ATV Florida Forum

My camp truck (blue) just been overhauled with a 383cu stroke chev (460hp) before that blue had a stock 350cu. After the engine replacement the water temp is 180' running in 2wd with no load, but in 4wd going thru sugar sand at 2000 rpm the temp goes to 210'. I know its not a big deal to run at the temp, but the engine set to run at 190'. It as the biggest stock radiator (4 rows) that gm makes. It also has a 22" electric fan (2200cfm) with a trans cooler with a extra fan. any ideas?

Would'nt running those big tires in Sugar Sand cause it to run hot regardless?...You sure the Guage is accurate?

I would make sure you have a shroud around that electric fan not just a electric fan sitting agianst the radiator (you might already know that) and it is best that the shroud cover as much opening on the radiator as you can.  If you have ran through cat tails for example I would make sure the radiator is clean from debris and look for mud.  I find it builds up between the tranny cooler and radiator a lot.  This you may have already done but make sure the motor oil is not about a quart low.  If you have messed with the timing that also can mess with the temp. or I have seen that bolt that holds down the distributor from thurning has got loose on me.  You probably already know all this that I have said.  Everything I own that goes off road has an overheating problem I have to fix.  I have more ideas but only I dought its apply to your case.

If your thermostat is old it might be stuck open that will cause it to overheat (I know most people are going to disagree with me but I am speaking from experience) It will run cold to began with and then if running at an RPM for a certain amount of time the water pump will suck the water out of the radiator too fast and the water does not have time to cool down in the radiator.  Again you may know this also, just running pure water does run cooler BUT your water pump gets lubed by a certain amount of antifreeze (so I have been told)

If you do pull the radiator to clean it take your belt off see if you water pump is turning freely by hand make sure your belt is not sliping around your pump if it is hard to turn.  Check and see if it feels loose sometimes chevys sighn that the water pump is going bad is an intermedate overheating problem but it does suck to put a new water pump on and it still overheats.  Sorry I keep posting but everytime I think I am done I think of something else LOL Is your electric fan on an electric thermostat or just a switch you turn on?  If it is on an electric thermostat I would take it out and just use a switch too see if the thermostat has went bad.

Replace the radiator cap if it is old, sometimes that is an easy overlook, and it is cheap.  If the gasket is bad around the cap it will evaporate your water and boil at a lower temp and cause pockets of air to develope in your cooling system and a bubble(s) in your water pump you don't move water anymore.  I am sure you checked the water level though so I don't think the water is evaporating.  Oh if you have really orange water and you change anything that would involve draining it, use distilled water or 50/50 they sell at Advanced Auto, NO well water.  Using well water will cause all kinds of build up through out your motor, water pump, and radiator.  I am not anal I promise LMAO just thinking of all the probems I have had, as yall can see I have had a lot LOL

thank for the input


It all new from the highout water pump to the thermostat. Also the radiator was the only thing reused and it was clean up before reinstalling in to the truck. Griffin makes a all alum radiator (2 rows) but cools better than a 5 row brass and copper one, thats what the engine build is recommending. its a little pricey $650.00 with high out fans.

got the radiator I'll post picture later. Sure is a pretty looking thing.

BD,
 have you tried any of that "Water Wetter" yet, I think Redline ? makes it.
You add it too your coolant & is suppose to run cooler, it's suppose to work.
I run "Engine Ice" in my Banshee 3 Wheeler, if I don't, coolant will start to leak out overflow( too hot)

Maybe try Water Wetter first & see if it makes a difference ?

This is the electric fan I used on my aluminum griffin 18"H x 22"W

http://www.flex-a-lite.com/auto/html/180_black_magic_x-treme.html

its only a single but the dual fans with shrouds were too wide (or high) but it works really good, it does pull 20 amps though you need at least #12awg. wire for that one.

Thank guys,

I got some Water Wetter also, I'll post the picture of the radiator in few hour. One bad azz radiator system

(http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/6382/blue008ro8qm8.jpg)

Alright.... I just had a dual fan on my radiator on my buggy... went out riding and i was overheating... to make a long story short, one fan went bad, but they both turn because one is sucking air through the one not working.  I put a battery right to each fan to see which one was not working.  I don't know if you have checked that but it is kinda hard to tell just by looking at them and seeing both turning.  My fans were around 9 years old so its understandable why one went out.

This one is the new one. The old one has only one fan and a brass and copper radiator. here a picture of the old one
(http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/9084/blue013cv5.jpg)

have you checked if both fans work?

yes, I just check them both! thank you for you're help.  ;)

I now have the exact opposite problem... idles at 200 deg. and at 2000 RPM it runs at 170 deg. and I have a 195 thermostat sooooo I am thinking 160 thermostat will fix that.  This was after I put that new electric fan LOL

I am not a fan of Electic fan's I would go with the flex fan with Large  paddles, I have one on the 65 mustang it draw alot of air across the radiator and there is no drag under hard acceleration, this coupled with the shroud will draw  mondo air


http://store.summitracing.com/largeimage.asp?part=FLX-1319&Prod=Flex%2Da%2Dlite+Wide+Blade+Flex+Fans&img=flx-1312.jpg

Chuck the problem with blue is the radiator sit way higher then the engine. Look at the picture and you will see what a mean.

you cant use the flex fan either if you ever put it in the mud.the fins will bend right through the radiator.

Blupits is right...NO FLEX FAN!!!! USe a dual Flex-A-Lite fan set up with a control box the probe goes in the radiator and you can adjust the tmp for the fan to come on....also you can turn them on and off, great for water crossings. ;)

It sounds to me like it's the flux capacitor.

Ya definitely the Flux Capacitor on this one.

Seriously though, Ricky if you haven't already figured it or even not yet. I bought a Infrared Thermometer at Sears(Craftsman).
It comes in handy on my quads to know what's hot, you can point it at the radiator, thermostat, hoses, anything, you just put the laser dot on whatever you want & it tells you how hot it it is.

$50.00. fits in your pocket.

Maybe that will help pinpoint where it is getting hot, like point at thermostat to see if it's opening when it should,
 (unless carb. is out of adjustment/lean)

What octane gas you run in it ?

Make sure the timing is set right on the engine. You need to check the ignition timing static and check to see where it is at full advanced. If you are running to much timing advance, it can also cause an overheat situation.

have you tried running and electric water pump? thats what we run in the drag car and noticed about a 10 degree diffrent over a belt driven water pump, not sure if it will help on a off road truck, i think we got ours from summit, and when you look, they sell two and one is more expenxive because they have the wonderful chevy bow tie put on it