I don't mind switching to a 4 core rad but what about the lack of power issue?
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