Posted By: Anonymous
Overheating and lack of power issue! - 07/04/09 02:29 PM
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!!!!
Posted By: stumpy
Re: Overheating and lack of power issue! - 07/04/09 02:48 PM
What kind of rebuild? stock or performance parts?
Posted By: Crizila
Re: Overheating and lack of power issue! - 07/04/09 02:53 PM
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.
Posted By: Anonymous
Re: Overheating and lack of power issue! - 07/04/09 03:04 PM
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?
Posted By: stumpy
Re: Overheating and lack of power issue! - 07/04/09 03:21 PM
What is your timing set at and is the carb adjusted right?
Posted By: ngpSatellite
Re: Overheating and lack of power issue! - 07/04/09 03:22 PM
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
Posted By: Anonymous
Re: Overheating and lack of power issue! - 07/04/09 09:35 PM
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.
Posted By: kenworth_goose
Re: Overheating and lack of power issue! - 07/04/09 10:54 PM
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.
Posted By: RapidRobert
Re: Overheating and lack of power issue! - 07/05/09 12:04 AM
pull the stat for (1) day. EDIT any possibility of a vac leak?.
Posted By: Anonymous
Re: Overheating and lack of power issue! - 07/05/09 04:06 AM
What's the chances of a blocked port somewhere in the intake manifold? I know its not a clogged radiator, brand new one!
Posted By: stumpy
Re: Overheating and lack of power issue! - 07/05/09 04:33 AM
Set your timing correctly with a timing light and see what that does.
Posted By: JSSuperbee
Re: Overheating and lack of power issue! - 07/05/09 05:13 PM
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?
Posted By: 1_WILD_RT
Re: Overheating and lack of power issue! - 07/05/09 05:25 PM
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
Posted By: Anonymous
Re: Overheating and lack of power issue! - 07/05/09 07:31 PM
I don't mind switching to a 4 core rad but what about the lack of power issue?
Posted By: Blue66Charger
Re: Overheating and lack of power issue! - 07/06/09 12:57 AM
Disconnect and plug the vac advance (intake side) and set the timing at 12* BTC or so with a light keeping your idle adjusted appropriately.
