How to keep Superbird from overheating?

So I bought a Superbird about two months back and it was overheating a little so It turned out the radiator had a small leak and when I drained it to inspect it had gunk clogging it up. I sent it out to get a new cooler 4 row core and should be ready for pick up in the next hour or two.

I also researched and found a lot of reccimendations to use the following:
“50/50 mix of water/antifreeze,....again I'll recommend the Zerex G-05 brand antifreeze (just 1 gal. the rest water, should be close to 50/50) with 8-10 oz. of Redline Water Wetter added,(Autozone).”

Would that be the best to use? If so then for the water mix would it be regular water or would it have to be distilled?

Why do you need water wetter when you are using anti freeze? Distilled would be best.

I would have just had the radiator rodded out and not messed with a 4 core, I doubt that would cool any better.

On my dad's bird he has a Griffin alum radiator, water wetter and a pusher fan. At a stop, it hovers around 220* - 230* Get it moving and it will stay around 200*. It does not like the summer or standing still.... This is just how they are. Good luck!

Luis welcome aboard. I would suggest distilled.

Here is how I keep mine cool.This is the after market gauge in my bird,it reads exactly the same as the one in the cluster.That temp was taken about two years ago at roughly 60 mph and 78* outside temp.I have never seen a temp above 195* under "any" conditions.The radiator is the original 956 with a four core,180* stat,fixed seven blade fan and shroud and 6 blade a/c pump and all nose cone seals intact.If everything is as it should be including all nose seals intact,you don't need water wetter or anything else.If you have any doubts,come see me and I'll hand you the keys!

Water wetter helps, no miracles, but worth 3-5 degrees.

I don't believe so when used with antifreeze. When used with just distilled water it does make a difference.

A new glenray radiator usually does the trick.....some of the new rads and cores are so thin and light that they do not seem to work. Can confirm a local here has same setup in a bird, 956 rad, fixed 7 blade fan and it never sees 200, I have driven it runs 180 all day down the highway, also a standard bore motor.

It also has the original style 180 robertshaw fullflow thermostat, some ideal style stat are very restrictive.

I would suggest if you found gunk in the radiator and that gunk included fine rust, pull the starter, knock the frost plugs out, pull water pump housing and flush that block out. These cars sit so much they rust in the water jackets even if antifeeze is green. Just did my own sbird block was full halfway up frostplugs, never ran hot, always had green antifreeze.

Install one of these in the upper hose & clean it out ever so often.
It will save your new radiator.
CLICK HEAR FOR LINK

I think distilled water is expensive, inconvenient and unnecessary. I would flush the cooling system real good (maybe twice) with a product from the parts store. Be sure to rinse good. Run some antifreeze to keep it from rusting. Make sure your nose is sealed up good. I put on a new stock fan clutch and I think I used a fan from a New Yorker or something that looks the same but is 1" larger. You can only do this if your motor mounts are tight to keep the fan from hitting the fan shroud. It won't run hot when you get done.

I am a firm believer in the work that Bob and the folks at Glen Ray Radiators have done for me in the past. Cant go wrong.
Matt

Why don't we ever consider the fuel mixture? If it is lean it will run hot no matter whaT. I had it happen. I bought the correct numbers carb for a 440 R/T. Installed a kit and put it on there. The car ran hot all the time. But it ran nicely, didn't seem lean. Turns out it had the wrong jets inside. I knew this car ran cool before the carb change.

Having built more than a few BBlk and HEMI Daytonas and Superbirds from stock to 600+ HP strokers, I've dealt with all the heat issues, assuming your fuel mixture isn't on the lean side, if your running stock exhaust manifolds, check the heat riser, flush the block/hoses/etc, as far as the radiator I prefer the 5 row micro tube core stuffed into either stock/aftermarket repro 26" tanks, for thermostats, 180 degrees is a good start, make sure your lower hose has a spring in it, I usually run the Zerex G-05 (that's where you probably picked up the recommendation?)50/50 mix, water/distilled/DI/RO, and I find the Red Line (8-10 .oz) water wetter is good for another 10-15 degree decrease in running temp, also make sure all the internal nose seals are in place as well as the foam radiator top/bottom tank seals, factory shroud, and if you still have the factory clutch fan, ditch it in favor for a 5-7 blade fixed factory fan (for all those purist/clutch fan advocates, the factory had a recall in late 69 early 70 for all Birds to have the clutch fan replaced w/HD fixed blade because of overheating issues)make sure the blade sits at least 50-75% inside the shroud...

