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Re: 1970 Hemi 'Cuda AAR Convertible Project........
[Re: Troy]
#1327818
02/27/13 09:49 PM
02/27/13 09:49 PM
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Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 294
Oregon
KillerCuda
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Quote:
Hi Davey
How many miles do you have on her?? You might just want to drive it and see if things just wear in together.....this does happen and I have seen it happen. Yes it is a mess to clean up but a lot better that ripping it all apart again.
troy, i've got about 250 to 300 miles on it. hard, mellow, all kinds of driving and rpm's. she's dripping as steady as it was the first day running, so my hopes for it 'breaking' or 'settling' in are starting to vanish. but, i am going to put some more miles on it, before taking it apart again. i just want to drive the dang thing! lol........
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Re: 1970 Hemi 'Cuda AAR Convertible Project........
[Re: KillerCuda]
#1327821
03/18/13 03:17 PM
03/18/13 03:17 PM
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Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 4,179
California
mickm
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master
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California
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Quote:
my uncle and i took third place in our class at the portland roadster show! there was some serious tough competition there. i drove it in, and i drove it home. no trailer here, and that felt pretty dang good. thanks again to everyone who helped me make it all happen with the wonderful tips i got on here at moparts. 
congrats! 
well deserved, that is an awesome car!
and again, some more pictures would be great! i'd like to see some detail!
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Re: 1970 Hemi 'Cuda AAR Convertible Project........
[Re: mickm]
#1327822
05/05/13 09:43 PM
05/05/13 09:43 PM
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Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 294
Oregon
KillerCuda
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hey folks! long time, no see, just been putting some miles on the ol' girl, and breaking her in. here is an update: i still have a rear main leak with the rope, it has not 'settled in' at all after 750 miles on the clock. (probably 650 on the rope). at some point soon, going to try removing the pan while in the car, and dealing with the rope..... in other recent news, this weekend, we had our first real heat of the summer, low 80's. she handled the weather just fine below 70, but this is too much, and it over heats.  i am running a us radiators either 'high efficiency' or 'optima' 22" four core, a mister gasket high flow 180 thermostat. like i said, she is rock steady at 180 to 190 all day long idling or not, in cooler weather. but, i tried letting her run longer today. (got hot yesterday too) 40 minutes drive time in, if i am standing still, or feathering along @ 50mph, 1800rpm, she still gets hotter and hotter. pulled in the driveway, 230. let it idle for ten minutes, 250. then i high idled it to move some air, no change. (once she gains a few degrees, there is no coming back down, moving at speed or not.) i shut her down, puke puke puke all over...... so, does anyone have any suggestions for me? i would like to keep it stock appearing, ie, no electrical fans. i know the real hemi's had a 26 radiator, was the core support different? because my opening is only so wide! i am thinking trying a standard thermostat, to maybe slow down the coolant or more time in the radiator. i don't believe it's a flow issue, because even at higher engine speed and car speed, there is no change. if it was flow, it would seem the the more air i moved across it should make a difference. also, i am not really a believer in the 'no thermostat' argument. but, i will try anything at this point! thanks for any input folks, D
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Re: 1970 Hemi 'Cuda AAR Convertible Project........
[Re: KillerCuda]
#1327823
05/06/13 12:43 AM
05/06/13 12:43 AM
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 6,257
gulfport, ms, west mi
rowin4
master
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master
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 6,257
gulfport, ms, west mi
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What's your timing set at? could be the cause of your heating problem,also check the radiator cap, might need one with more pressure. I think I would have shut it off at 230 , not 250 
it's ok to butt heads, just don't do it with a butthead
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Re: 1970 Hemi 'Cuda AAR Convertible Project........
[Re: rowin4]
#1327824
05/06/13 01:12 AM
05/06/13 01:12 AM
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Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 294
Oregon
KillerCuda
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Quote:
What's your timing set at? could be the cause of your heating problem,also check the radiator cap, might need one with more pressure. I think I would have shut it off at 230 , not 250
timing is 10 initial 30 all in. carbs are in tune as well, run in on a dyno, af's checked out across the board. i feel confident it is not the tune. factory style cap, not sure what they were rated at? 15lbs?
yeah, i know i pushed it on the temps, but i already had it at 230 the day before without puking, and i wanted to see if it would peak out temp wise, but it didn't. i cut my losses at 250F.
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Re: 1970 Hemi 'Cuda AAR Convertible Project........
