Thread: adjusting mechanical lifters

Tweet

Does anybody know an easy way to adjust mechanical lifters, and also if their not adjusted right will that cause an engine to over heat. My brothers mustang just started to overheat out of no where and he doesn't know whats wrong (he thought maybe the valve lash wasn't right)?

It is a hopped up 289 in a 66' mustang, so it doesn't have a fan shroud. Belts, and distributor are tight. It ran fine until recently. I guess he put that royal purple stuff in it I don't know if that's the culprit.

First, did it just start to overheat when the weather warmed up? Put a good shroud on it, they're not there for show.
Second, how hot is hot? Is it losing coolant, or just running higher on the guage?
Third, are you running water or antifreeze? Glycol is more efficient at heat transfer, cools better than water.

It starts to boil the coolant after a short cruise. Yes it has coolant and the royal purple additive. I think it started overheating about a month ago, I don't know if was the weather or not. It shouldn't be overheating from the weather though, should it?

Originally posted by R Pope
First, did it just start to overheat when the weather warmed up? Put a good shroud on it, they're not there for show.
Second, how hot is hot? Is it losing coolant, or just running higher on the guage?
Third, are you running water or antifreeze? Glycol is more efficient at heat transfer, cools better than water.

Actually, I think you'll find that nothing transfers heat as well as water.

Originally posted by techinspector1
Actually, I think you'll find that nothing transfers heat as well as water.

ya beat me 2 it..........


Glycol is used so the water doesnt freeze, in the early years all they used was alcohol in the winter to stop the water from freezing & then use str8 water in the summer. hell i can remember my dad having one of those desert water bags they used to carry extra water in just in case the car overheated

odd, the pic didnt post the 1st time.. but here's the pic

Water is no doubt a better heat transfer fluid, but the antifreeze has some corrosion inhibitors in it that helps maintain a healthy coolant system. I like to run at least some antifreeze.

When airplanes started using glycol, they could use radiators half the size of the water ones. Glycol is much more efficient at heat transfer, and also has a higher boiling point.

Great info Denny, thanks. I knew water had better heat transfer but wasn't sure how much better.

you still need a corrosion inhibitor, if you ever try to take apart a sb ford or 385-429 -460, the front timing covers corrode badly with water only, Farmers summer equipment that used water only. they drain them and let them sit the rest of the year. a lot of replacement water bumps use sheetmetal impellers. they also will l rust and I have seen loose ones , broken free from the pump shaft.

Did you burp the system? air can get trapped in the heater core. loosen the top heater hose slide it back a ways. drill a 1/8 hole thru the tube one side only. Start it up and let the air out. when you get coolant slide the hose back into position and tighten the clamp. you defininatly need a shroud . a good fan will pull air off the road instead of thru the radiator.

Serepentine water pumps turn the opposite direction, a friend put a new engine in his 65 then used the old belt system the pump was then trying to pump the water the wrong direction with the right pump and fan it quit over heating.

i don think it is the royalpurple i run as stuff and it work in my 50 chevy heat is been a problem i use diststiled water no minerals in it .and a little glycol for the pump it could have a air lock in it run it with cap off and run it to stat is open and see if it drops and top it off yes it a mess but it will get it out