To test how effective your nose seals are, at idle your airflow/suction should be able to hold a piece of standard 8X11 copy paper against the front lower grille with no assist from you, if it can't, work on the seals/shroud/fan blade until it can...

Mike

Pass David Pearson?

This is the Chrysler bulletin about the fan change.

The correct 7 blade HD fixed blade fan is p/n 2863223 and the 1.06" spacer is 1851959


Jim

Alright thank you everyone. I do have the correct 7 blade fan. the 956 radiator In my car had a 4 row copper core added. I did get the zerex g-05, some distilled water, water wetter. And a 180* stant superstat thermostat. I’ll do it all tomorrow and see how it goes. I know my timing is slightly off also so I’ll have to fix that. But I think it should be good. Temp was getting to 200-210 after about 20 min or more of driving but it was in the 95-110 degree range those two weeks I drove it here in Southern California. Either way I would park and let it cool to not risk anything. I think with all these changes it should be good. At least I sure hope so.

How are you guys getting a 4-row core to fit into a 956 rad, did the tanks have to be split? Reason I ask, is glen-ray told me they don't fit and to get a MAX cool three row. My local rad guy said the same thing. I just had mine recored last week

Had no problem with mine,no modifications to tank,everything fit.

Why do many guys think a car is overheating at 210 degree? If it doesn't spit out water and or act up 210 is fine esp on a 100 degree day. I just don't see their reasoning Unless you are racing or stuck somewhere quit worrying about it

And my 2014 Suburban once up to temp runs at exactly 200* and never varies no matter the conditions.

I agree 210 is not hot,with coolant and a good cap you're fine.if it overflows the owners man.says level 1 inch below neck.

Since this is a wing car with not generous air coming in grille, I will ad a chev dealer experience from mid eighties to mid nineties. The v-8 camaros sometimes came in with highway hot running issues, and we found it was usually the cars with 4 bolt-plastic lower air dams broken off or removed that caused it. Plain as day. On them things, it was an important component from factory. Don't think birds or daytonas are equipped with such a thing, just saying.

Have you checked to see what water pump you have on big differences in them. anti cav plated best
. The variations of impellors is unbelievable if you look close and compare...

It's 94 cents a gallon at Walmart. How cheap are you?

How often do you replace your coolant? Weekly? How inconvenient can it really be?

If you saw the mineral content in the tap water around here you'd change you thoughts.

What do you think the antifreeze makers put in their prediluted mixes? It ain't tap water.

I would only run 25% antifreeze. You live in So Cal LA area and it never comes close to freezeing water in an engine. Antifreeze does not remove heat as good as water.

Also did you get a high density core put in the radiator. Radiator Works on Parthenia near Reseda does my radiators.

Great idea. I’ve cleaned my block with picks, coat hangers, etc...no cooling problem.

A car like a Superbird sits around not driven a lot. Perfect situation for sediment and rust.

is that GO-5 the orange stuff? I thought that was to be avoided ???

An even better waterpump design is one with curved blades for more efficient flow. I used this Edelbrock 8814 pump on my Superbird along with a 4 core rad and high flow thermostat and fixed fan blade. never had an overheat problem.

Seems like many wing car owners that drive them run a solid fixed fan setup.

No your thinking of Dex cool (orange death) Robert, G-05 (Zerex) is a HOAT ( hybrid Organic acid technology), although Dex Cool is a HOAT as well it has a phosphate base, where as Zerex G-05 is phosphate free...and is actually clear in color

I've been running the G-05 for about 15 yrs in my DD's and the toys with zero issues using a 50/50 mix and Red Line water wetter

Thank you! when I read "orange" that is what I remembered (erroneously) from way back. EDIT would you recommend this over the Prestone (iirc) green stuff?

i know the best "orange" stuff is ok, but i can't feel comfortable using it ! i gotta have green stuff to put my mind at ease. now, if they would only make long "life green", i would be in "seventh heaven" as the saying goes.

