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Re: 383 Engine Question
[Re: JohnRR]
#1451759
06/18/13 08:08 PM
06/18/13 08:08 PM
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 291
St. Louis
Imrare
OP
enthusiast
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OP
enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 291
St. Louis
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Let me answer these questions one by one. I know the radiator shouldn't be filled all the way to the neck, I was just saying, it only boils out if I get the coolant closer than 1/2 inch from the neck. I the correct 16 lb. cap. I am letting it sit and idle because I've been caught is stop and go traffic a couple of times with the car and one time it was overheating so bad it burnt the plastic steering column bearing (at the bottom of the steering column) and was spark knocking so bad I was really concerned that I may have damaged the engine before I could get off the road and get it shut down. That was 4 years ago. So, I need this problem fixed to feel I can drive the car. I did not mic the overbore but I did note in the receipts that came with the car that .30 over pistons were purchased. I used metal head gaskets when I reassemble the engine. When I put a large fan in front of the radiator it will delay its overheating. Haven't tried a 190 thermostat. I've tried a 160, 180, and not thermostat, same result. Have not tried a 26" radiator as it will not fit on a radiator support made for a 22" radiator.
I am running standard pump gas. My timing is set per specs at 0 TDC. There is no space between my rad support and radiator and I have the filler piece between the bumper and the lower part of the rad support as well, along with a good sealing rubber hood seal. My heat riser I'm not sure about...I haven't thought about that. It is a stock riser, moves freely and has the thermal coil intact and in good condition, but I'll check that. Not sure what you mean by "run with the heat crossover blocked. Wouldn't I have to remove the intake manifold to block that?
I have the correct 7 blade, fixed fan on the car with the proper spacer length when compared to the parts book. I've included a pic of my engine compartment.
The water jackets were very clean when I had the engine apart a few years ago (down to the short block). Did not see any evidence of clogged water jackets.
My plan at this time is to remove the engine this fall and completely disassemble it over the winter to see if I can find what is causing the problem.
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Re: 383 Engine Question
[Re: Imrare]
#1451761
06/18/13 08:35 PM
06/18/13 08:35 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 75,042
U.S.S.A.
JohnRR
I Win
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I Win
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 75,042
U.S.S.A.
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Quote:
I am letting it sit and idle because I've been caught is stop and go traffic a couple of times with the car and one time it was overheating so bad it burnt the plastic steering column bearing (at the bottom of the steering column) and was spark knocking so bad I was really concerned that I may have damaged the engine before I could get off the road and get it shut down. That was 4 years ago.
Tell us about your carb, the exhaust is the only thing that would get hot enough to melt that bushing, you may be chasing the wrong problem.
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Re: 383 Engine Question
[Re: Imrare]
#1451763
06/18/13 09:07 PM
06/18/13 09:07 PM
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Joined: May 2009
Posts: 508
Cincinnati, Ohio
superbeedave
mopar
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mopar
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 508
Cincinnati, Ohio
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You know it's been awhile since I chimed in on any post but I have to say something about this situation. You have your initial set at "0" and with .03 over pistons? That may be your biggest problem right there. That is what the factory specs. were back in the day of high octane gas. You need about 10-12 degrees of initial timing and your mechanical needs limit to 36-38 with the vacuum adv. hose plugged. It maybe overheating at idle due to not enough inital timing. This is my  worth.
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Re: 383 Engine Question
[Re: JohnRR]
#1451766
06/19/13 10:51 AM
06/19/13 10:51 AM
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Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 965
S.W. Pennsylvania
markrr
super stock
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super stock
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 965
S.W. Pennsylvania
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I also agree with the timing. If I retard my timing by a few degrees from 15 btc my car overheats even on a cool day. I'd readjust your timing before doing anything else.
Last edited by markrr; 06/19/13 10:52 AM.
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Re: 383 Engine Question
[Re: markrr]
#1451767
06/19/13 11:19 AM
06/19/13 11:19 AM
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,163
CT
GTX MATT
master
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master
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,163
CT
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Quote:
I also agree with the timing. If I retard my timing by a few degrees from 15 btc my car overheats even on a cool day. I'd readjust your timing before doing anything else.
The car will absolutely overheat with the timing set there. I suppose this may have worked from the factory, but these engines seem to run cooler on leaded gas. I agree 100 percent with the post above, around 15 degrees initial seems to be the sweet spot. Much less and I typically find that the cars want to overheat at idle.
Does it overheat cruising also (still may if you only have 26 degrees of total timing)?
Recurve the distributor. If you want to experiment to see if it makes a difference, or you're lazy and want a band aid fix, hook your vacuum advance up to a manifold source and see if it overheats at idle. I am really willing to bet it doesn't.
