318 running hot

[firebird77clone]

Ok, lots of expensive parts on this motor, but the only pieces worth mention: aluminum heads and intake, roller rockers and under a point-five lift, near te-to one compression, aluminum radiator and electric fan.

Anything other than timing likely to make it run hot?

[rspears]

Do you have a good shroud on the fan? That's the first guess. Running a T-stat? What fan are you running, brand and rating?

[cffisher]

Fan pushing or pulling? is radiator sized to engine?

[firebird77clone]

Summit fan and radiator, fan is pulling, radiator was ordered as a direct fit.

Feels to be throwing out a ton of heat, so I'm thinking the problem is the motor.

[1gary]

I agree.A effective shroud is huge.

[vara4]

What stat are you running and has the motor been bored out? how much.
I had that problem years ago with a motor that was bored out.
I ended up running a water regulater instead of a stat.
Order them from Summit, 3 differant sizes to a pack,
which are for running differant temps.
Kurt

[Dave Severson]

Do you have a high flow water pump on it or just a stocker? What size pulley's on the crank and water pump?

[firebird77clone]

Stock pulleys, bored .60 over. Cant remember if I put an aluminum pump or not

[1gary]

The thing about those 318's is they are known for being rock solid reliable.There is certainty something going on here.

[t-top havoc]

CFM of the fan? What's the temp getting up to?
Air still in the system, carb way tune off, t-stat faulty.
Can you see flow in the rad when the t-stat should be open?

[1gary]

When the T-stat opens with the rad cap off,are you seeing a continuous stream of bubbles??.

[firebird77clone]

I'll check for flow. Meanwhile, does the 318 have tendency to have air pockets?

[firebird77clone]

I have flow, And bubbles, and the coolant looks like crap, a little dark with dark particles.

I'm thinking the machine shop did a poor job of cleaning the block

[t-top havoc]

Most all engines will have tendency to have air in the sysytem. " Nature of the beast, " so to say.
Rad cleaned out before the engine put in?
I've always been told " No matter what the block & heads look like, clean the inner passages with soapy water & lots of flowing water, then do it again til no more grit comes out. " Unfortunately, machine shops don't do this.
Does the fluid feel gritty? Can you see the grit?
I personally would take out the t-stat & flush everything til it comes out clean.

[1gary]

I have flow, And bubbles, and the coolant looks like crap, a little dark with dark particles.

I'm thinking the machine shop did a poor job of cleaning the block

If it is a steady stream of bubbles and not just bubbles getting the air out,then it is possible it hot one time too often and your seeing the compression escape from a cylinder(s) with a bad head gasket or cracked head.Pull the plugs and take a look see if any show signs of coolant.