Randy G.

I forgot to mention that with the heads off I was able to run a pipe cleaner style brush down the water passages. I also used solvent and an old can of "Motorshine" I had to soak the pipe brush, then I sprayed the rest down inside the block passages where the heads bolt on. After all that, with the lower block plugs removed, I pressure washed it and a lot more of that black sandy goop came out. Enough to where I had to clear the lower block plugs 2-3 times each to keep the water flowing through because the plugs were stopping up with chunks of that stuff. What a mess.

I covered the top of the short block up the best I could to keep water out of the valley as I blasted it as it would end up in the pan, but when I blasted the extra hole on the driver's side I realized I just shot water in the dip stick hole . I planned on changing the oil anyway, I guess.

Off to church this morning, then back at it.

fyreline

Throw a little extra in the collection plate this morning, Randy. No sense not covering all the bases. God loves a cheerful giver - especially if he drives a Corvette!

Randy G.

Here's the update:

Because we were busy yesterday I didn't quite get it finished but today I did. Started it up, adjusted the timing, adjusted the hydraulic valves, idle mixture, etc. Runs great, no leaks except the oil that got on the floor when I was adjusting the valves, sealed up good, no moisture in the oil, clean and dry. I take it for a spin and it's running around 180 on the gauge. I pull up in my driveway, leave it in drive and within about 3 minutes I watched the gauge climb to 220*. A couple more minutes and it's 230*. Highest it got was 235* when it was 67 degrees outside tonight. I back out of the driveway and within a couple miles of driving at 45-50 miles per hour and it's back down to 185*.

Since I was hungry I drove it to Der Weinerschnitezel for some chili cheese dogs with onions and a large diet Coke. While waiting in the drive through at night it climbed to 220*.




.

Frankie the Fink

OK - was this a new Mexican crate motor or has it been heavily bored out ??

Stan's Customs

I would be sure your new fan clutch is not defective . The car cools down quickly when off idle and driving. That's indicates not enough air flow to me (even though you have addressed that issues).

Dewiit's radiator is as good as they come so I really doubt that there could be anything there...but all that crap in the engine could have partially stopped up a brand new radiartor I guess..???

...the gunk in the block is the mystery. Why was it there in the first place?? Hmmm..?

Stan's Customs

...one other thing. There's no chance that the fan was mounted backwards when you changed out the fan clutch is there? I know it's a silly question probably...but it would be easy to do.

See post 14..are your fan blades facing like those in Frankie's photo?

You have made progress with the car operating at only 180 degrees at speed...it had to get better after all the blockage you had.

What we are missing is "why" it had stop leak in it...?? Maybe the fan was mounted backward when the previous owner had it...and he tried to fix the over heating with stop leak, or....(just musing???)

These cars are the pits...with the little radiators..and small grill area...everything has to be right. Any small variance makes a noticeable difference on the gauge. Two variances can easily cause overheating....unlike some of the steel body performance cars with "big" radiators which are much more forgiving.

Vet65te

It was brought up a number of posts ago but I didn't see any comment from the OP as to whether the heads were pressure checked or if the head and deck surfaces were checked with a straightedge?
Mike T - Prescott AZ

Stan's Customs

No they weren't pressure checked... but he didn't say if he checked the deck with a straight edge.

Stan's Customs

Other than the possibility of a backward fan ..All of these have been addressed...he has been very thorough and professional in his approach.

Some of them could be reconsidered.

The heads were removed to check the head gaskets. Extreme blockage was discovered in the water passages....stop leak?? He installed a new Dewitt radiator and new fan clutch early on...but the gunk could have migrated to the new radiator.

When the blockage was discovered and the block passages cleaned...the engine was reassembled without going further with the heads (magnaflux or pressure check). Maybe a bad gamble there..but understandable since the head gaskets were in good shape.

It's a problem...on the peculiar side for sure.

Westlotorn

Not pressure checking the heads was a gamble, now they are still an unknown.
Since this was a Target Engine the seats should be good.
I would test the radiator with a garden hose and a spray mist of cold water on the radiator as it is running hot. If the system is flowing well and the thermostat is working it should pull the temp back down to your thermostat temp in about 2 minutes and keep it there. If it does you have an airflow issue. If it does not pull the heat down you have either a circulation issue or combustion heat maybe exhaust heat entering the cooling system and superheating it.
From post one to the final post the car gets hot idling and cools while driving.
In post one the temps stayed above 200 on the hwy but that was at 95 degree's outside temp. In this final post it ran 185 on the freeway in 65 degree temps while outside air was 65 degree's. Others that drive a C1 can chip in but I believe with an outside air temp of 65 the car should stay at 160, moving or parked and the fan clutch would most likely not come in to play at 65 degrees normally.
Try the water mist test and see what you get. Better park on your lawn as you do this or the Water Waster police might ticket you due to the draught this year in California.
My lawns are brown this year trying to do my part to save water for drinking.