[Re: 2fast4yourBrain]
#1327827
05/06/13 10:11 PM
05/06/13 10:11 PM
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Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 294
Oregon
KillerCuda
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Quote:
22" kinda small perhaps for that huge Hemi?
How far is the clutch fan to the radiator? may need spacers to get it real close to the rad.
well, it's been fine so far, but i see your point as far as size goes. it is a nice four core heavy duty piece......
the fan blades sit an inch inside the shroud, which is what i have always had work best.....
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Re: 1970 Hemi 'Cuda AAR Convertible Project........
[Re: mickm]
#1327828
05/06/13 10:13 PM
05/06/13 10:13 PM
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Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 294
Oregon
KillerCuda
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Quote:
there are a number of threads out there about putting a 26" radiator in there. i would. you can modify the right radiator support and put the correct one it for the 26", but that is welding work, repainting, etc...
even though 4" or so of the radiator will be blocked from air flow, i think most people have reported success with putting the 26" in.
i did in my b-body, but changed the support. engine was out, so it was a different deal.
i would try something like that first. to me, it's a shame to have a stock looking engine compartment with a big ol aluminum radiator sticking out like a sore thumb. just my opinion though...
thanks! i will do some more research on that mod. hate to spend that much more on a new radiator, but it might come down to that......
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Re: 1970 Hemi 'Cuda AAR Convertible Project........
[Re: KillerCuda]
#1327829
05/06/13 11:11 PM
05/06/13 11:11 PM
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Oregon
KillerCuda
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so, i have an update: same heat out today as yesterday, 80 degrees. i pulled the thermostat out, with surprising (to me) results. it cooled MUCH better! after warm up and idling in the sun for 15 minutes, it was @ 175 degrees. small drive to heat soak the motor, same as yesterday, about 25 minutes, and it was riding @ 190 to 195. that is about normal for me. (yesterday, i was 215 and rising by now). then i pulled over on the side of the road, it got up to 200 to 210 or so, but with high idling, i could see it lower. as soon as i was moving on the road again at about 45 mph, right back down to 175! i then came home, and just let it idle in the sun. it peaked at 224. raised the rpm's up, and it started coming back down. yesterday, nothing would bring it back down..... so, although it goes against me theory, i believe this is happening: my radiator IS efficient, but has a smaller area of cooling. therefore, moving the water through it FASTER, was helping to dissipate the heat better than the water moving slower, which would give it more time to dissipate. (in my mind, slower meant cooling it off more. maybe it would in a bigger radiator. but obviously, the motor is heating the water faster than the 22" radiator with a thermostat could cool it. so goes my guess....) so, i am going to run it like this for now, no thermostat, and see how it goes..... oh, and a bonus, my damn core support is cracking apart! it appears that someone has already done a half assed braze repair in the past, but who knows. so, not sure how i am going to attack this one yet, thinking of a temp repair for the summer, (which i wasn't going to admit to), but what the heck, i might try it just to see how it goes. i promise it doesn't involve sheet metal screws or duct tape.  thanks for the replies folks! D
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Re: 1970 Hemi 'Cuda AAR Convertible Project........
[Re: KillerCuda]
#1327830
05/21/13 10:34 PM
05/21/13 10:34 PM
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Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 294
Oregon
KillerCuda
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well, cooling system has been decent, but, that rear main isn't........
soooooo, took the steering linkage down, and off came the pan, and seal cap. (bearing too, wanted to check it, and i may put the mancini one with oil diversion to the front of the engine in it's place). it appears that one end of the rope seal may have just gotten a little too 'frayed' when pulling it through, and i don't think i had enough compression at the parting line when installed. to me, that is good news, as it is most likely the seal causing me grief.......
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Re: 1970 Hemi 'Cuda AAR Convertible Project........
