normally a fan is not needed at highway speeds.
just stick your head out the window at 50-70 mph and does any fan produce anywhere near that much wind? No.
So the fact that it runs 220 fans off, but cools down fans on, indicates poor airflow at speed(or perhaps the fans block airflow when off).
investigate 69Myway's bad spoiler warning.

 

I did have the same problem on my first trip out but I had the easiest fix... I had my fan blowing backwards....
It cooled fine when in traffic but pushed against highway air when cruising and ran 220ish.... unbelievable! I could have sworn I checked it before leaving. lol.

 

If I was in your situation I would install a regular water pump(they're relatively cheap) with v-belts (assuming you still have all the pulleys and whatnot). With just the minimum number of belts for testing. Alt, Waterpump, crank. Just to see what happens....after reading thru the whole thread I don't see that this issue about serpentine CCW/CW waterpumps ever got really resolved.


The other thing that sounds probable is the spoiler/vacuum scenario that someone presented earlier.

 

I installed a BB in a SB car so I don't have the BB pulleys for the car. I'm having trouble finding a stock flow short CCW water pump to fit in the car. I have not pulled the pump off the car to verify the rotation. Its on my list of things to check. I've had two different pumps on this motor and both have done the same thing.

I'm removing the vacuum reservoir right now and I'm going to open the center of the bumper were the plate goes for beter air flow.

Once I have the front end back on I'll take a ride and check temps and than remove the center section of the spoiler to see if it makes a difference.

Neal

 

Matt looking at the dual fan setup I would say that the fans and shroud are blocking a good bit of the radiator. Once I get the front end back together and check the temps and than remove the front spoiler center section to see if there are any changes.

Neal

 

did you check the antfreeze for exhaust gasses? you can get test strips from NADA to test for exhaust gasses in the water from a leaking head gasket, cracked head, block etc,I had a bbc that would idea fine but at high speed it would get hot, it was a head gasket, I spent a lot of time and money looking for the problem on a new 540 that over heated on the road, then I had someone tell me to check for exhaust gas in the water. it was a leaking head gasket at high pressure on a new motor, ever time I rev the motor it would push water out, so I kept putting bigger rad caps on 15,18,24, etc when you rev the motor it would put high press in the rad and push the press cap open ,tell I got a high lb cap on it that stopped it, but the over heating did not

 

Did you mean NAPA? I will go by and see if they have the test kit.

I had spoke with the local radiator shop about having it checked. I have the front off the car right now. My plan was to get it back on the road and bring it by there to have it checked.

If the test kit is that easy I can pick one up and do it myself.

Neal

 

Neal,

My BB has similar characteristics. Once I get to 220 I want go any lower. The funny thing is that I can crank it up cold and it will run all day log in the driveway and self regulate between 180-190. Onc it climbs it levels out and never goes higher than 230 but it still drives me nuts!!!

I have the Indy spoiler, No license plate, HV Victor series water pump, Dewitts BB radiator with dual fans. Completely sealed radiator support.

Wade

 

Hey Wade

Sounds like its doing close to what mine was doning only mine would cool off when I slowed down. I'm still working this issue on mine but it does look like after adding the oil cooler I may have gotten my temps under control. The temps in our area has cooled some so it may be next summer before I can really test it.

Neal

 

Ambient air temps have more effect on things than people realize. I have a vapor lock issue that only surfaces once ambient temps pass 90 degrees. It sounds like you might have to wait until next summer to tackle it again. But enjoy the cooler air now and go have some fun.

 

Well finished the cross brace and installed it, painted the bumper and got it installed, mounted the headlights and installed the hood.

Took it for a shakedown run,

The temps are at 85* with low humidity 40% so I'll still have to wait for a hot day to really tell how much good I've done.

Took a 1 hour drive, first on a local hwy cruising at 3000 rpm (60 mph) for around 20 minutes. Water temp was at 150* and oil temps were at 185* on the inlet of the cooler, pulled onto the interstate and kicked it up to 3500 rpm (70 mph) water temps climbed to about 165* and the oil temps crept up to about 210*on the inlet of the cooler. I was at 3500 rpm for around 30 minutes, temps stabilized and stayed there till I exited the interstate. Once off the interstate and in town the temps dropped to around 155* to 160* and the oil temp dropped to around 190* and stabilized.

All in all I'm pretty happy with the results, I dropped about 60 lbs by removing the vacuum reservoir/core support and the crossbar at the bumper, but I added around 15 lbs with the new core support bracket and the new crossbar, that is a total weight loss of 45 lbs on the nose of the car and appears to have helped the cooling also.

Of all the changes that I've made I would say the oil cooler has made the largest difference followed closely by opening the front bumper up were the plate would be mounted and removing the clutter (reservoir and crossbar).

I'm going to drive it by the radiator shop to have them sample for comb gases in the radiator just to make sure there is no problems there.

Thanks to everyone for the help with my cooling issue

I'm hopefull I have it worked out

Neal

 

Wow....thats a helluva drop in temps from your initial tests....Congrats.....I will soon be dropping a 496 in my 71 and I am anticipating having to deal with this issue as well....At least I can follow some of your tips....

 

How is she doing these days Neal??

My would barely break 170* at any time during the winter but now its 90*+ and my water temps are 190-210*......I'm not liking it...

Time to start tinkering...

 

still have total control of the water temps

life is good when you can drive and not worry bout temps


Neal

 

Unfortunately I had to stop reading halfway through page 2 as it's bedtime here, but I didn't see anything about boiling or other adverse effects, just the 220-230 temps.

What is the problem??

High temperatures are your friend and cause improved combustion, why are you trying to lower your temps if you aren't having other problems? If it is truly stable at 220-230, not boiling, not detonating, etc. then stop trying to ruin your engine's efficiency and leave it alone.

 

220* and 550-600hp+ engines do not mix well. All high water temps do is kill power and make it more to detonation... You will likely not hear detonation....you may not know there is a problem until you pop a head gasket or melt pistons/rings etc...

There is a reason why pro drag race teams (prostock, sportsman, super gas etc) pull their cars up to the line with the water temps at 120-140*.....

MORE POWER...

 

There's also a reason why you can't do that with an engine designed to be used on the street. Bearing and piston clearances must be set according to the desired operating temperature.

 

Absolutely right....you want your oil temps warm and water temps cool....ideally....but it's just not realistic on a street car. I would love for mine to run 160-170* all the time but it's just not gonna happen during the summer with the AC blasting. I am hoping to get it to a stable 180-185*......any warmer then that and I will have to worry about detonation or start mixing in some race fuel...

 

Next tackle the tranny. With lots of TQ you need an OD tranny. @3000 rpm I'm cruising at 100 mph

 

Yep, trany is next

Got my eye on a 200 right now waiting to pull the trigger when I get some time to install it.

Don't care for the low first gear of the 700 family with my 4:11 rear

Temp control

200* plus may be good for light load cruising but I don't care for temps that high under load.

I wanted to know for sure I had control of the temps at 180* before I raised the operating temps to 195* and see how it acts.

I've tuned with the LM1 AFR meter and until you see for your self its amazing how big a difference the temps can make. You really need to be able to control the temps to get the final carb tune.

Neal