AZDoug

Stan, please stick to doing whatever you normally do.

Telling people incorrect stuff about heat transfer, is not one of them.

As for me, I spent years doing heat exchanger stuff in the chemical industry, i am a Chemical Engineer, so i do have more than a little idea of what i am talking about.

Randy, if you are getting heating at idling,and it is cooling down at speed, you either do not have enough water flow thru the radiator at idle, or you do not have enough airflow across the radiator.

Since it cools down at speed, you have made a big step forward. I would look for hot/cool spots on the radiator, also, to verify some of that gunk didn't make its way there.

This is easiest with the hood removed, just let the car idle and use your hand to feel the front of the rad. If the rad isn't getting hot, you ahve a water flow problem, if it gets hot in just a narrow flow pattern, you have a radiator clogging issue, if it gets hot all over, you have an air flow problem.

An IR gun can also be used thru the grill, if you don't want to take the hood off.

Doug

hderr

Randy, I realize you are quite busy with this issue, is there a chance you
might be able to post a couple of pictures of the engine of this naughty boy? Just
curious I guess.
Regards,

Stan's Customs

You are exactly right Doug...

My post was totally misstated regarding the thermostats. I've been off in "la la land" fixing I don't know what. I'll correct/delete that. I've been taking some heavy duty pain meds for my back ..and am still about half dingy...Almost like being drunk...but I haven't had a drink in over 20 years. Thanks for pointing out the error....I'm coming around a little bit now.

My apologies to the forum.

Randy G.

Wow! Lots of replies this morning.

The fan is the right direction. I know because it messes up my hair when I grab the throttle arm on the carb and rev it up.

After I turned it off last night I grabbed my ir gun and shot the radiator. Non conclusive, but I will try shooting when it's hot though the grill. Before I installed the new radiator I had the hoses off the engine and flushed the heck out of it. I discovered the impacted block sealer in the heads and deck when I had the heads off. The steel shim style head gaskets that were on it were sealed up very well. I solvent tested the valve seats and they were basically fine. Using the thicker FelPro blue permatorque head gaskets probably cost me 3/4 of a point in compression over the thinner steel head gaskets.

One thing else I may consider. I initially took the original 5 blade fan off and installed an all steel (not flex) 6 blade fan on I purchased from Summit. I also installed a new Hayden 2747 HD fan clutch on it with the thermal spring turned 180 degrees which routes the fluid in the clutch to the attempted lock up position. Helicopters have two blades. Maybe I'll put the stock 5 blade back on with the original style fan clutch.

I have one of those Home Depot multi spray nozzles that has a fine mist setting so that will be on the menu of things to do today. I have to agree with the small grill opening comments. I have access to a single wire alternator and puller fan if I want to try it but that seems like throwing in the towel. But to be honest after putting that huge front license plate assembly on it looks like it blocked 20% of an already small grill area.

AZDoug

The grill isn't *that* small.

As I reiterate, my 427 SB has no problems cooling.

As far as small grill, I have seen pics of C1 pro race cars, (leMans or Sebring) with half the grill blocked off to restrict air flow to the engine compartment, probably to keep under hood pressure down at speed.

Do you have the lower baffle (between the lower front valance and radiator support) in place in front of the radiator? Just as curiosity; removing it probably helps air flow at idle, somewhat, but will reduce airflow across the radiator at speed, unless you have an air dam under the radiator support

Doug

Frankie the Fink

I'm not familiar with a 305 engine but my post earlier today concerning the engine having been bored out went unanswered. Engines that have been heavily bored out can have a tendency to run hot...

Westlotorn

In the middle of this thread it was reported that this was a 350 not a 305 and that it is a Target Engine. Target Engines were GM brand new engines sold at the GM Dealerships. Bore should be std bore. These were very popular for while. Less than $1,500 for a brand new from GM engine with warranty they were not a rebuild. All parts were new. They were made in Mexico as I recall.

Randy G.

I corrected my original post from 305 to 350 cubic inches. I didn't check the bore when it was apart. Some of the small blocks had siamezed bores so the area between the cylinders can get very thin. This had plenty of meat between bores and it had dished flat top pistons.

I was told by a corvette dealer that adding an electric fan to a C1 doesn't really help like you would think it would.

This afternoon I'll try posting pictures.

Frankie the Fink

Got it - thanks. Missed the 305-to-350 correction...

Randy G.

Right. The heads under the valve covers say something like "Hauncho de Mexico." It seems like a good quality piece.