One of my cars was having some strange distributor issues at one point, and in my experimenting trying to solve the problem, I found that going from 18 initial to 12 degrees initial timing was making it overheat like a mother at idle, just for an idea of how sensitive it can be. Car would idle at 180 all day long at 18 degrees on a 95 degree day, 12 and it was hitting 220 sitting at a stop light on an 80 degree day.
Last edited by GTX MATT; 06/19/13 11:21 AM.
Now I need to pin those needles, got to feel that heat
Hear my motor screamin while I'm tearin up the street
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Re: 383 Engine Question
[Re: markrr]
#1451768
06/19/13 11:22 AM
06/19/13 11:22 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,636
Nashville, TN
MOPARMIKE69
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,636
Nashville, TN
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After you re-set your timing, and your over heating problem goes away, you need to have a cooler full of cold ones to give to all the Moparts members who saved you from completely removing your engine and taking it apart.  Will you be showing it? If so there a few things you need to change so you will score better based on your engine shots.
69 Road Runner vert
69 GTX hard top
70 Road Runner 4 speed
70 Hemi Cuda vert
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Re: 383 Engine Question
[Re: MOPARMIKE69]
#1451769
06/19/13 11:49 AM
06/19/13 11:49 AM
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Joined: May 2009
Posts: 508
Cincinnati, Ohio
superbeedave
mopar
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mopar
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 508
Cincinnati, Ohio
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Quote:
After you re-set your timing, and your over heating problem goes away, you need to have a cooler full of cold ones to give to all the Moparts members who saved you from completely removing your engine and taking it apart.
Will you be showing it? If so there a few things you need to change so you will score better based on your engine shots.
I'm very fond of a 6 pak of cold Corona with lime! I'm just saying! 
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Re: 383 Engine Question
[Re: MOPARMIKE69]
#1451771
06/19/13 06:19 PM
06/19/13 06:19 PM
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 291
St. Louis
Imrare
OP
enthusiast
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OP
enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 291
St. Louis
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Believe me, I wish I could fix the overheating by simply advancing the timing. I'd buy you a truck load of beer. But I assure you, over the last 4 years, I've had my timing set advanced, retarded, all over the place, it makes no difference, it still overheats. I will say though, this engine has a real sweet spot" at about 10 - 12 degrees advanced, that is where it idles the smoothest. I put it back to TDC recently just because someone else told me having it advanced that much could be making it over heat. Everybody has an opinion and I'm listening to everyone. One thing I will say is that I have never had my distributor recurved, etc. This distributor was purchased during the restoration (4 years ago) and is a NAPA replacement. I guess it could be off from factory specs, but I don't really know what that means. If the engine is idling at TDC or 10 before or whatever the timing light says, isn't that what the timing is? Idle is where the problem is so either way, TDC or 10 before, it still overheats either setting, or am I simplifying it too much?
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Re: 383 Engine Question
[Re: MOPARMIKE69]
#1451772
06/19/13 06:24 PM
06/19/13 06:24 PM
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 291
St. Louis
Imrare
OP
enthusiast
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OP
enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 291
St. Louis
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Quote:
After you re-set your timing, and your over heating problem goes away, you need to have a cooler full of cold ones to give to all the Moparts members who saved you from completely removing your engine and taking it apart.
Will you be showing it? If so there a few things you need to change so you will score better based on your engine shots.
What would you change based on the engine shots - I've changed to the yellow top battery.
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Re: 383 Engine Question
[Re: Imrare]
#1451775
06/20/13 06:35 AM
06/20/13 06:35 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 75,042
U.S.S.A.
JohnRR
I Win
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I Win
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 75,042
U.S.S.A.
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Quote:
Believe me, I wish I could fix the overheating by simply advancing the timing. I'd buy you a truck load of beer. But I assure you, over the last 4 years, I've had my timing set advanced, retarded, all over the place, it makes no difference, it still overheats. I will say though, this engine has a real sweet spot" at about 10 - 12 degrees advanced, that is where it idles the smoothest. I put it back to TDC recently just because someone else told me having it advanced that much could be making it over heat. Everybody has an opinion and I'm listening to everyone. One thing I will say is that I have never had my distributor recurved, etc. This distributor was purchased during the restoration (4 years ago) and is a NAPA replacement. I guess it could be off from factory specs, but I don't really know what that means. If the engine is idling at TDC or 10 before or whatever the timing light says, isn't that what the timing is? Idle is where the problem is so either way, TDC or 10 before, it still overheats either setting, or am I simplifying it too much?
You need to put it back to the timing where it idles the best and see what your total advance is at 3000 rpm , go as high as 3500 , if it's over 38 degrees you need to have the distributor recurved to limit total timing , the mopar distributors of the day have a lot of mechanical advance in them , 30plus degrees , why , only mopar engineers know .
Also it's going to take more than timing, the carb needs to be jetted up because of the current fuel, if the inside of the block is clean as you say it's not the cooling system causing your high engine compartment heat issue.
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