Heating prblems with 428 cj engine

[hd99fxr3]

Does anyone with an FE engine (428) have A problem with overheating My engine gets so hot so fast, and unless you are moving constanly, it will overheat. I have put surge tanks on had a larger capacity radiator built tried all manner of electric fans,new water pumps, and all with the same results. when it reaches 190 to 200 degrees it starts boiling over. I need answeres, and its not the fisrt one. I also just sold A 67 mustang with the same problem. No matter what I did I couldnt cool it down.    davie jim

[cokefirst]

I had some heating problems with an old Ford.  I used Evans waterless coolant and that solved the problem.  This is predicated on no head gasket or other mechanical problem

[Ford Blue blood]

Never had an FE run hot!  Even on .040 over with a big cam and 10.5 cr.  I do know if the head gasket is in backwards it will close off a port for water circulation and it is easy to do on the FEs.  The gasket looks the same either correct or on backwards, just have to look carefully, they are marked for proper placement.  Just on the 5,6,7,8 bank the word "BACK" is facing up and on the 1,2,34 bank it faces down.

Had to fix my error!

[Hoosier Hurricane]

Are you sure you're talking about a Ford engine?  On an FE the right bank is 1-2-3-4. left bank is 5-6-7-8.   John

[Ford Blue blood]

OK, been a couple of days since I played with it and got my old brain in back-up mode plus I've slept since then!  You are absolutely correct.  No idea where that came from!  Just know the words "front" or "rear" are as I recall.  One is up and the other is upside down.

[lalessi1]

I have a stroker 428 (462) with 11.2 compression ratio. My engine seems to run hot. I have a Griffin aluminum radiator with a 16" Derale electric fan/shroud. I have never heard about the head gasket thing, but now I am wondering. I used Fel-Pro1020 head gaskets and I just looked at a spare set I have. Both head gaskets are the same and are clearly marked front BUT one gasket would be upside down because of how the metal compression reinforcements are designed. I don't remember putting them in with one "upside down" as would be necessary.


I have tried everything to keep the engine temp constant and in the spring it was holding at 180. I have not driven it much lately in 95 degree temps but I will. The head gasket thing is gonna drive me crazy now...

[Hoosier Hurricane]

In your center head gasket picture, notice the oblong holes in end of the gasket at the top of your picture.  Those holes MUST be at the back of the block.  Yes, one gasket will be upside down from the other.  Those are water passage holes, and if the gasket is backwards on the block, water will not circulate properly through that head.   John

[hiball3985]

It happens, I had to fix a friends 410 that heated because him and his brother installed the left bank backwards.

[lalessi1]

It happens, I had to fix a friends 410 that heated because him and his brother installed the left bank backwards.

What were the symptoms? I did notice that the exhaust gas temps were higher on the left bank than the right on the dyno sheet... Is that possibly a result...?

[hiball3985]

Lynn, it's possible that your problem. The 410 was in a small firetruck that only saw parade use, like the local 4th July when it's 100+. After reaching normal temp it would just continue to climb and they would stop and use a hose and water on the truck to spray the radiator which didn't help  Their original thought was a cracked head or blown head gasket and wanted me to pull the heads. When I first tested it at idle it took about 15 minutes for it to start heating and the temps were the highest on the left back # 6-7-8. When I started the tear down and had the manifold removed I think I just stuck my finger in the left head front water port and felt the hole in the gasket and then knew what the problem was. New gasket installed correctly solved the problem.

But as you know the number of other things causing heating are almost endless

[dgasman]

A quick way to tell if the left head gasket is on properly is to feel under the front of the left head . You should feel the square edge of the head gasket if you don't it's possible its on wrong.

[Tom S]

A quick way to tell if the left head gasket is on properly is to feel under the front of the left head . You should feel the square edge of the head gasket if you don't it's possible its on wrong.

Does that hold true for the right head? When moving slow or stopped I have a heating problem & I can't seem to feel a gasket at the front of the right head.

[lalessi1]

A quick way to tell if the left head gasket is on properly is to feel under the front of the left head . You should feel the square edge of the head gasket if you don't it's possible its on wrong.

I can actually see the head gasket corner on the lower front left bank head. Mine are installed properly (hooray, I can sleep again). If it were backwards there would be a round corner on the gasket that would not be visible. This is awesome information.

[Tom S]

I can actually see the head gasket corner on the lower front left .... This is awesome information.

Yes, excellent info!
I assumed that this would be the same on the right bank, but it was hard to feel or see there. Found it just below, oops, I mean above the boss for the lower alternator bolt.

[lalessi1]

Same applies on the right bank.

Does anyone with an FE engine (428) have A problem with overheating My engine gets so hot so fast, and unless you are moving constanly, it will overheat. I have put surge tanks on had a larger capacity radiator built tried all manner of electric fans,new water pumps, and all with the same results. when it reaches 190 to 200 degrees it starts boiling over. I need answeres, and its not the fisrt one. I also just sold A 67 mustang with the same problem. No matter what I did I couldnt cool it down.    davie jim

Did this help Davie Jim? My car would overheat on the interstate and cool down after exiting. I changed the rear gear from 3.89 to 3.25, that helped a lot. I went from a Flexlite to an electric fan, that seemed to help but I had to cut holes in the shrould and put rubber flaps on them to improve airflow at speeds. I put a 180 degree thermostat in and my car will hold that as long as ambient temps are below 80. I don't know about mid 90's yet. My engine has Edelbrock heads, Blue Thunder dual plane intake and an aluminum water pump. I have tuned it by reducing when the advance comes in, lowering the initial timing and jetting it a little richer. most of that was done to stop the pinging. I think Ford added an oil cooler to the SCJ's, which suggests to me a heat issue. I am considering an oil cooler as well but I have read that does little to drop engine temps?