Still over heating

[Tom S]

... installed the 4" fan spacer .. now I only have 1" between my radiator and fan. Guess what still over heats!

Well, that shoots my theory all to hell.    Got a couple more though.

... air bubbles in the coolant flow ... you probably have a leak or a head gasket issue.

Frank, he says it is ok if he is moving so I would think if he had a leak or a head gasket issue it would overheat then too.
Ok, now I see Tim has checked that. Assume it/s not that issue.
I must say that I also agree with these guys

I'm going to catch some flack on this because I have in the past. I have cured heating problems in the past on small blocks in my cars by going back to a stock water pump. Everything being equal, my guess was that the water was going through the radiator faster than it could cool.

I agree with you in the sense of most street engines don't need these high flow pumps to begin with.

So what is the real problem?  The high flow pump is a possibility, but it does sound like an air flow problem.  Maybe a combination of the two?
What about that "crap plastic fan" that was mentioned?  Maybe it's crap 'cause it just doesn't move enough air.
What kind of fan is it, one of them flexi types?  Got another fan to try?  I think the one off the old Y-block would fit if you still have it.   
What temp thermostat are you running?  Did you check it in a pan of water on the stove & a candy or meat thermometer?  Had new stats that did not work right.

[57 Ford Kustom]

I checked the Tstat yesterday , it is a 160 degree open. I checked it by placing my hand on the upper hose while idling. The temp gauge was almost at the half way mark when I could feel that it was opening. I have yet to install the fan shroud, my grand daughter is here for the weekend, at 2 years old she demands Grandpa's full attention! Lol ! I love that girl! I hope to get it on after church to drive it to a neighbor hood cook out. I'll keep you posted.  Tim

[sprink88]

Could it be a restricted thermostat? I know some openings on t-stats are bigger than other ones.

[57 Ford Kustom]

Well good news! I installed the shroud and it no longer pegs the temp gauge! It still runs hotter than the middle of the gauge as a matter of fact at the very end of the temp line. But it no longer pegs past H. I took it out for a 20 mile ride, and it ran below the half way mark. Parked and let it idle, with no over heat issues! I will be throwing that flex fan into the back of the garage, like Dad did, no I'll throw it away. On my return, I could see where the fan had hit the fins at an 1" away, I never would thought that it would have flexed way out like that! Any way small problem in comparison to my other issues. Thanks for all the input! You all are a great help to me. Tim

[57chero]

Are you sure the fan is on right, a buddy of mine put a aftermarket fan on backwards, it ran ok as long as he was moving but soon as he stopped the temp would go up. Just a thought I'm sure your smarter than my buddy.

[gasman826]

Since you are going to change the spacer again and you now have a shroud, a third of the blade in the shroud and two thirds out for best air flow.

[57 Ford Kustom]

Yes I'm sure the fan is on correct, as a matter of fact, I don't know how you could put it on any other way! Thanks Gasman for the tip. Tim

[Frankenstein57]

Back to the fan, when I dirt tracked a 57,427 with a stock radiator, the bigger the fan blades the hotter it would run. Granted ,a dirt car gets pounded lots harder than a street car, but it magnifies the conditions. The best we found were stock five blades, glad to see you are making progress with it, Mark

[Lou]

Take the thermostat out. I always ran my y-blocks without a thermostat in warm weather, in case of a cool night when I needed the heater I had a piece of cardboard in the trunk that I could cover 1/2 the raditaor with.

[57 Ford Kustom]

Lou, I first tried running without a Tstat it was no help. I'm going to look for a 70's style metal fan, not a huge fan of the flex fans any more. Tim

[Lou]

Tim, first of all your not overheating, your running hot, big difference. Steal you wifes kitchen thermometer and  put it in the raditaor, that will tell you if your heat gage is telling you the truth. Y-Blocks like flatheads their best between 180 and 200.

[BWhitmore]

Removing the thermostat will not resolve an overheating problem unless the thermostat is stuck closed.  If it is, your engine will overheat within the first 5 minutes.  Removing the thermostat will create cold drive-ability problems as the thermostat is designed to bring the engine up to operating temperature enabling the engine to operate at 160-180 degrees. 

You might want to check your temperature gauge with a temp gauge that you know is good.  A good after market temp gauge is good insurance.  You also want to make sure that you have the proper radiator cap.  The rating on the rad cap s rated in pounds of pressure.  When water is placed under pressure the boiling point of the water is raised.  With the correct radiator cap the boiling point of your water is raised above 212 degrees depending on the rating of the radiator cap.  A 50/50 mix of water and anti-freeze will also raise the boiling point.  Each pound of pressure that the coolant is under will raise the boiling point approximately 3 degrees.  I looked in the 57 Ford shop manual for a spec on the proper radiator cap and could not find one.  Is is important to use the proper- good sealing radiator cap because if your cap is rated too high and creates too much pressure your radiator will blow out at the seams; too low and your car will overheat because the boiling point of the coolant has not been raised high enough.  Since your overheating problem ( if indeed you actually have one based on a trusted temperature gauge) seems to be at low speed or idle which really points to the fan and a proper shroud with proper spacing of the fan within the shroud.

[BWhitmore]

I found it.  The 57 shop manual states that the proper radiator cap for the stock 57 radiator is 13-15 lbs. 

[Ford Blue blood]

Bill I was about to post the same thing.....but, I'm in the 10 - 12lb group, I think the 15lb cap has caused many radiator failures with the stock tank splitting.  After market radiator...you bet the 15lb cap will be there.

[Frankenstein57]

Removing the thermostat is the wrong thing to do, with a thermostat or a restrictor you are allowing the radiator to do its job, which is cool a large percentage of the systems water. If your engine is fairly stock, there is no reason to run any kind of high flow water pump either.