I've used the "best ORANGE STUFF", on a fresh/new system, all new components, within 1 yr the radiator turned to junk (aluminum), the heater core clogged and a head gasket went,...never again! GM continues to use this in their vehicles yet customer after customer complains about corrosion/clogging issues, if you want a long term antifreeze equivalent to "green", use the Zerex G-05, it's a 5 yr rating, but myself I don't like to see antifreeze go past 2 yrs in a system before a flush

Mike

OK, I don't mean any offense to anyone, but I am literally an anti-freeze scientist (seriously).
1. Use distilled water - most of what you see as "sludge/gunk" inside your cooling system is from previous owners using tap water (well water is the worst). The water evaporates & the minerals in the water coat the inside of your cooling system.
2. Water cools better than antifreeze (normally ethylene glycol) because water has better heat transfer. You should run the most water / least antifreeze for the coldest day of the year in your area (wind chill doesn't count). The only downside of water is that it freezes.
3. Water Wetter is simply the "corrosion inhibitor package" of antifreeze (similar to Dexcool) + a touch of ethylene glycol. It does NOT make your engine cooler just by adding to your 50/50 coolant. It DOES allow you to run straight distilled water, which DOES make your engine run cooler.
4. The color of antifreeze means nothing.
5. The closest formula to the original Mopar coolant is "Peak Green" (the name of the antifreeze, not just the color). Most green-colored Peak antifreeze is Dexcool with green dye. (which is also fine to run, fyi)
6. If you do run more water (e.g. 70/30 or just distilled water instead of 50/50), the DO use Water Wetter (iron heads) or Lucas Super Coolant / Royal Purple's Purple Ice (aluminum heads). Hyper Cool is "snake oil".
7. Do not mix your brands of anti-freeze (regardless if they're the same color). Some "green" anti-freeze doesn't mix well with other "green" ant-freeze.

8. Side note - Evans will make your car run hot. If you insist on running "waterless" antifreeze (Evans does have water in it), then just run DexCool concentrate...nearly identical formulas. I don't recommend either without the water personally.

Oh yeah, and make SURE your engine block, body & frame are all grounded very well to each other to avoid "electrolysis". If your ground wires get corroded, the electricity will flow through your coolant and cause corrosion.

Thank you !!





One of the Chemist when I worked for Justice Brother chemicals previously worked in the Anti Freeze biz....

PlumBeeper, On your additive list please consider Justice Brothers Super Radiator Cooler. Its has SCA package, lubricatants, anti-rust, anti-cavitation properties.

Cooling System Additives - Cooling Agent Show Down - Garage

http://www.superstreetonline.com/how-to/engine/0703-turp-cooling-system-additives/

"Justice Brothers' Radiator Cooler gave us the lowest temperature during our testing - 177 F - and provided the lowest average temperatures overall when mixed with water alone."

Just a suggestion but I’m betting if you would drill about 10-12 three inch holes in that funky looking nosepiece they have on them it would run a lot cooler. Just a thought 💭

Ive a real cool garage it would stay cool in.


Electrolysis is a bad, bad thing ive probably replaced over 500 sleeves in the older diesels from that, it will eat through a liner in short order.

I wonder how long dodge neon coolant is good for, ive 135k on my 04 and am sorta afraid to change it out. I did the t belt and water pump and dumped the old right back in. Still dont freeze at -5.

1or 2 bucks a gallon> every Walmart, grocery store, drug store etc has it

99 cents here....


quote=05dakota]1or 2 bucks a gallon> every Walmart, grocery store, drug store etc has it

[/quote]

Good info. Appreciated.

I will keep Justice Brothers in mind, but I have never analyzed their formula, so I cannot personally recommend it....could be good, I just don't know for sure.

1. The basic "sales pitch" of Water Wetter is 100% BS. Lowering the surface tension of your coolant substantially (what Water Wetter claims) makes your coolant FOAMY...and air bubbles don't transfer heat very well...so your engine runs HOTTER. More water is the key to making your engine run cooler, not a bottle of pixie dust.

2. Hyper Lube is JUST WATER + some surfactants. There's no corrosion inhibitor at all. It does foam. I do not recommend Hyper Lube for anyone in any engine.

3. Having personally run the same (or similar) test of engine temperature vs. coolant additive I am skeptical of the results. All of the products will run +/- 1 degree F with the same blend of ethylene glycol & water or just water.....except Hyper Lube which may run hotter if that cooling system allows it to foam.

4. The graph you show is "heat capacity", which shows how much heat a gallon can hold inside it. This is also useful, but more important is "heat transfer coefficient" which is how easily the liquid takes heat out of one thing (your engine block) and transfers it to another thing (your radiator). Water winds hands down vs. ethylene glycol (or propylene glycol or glycerin) by a factor of about 3x or 4x. Water is MUCH better at transferring heat.

Luis
As one other member mentioned, he could keep it cool in his garage, but I am farther north and it would be cooler in my
Garage, Just Saying!!!!
Dave

Dang! Where were you when I bought Evans? I paid a LOT to have my engine run hotter. By the way, Evans voids their guarantee if you add water. Also, it's supposed to have a higher boiling point, which is interesting if it does indeed make it run hotter.