[Re: KillerCuda]
#1327832
06/21/13 12:12 AM
06/21/13 12:12 AM
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Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 294
Oregon
KillerCuda
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"i'll never use a lip seal again after having two fail". famous last words of mine! well, i DID end up using a lip seal again. i could not 'roll' the graphite seal in with the crank installed, (engine in car, oil pan only off this time in car) so here's how it went. we couldn't get the graphite to roll in, tried several different tools. i like them, have one in my gto that had a pesky leak, and it was the only seal that worked. (engine out 6 times for that one!) there we were, car apart, seal wouldn't fit, so we started checking the lip out again. i installed the block half, greased the crank, and rotated it. i had a nice witness mark all around, with it just barely riding the 'ridges' and 'smooth' section of the crank. the witness mark was literally half on half off. i lightly rtv'd it all around, spun it in 1/4" offset, just a small dab of rtv on the seams at the outside edge only, and rtv'd the side seals and perimeter of seal cap, and on it went...... oh, the one big change, i used a mancini rear main bearing, the one with v grooves diverting oil to the front of the motor. it is a full groove bearing, not just half groove like the clevites i have in there now. plastigauged for clearance, looked good, so in it went. one other thing, my oil hole was really enlarged in the upper half of that rear bearing that came in the motor, and that main oil feed was the one that was sleeved due to porosity in the block. it has full 3/8"s tube diameter on that main. so, i left the stock oil feed size hole in the mancini bearing, hoping to maybe 'control' oil flow to that main a wee bit. we hoped that the oil diversion, smaller feed hole, and a proper install, might pan out for us this time. i was running out of ideas, so we felt it was time to think outside the box for fun...... all buttoned up, have driven the car for 300 miles on these latest mods, and the result is: FINALLY A DRY REAR MAIN!!!!!!!!!  very happy about this latest turn of events. more to come.......
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Re: 1970 Hemi 'Cuda AAR Convertible Project........
[Re: KillerCuda]
#1327833
06/21/13 04:50 PM
06/21/13 04:50 PM
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Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 4,179
California
mickm
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California
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wow! congrats! that is nice to hear. i forget who, but someone had a one piece main seal on the drawing board. probably would be harder to install with the crank in the block, not sure. anyway, looks like you are there!
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Re: 1970 Hemi 'Cuda AAR Convertible Project........
[Re: Silverbullet2]
#1327835
06/21/13 06:39 PM
06/21/13 06:39 PM
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Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 4,179
California
mickm
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California
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Quote:
I was pretty interested in your heating concerns with the Cuda. Especially about how removing the thermostat seemed to cool her down. I've got a 525 hemi in a 68 GTX that seems to be pushing the envelope too. I had the original 2 row radiator rebuilt with a high efficiency 3 row core. A napa jaguar fan clutch, and 160 degree thermostat. It's never boiled or steamed but the gauge will get 2/3 to 3/4 of the way over (Never out of the normal range but close.) and once it gets up there it doesn't wanna come down. I don't like seeing it run that warm. If you guys think removing the thermostat is a good idea I may try it!
check your gauge first. my factory gauge reads 10-30 degrees high on the top end. new autometer gauge shows 190, factory shows a good 210, sometimes more.
get a solid base first before you make any changes.
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Re: 1970 Hemi 'Cuda AAR Convertible Project........
[Re: Silverbullet2]
#1327836
06/21/13 10:27 PM
06/21/13 10:27 PM
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Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 294
Oregon
KillerCuda
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Quote:
I was pretty interested in your heating concerns with the Cuda. Especially about how removing the thermostat seemed to cool her down. I've got a 525 hemi in a 68 GTX that seems to be pushing the envelope too. I had the original 2 row radiator rebuilt with a high efficiency 3 row core. A napa jaguar fan clutch, and 160 degree thermostat. It's never boiled or steamed but the gauge will get 2/3 to 3/4 of the way over (Never out of the normal range but close.) and once it gets up there it doesn't wanna come down. I don't like seeing it run that warm. If you guys think removing the thermostat is a good idea I may try it!
well, normally, i would NOT recommend it, but, as i was shown with my car, it actually liked not having one. now with that being said, i am not sure how she will behave when it is colder out. it gets pretty cool here up in the northwest, so i will let her ride this way for now. this winter, i will find out if it can handle it, if i don't experiment before then.....
i think it may just come down to poor flow with the factory style water pump/blades, with the extra demand from the more built motors. i too have a killer four core 22" radiator, and the more water i got through it, (no thermostat), the more the engine liked it.
that being said, i did pick up a new water pump from a company called flowkooler, it has cnc'd blades, supposed to up the ante with water flow. part number 1679 i believe. i thought maybe with that pump, and a high flow thermostat, i might be ok if i need to run one someday. but, i haven't had the heart to take her apart yet, it's summer weather here, (which is short!) and she's runnin' real nice!
if i were you, i would go pick up a couple of gaskets, take that thermostat out, and give it a try! also, my engine builder said he runs all of his hemi motors without one, but he lives in florida. also, he said if i did run one, to run the high flow mr gasket version, which i was.
hope some of this real world feedback helps you!
D
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