[rockytop57]

heating problem, have a 48 plymouth with an 87 sbc and trubo trans, new engine and trans. new northen radiator. put 15" 6 blade solid fan on to. idling will set there at 170 to 180, start driving and it heats up and will keep going up. changed thermostat still the same. any ideas. tried every thing i can think of.

[frank sieber]

Had a friend put wrong rotation water pump on before. Just saying.

[T-bucket23]

What is your timing set at. Retarded timing will cause overheating at higher rpm. Also could be hoses collapsing at higher rpm. Do you have springs in the hoses. Are you running a shroud, if not the air could be going around the radiator.

[techinspector1]

Quite a few of us have contributed to this wiki article, maybe you can find some help by reading through it. There are so many variables to the cooling system that you need to be a detective to figure it out.....
http://www.crankshaftcoalition.com/w...cooling_system

[rockytop57]

thanks for your help, timing is 4 degrees btdc like book says, lower hose has no spring, and have shroud but not on yet, will be today.

[T-bucket23]

I would push the timing up to at least 12 BTDC. 4 is way to low. Also you should check to see what your total timing is. If you are not running a vacuum advance it should be in the 34-36 range all in by about 2800 rpm.
I would also get a lower hose with a spring in it.
After you fix the timing take it for a ride and see if it improves.

These are just the basic items, there are a lot of things that can cause overheating but you need to start with the basics. The fact that it doesnt overheat at idle does eliminate a few items.

Get back to us on the progress

[rockytop57]

fixing to head to shop to try, thanks for the help. have a tach coming and can check rpms

[rockytop57]

also i do have vaccum advace

[cdminter59]

Here is an article on HEI distributors. It explains setting the different stages of your timing too. http://www.crankshaftcoalition.com/w...EI_distributor

[T-bucket23]

Originally Posted by rockytop57

also i do have vaccum advace

Make sure you set the timing with the vacuum advance disconnected

[John long]

Originally Posted by T-bucket23

I would push the timing up to at least 12 BTDC. 4 is way to low. Also you should check to see what your total timing is. If you are not running a vacuum advance it should be in the 34-36 range all in by about 2800 rpm.
I would also get a lower hose with a spring in it.
After you fix the timing take it for a ride and see if it improves.

These are just the basic items, there are a lot of things that can cause overheating but you need to start with the basics. The fact that it doesnt overheat at idle does eliminate a few items.

Get back to us on the progress

Be sure and set timing! 4 deg is way too low for sbc. Will cause heating. At 4 deg you should be experiencing low power to boot.