Cooling a 390

[JimNolan]

Guys,
    I thought I'd write this up since Jack Armistead e-mailed me about my cooling problem that I had. The heating problem I had was never really fixed. I had a 390 with S code intake, regular heads, 9.3 pistons, I also ran a comp cam 481/493 lift cam. I couldn't keep it cool, I went to a Opti-Flow 3 core radiator and electric fan plus fan shroud and recovery system. I still couldn't keep it cool. Highway driving was fine but if I stopped for 10 minutes I was in trouble.
   After doing the frame off last winter I installed a 390 with 10.0 pistons and a 390 2V/4V cam. I also used a 63 model cast intake. I now use a stock 2 row radiator with no shroud, electric fan or recovery system. I have a recovery system on my car but I leave ample expansion area in my radiator so water never goes into recovery can ( it's only for drag racing ). I also use a 7 lb pressure cap and a 7 blade fan. Now, it runs below 180 and if you let it sit and idle for an hour it my go up to 180-190 at the most.
   After having 3 radiators in my car I can vouch for these assumptions. 1# If you fill the 57 Radiator to the top and use a recovery system you'll blow the top of the radiator off ( cause it to leak ). That's using stock water pumps and 7 lb pressure caps. The radiator repair place claimed that was a weak area for 57 type radiators. 2# If a stock 2 row radiator with a 7 lb pressure cap along with a AC fan doesn't cool your engine at idle you've got something else wrong. 3# I believe the more BTU's you produce the more BTU's you've got to cool. 4# The stock 57 2 row radiator is more than enough to cool a mild 390. Jim  See you all on the Gulf Coast Cruise-in. I'll be the 57 Ford sitting in traffic with a smile on my face.

[lotsafords]

Gentleman-
Well my cooling problem continues.  Since my last post I have messed with the chero on several occassions and still have not solved the problem.  On Saturday I decided to re time the car using the vaccume method as opposed to the light.  With vaccume advance disconnected and hose plugged max vaccume was achieved at 22 degrees.  Once the idle was reduced the engine sounded better and ran smoother than at anytime since installation.  Decided to take it for a drive and see what happened.  Really ran well and seemingly cool, outside air temp was about 95 and I drove the car for about 20 minutes and it never got over 180.  Only problem was that with slightest bit of acceleration it pings like crazy.  Pulled over and retarded it a bit, did this process several times until the ping was eliminated.  When I got back to the shop I put the light on it and I had gone bace to 10 advance.  Continued to mess with the car and put the electric fan back on.  On my way that evening, temp about 100 the car ran fair until I got into traffic and temp rose to about 195 - 205 with air.  At a light close to home it quit, but restarted.  Went the rest of the way without A/C.  This morning on my way to the shop temp about 72 it ran fine until it reach 180 at that point it just didn't feel as good as it did at 160-170.  By the time I got to the shop it was at 180-190 and when I stopped it would die.  I am perplexed and ready to remove the A/C from in front of the radiator and install a remote trans cooler.  Will do most anything to get it to run right.

Since I am not an engine builder I was wondering if their is any possibility that the crank or cam timing could have been set incorrectly?  Since the chero ran so well at the 22 degree advance except for detonation I was just curious.

Any help will continue to be appreciated.

Jack

[JimNolan]

Jack,
   I hate to hear your still having problems. I found out a lot from the machine shop about the engine I was running. 1# The crank had been ground with a taper and only one side of the bearings had proper clearance. Needless to say that's why I didn't have oil pressure at idle along with a chewed up crank. 2# The head gaskets were leaking between the cylinders. 3# The valves showed I was running the carburator too lean.
   So, they saved the crank, decked the block and installed new cam bearings, resurfaced the heads all the way around and reground the valves. They also claim there's no way that engine will cause excess heat because it has a bigger cam. So, I'm putting it back together the way I had it. Then, I'll sell it. The nice thing about rebuilding it this time is that I've got a engine stand that will enable me to run the engine and monitor it before I call it good. I ran the engine I have now for about 10 hours over a six month period and I got to see what it was doing.
   Good luck, Jim