Thread: 318 running hot

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Ok, lots of expensive parts on this motor, but the only pieces worth mention: aluminum heads and intake, roller rockers and under a point-five lift, near te-to one compression, aluminum radiator and electric fan.

Anything other than timing likely to make it run hot?

Do you have a good shroud on the fan? That's the first guess. Running a T-stat? What fan are you running, brand and rating?

Fan pushing or pulling? is radiator sized to engine?

Summit fan and radiator, fan is pulling, radiator was ordered as a direct fit.

Feels to be throwing out a ton of heat, so I'm thinking the problem is the motor.

I agree.A effective shroud is huge.

What stat are you running and has the motor been bored out? how much.
I had that problem years ago with a motor that was bored out.
I ended up running a water regulater instead of a stat.
Order them from Summit, 3 differant sizes to a pack,
which are for running differant temps.
Kurt

Do you have a high flow water pump on it or just a stocker? What size pulley's on the crank and water pump?

Stock pulleys, bored .60 over. Cant remember if I put an aluminum pump or not

The thing about those 318's is they are known for being rock solid reliable.There is certainty something going on here.

CFM of the fan? What's the temp getting up to?
Air still in the system, carb way tune off, t-stat faulty.
Can you see flow in the rad when the t-stat should be open?

When the T-stat opens with the rad cap off,are you seeing a continuous stream of bubbles??.

I'll check for flow. Meanwhile, does the 318 have tendency to have air pockets?

I have flow, And bubbles, and the coolant looks like crap, a little dark with dark particles.

I'm thinking the machine shop did a poor job of cleaning the block

Most all engines will have tendency to have air in the sysytem. " Nature of the beast, " so to say.
Rad cleaned out before the engine put in?
I've always been told " No matter what the block & heads look like, clean the inner passages with soapy water & lots of flowing water, then do it again til no more grit comes out. " Unfortunately, machine shops don't do this.
Does the fluid feel gritty? Can you see the grit?
I personally would take out the t-stat & flush everything til it comes out clean.

Originally Posted by firebird77clone

I have flow, And bubbles, and the coolant looks like crap, a little dark with dark particles.

I'm thinking the machine shop did a poor job of cleaning the block

If it is a steady stream of bubbles and not just bubbles getting the air out,then it is possible it hot one time too often and your seeing the compression escape from a cylinder(s) with a bad head gasket or cracked head.Pull the plugs and take a look see if any show signs of coolant.