1968 engine temp

[cool68]

When I'm running at 70 to 80 mph the CS starts to run hot at 65 to 65 mph it runs real cool I have the stock 2 row radiator that's been cleaned the fan blade is the sock 4 blade I'm running a 180 t stat maybe I need a bigger fan or a 160 t stat ? Please help

When I'm running at 70 to 80 mph the CS starts to run hot at 65 to 65 mph it runs real cool I have the stock 2 row radiator that's been cleaned the fan blade is the sock 4 blade I'm running a 180 t stat maybe I need a bigger fan or a 160 t stat ? Please help

 

[somethingspecial]

I think it all depends on what type of Socks you are running on the 4 blade fan. If they are wool, it may run hotter than say nylons. Also, since it is illegal to run faster than 70 MPH in California, it may be advisable to stick with the posted speed limits. OHHHHH :O. LOL. Your friendly neighborhood smart ass.

 

[stangfan]

Socks?? I'm thinking he means 'stock'...

 

[robert campbell]

Steve,
Mike was having a bit of fun!!! I had to laugh a bit with the "sock" fan myself!!

I have been around some two row radiators with stock fans and basically stock engines. I have experienced this combination running a bit hot at 70 miles an hour and faster, and being ok at 55 or 60.

You can try the 160 thermostat, but I think it may not help. Do you have a fan shroud? That can help if you do not have one. A better fan over the stock 4 blade fan would be nice upgrade. That could also help.

And driving at 70 is ok in my book!!! When I slow down to 70!!

Rob

 

[franklinair]

My preferences:
3 row core (minimum) 24" width if A/C , 5 or 7 blade fan, Thermal fan clutch, Fan shroud, 180 thermostat.
The 3 row radiator is my absolute minimum for adequate cooling. The other items are cooling system improvements.

Neil

 

[cool68]

I think it all depends on what type of Socks you are running on the 4 blade fan. If they are wool, it may run hotter than say nylons. Also, since it is illegal to run faster than 70 MPH in California, it may be advisable to stick with the posted speed limits. OHHHHH :O. LOL. Your friendly neighborhood smart ass.

Lol try driving the speed limit from Victorville to Barstow on the 15 freeway they will run you over lol

 

[cool68]

Hello

Thanks guys I'm going to start with the fan I seen a 6 to 7 blade flex fan on a 351 c in a 77 thunderbird in the junk yard thanks

 

[stangfan]

Steve,
Mike was having a bit of fun!!! I had to laugh a bit with the "sock" fan myself!!



Rob

I knew that Rob. I was having a little fun with it myself. Satirical replies don't come across on the interwebby. :icon_lol:

 

[green56]

I was having problem with my engine over heating even put a fan booster did every thing I could think of found a very good Mustang man he found problem in 5 min it was the dist the plate in dist was bad put in new dist every thing is fine shut off booster fan and have a 4 blade with shroud if you need a fan blade I have 1 4" 1 6" 1 7" if you need one would sell it Tom From Wisconsin

 

[CougarCJ]

Yes, also along with the distributor make sure that you have a working vacuum advance. It should only be hooked up to 'ported vacuum'.

 

[Bumblebee]

I was having problem with my engine over heating even put a fan booster did every thing I could think of found a very good Mustang man he found problem in 5 min it was the dist the plate in dist was bad put in new dist every thing is fine shut off booster fan and have a 4 blade with shroud if you need a fan blade I have 1 4" 1 6" 1 7" if you need one would sell it Tom From Wisconsin

May I ask what a plate in the dist means??

 

[dalorzo_f]

The breaker plate assembly impacts timing, if worn it makes tuning difficult, if not impossible.

Some info here:

http://www.bob2000.com/dist.htm

http://www.mustangandfords.com/how-...-motorcraft-distributors/ignition-timing.html

 

[green56]

Does any body know were you can get the Vac plate would like to repair mine for the 289 hp Tom Wisconsin

 

[dalorzo_f]

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/d...ck=Search_02789_5139230_-1&pt=02789&ppt=C0334

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/x,carcode,1132322,parttype,7140

probably other sources too...

 

[robert campbell]

Ignition timing can have a large impact on heating problems. There is an old post on Amy's car named Satan that goes into a lot of detail. The dual diaphragm vacuum advance on the 1968 ear cars can be a huge problem. It was designed to retard the timing using vacuum to increase the burning of fuel in the combustion chamber. This decreased emissions but lowered performance across the board. If I was a concurs guy that wanted the dual diaphragm look I would block off the vacuum to the diaphragm to the side closest to the distributor.

Most 289 and 302's like at last 8 to 10 degrees of "initial" timing set with no vacuum to the vacuum advance on the distributer. NAPA stores sell a replacement vacuum advance that is adjustable via an allyn wrench through the fitting the hose plugs onto. This will allow you to increase or decrease the amount of advance the diaphragm will bring in.

Keep in mind that maximum vacuum drags in the most advance. As Scott said you need to be hooked to a ported vacuum source on the carb that has no vacuum at hot idle. This allows the engine under normal acceleration to increase advance as you accelerate from a stop sign. This is important to reduce flat spots under light acceleration. If you stomp the throttle there is no vacuum and the vacuum advance is a moot point.

The distributor plate mentioned contains the centrifugal advance that allows more advance to the engine as the RPM increases. all Ford engines of the 60's era were designed to run with 38 degrees of total advance. This is the combination of initial advance set by the tuner or factory and the total amount of centrifugal in the distributor plate springs and weights.

I have found best results for Ford engines with the above mentioned initial advance or even more.

so back to the original question. A faulty vacuum advance or centrifugal advance under cruising speed at 55 or 70 could result in lack of advance and increased heat. Also initial timing under 6 degrees before top dead center could affect overheating, but this is more at slow speeds in town.

Rob

 

[p51]

Yes, also along with the distributor make sure that you have a working vacuum advance. It should only be hooked up to 'ported vacuum'.

There is some debate (a lot, actually) about whether to use manifold or ported vacuum on a single-input-can vacuum advance distributor. I'm not up to debating it but manifold vacuum with 11* initial timing (on a 302 4bbl J-code stock engine) works for me. Here's the best write-up I've seen on how vacuum advance works and its benefits (read the last two paragraphs for summary of ported vs manifold vacuum)...
http://www.camaros.org/pdf/timing101.pdf

 

[robert campbell]

Very good article! An easy read and full of great information. All of the below talks to a basically stock engine and carburetor. A mild cam or headers/hipo manifolds should not have much affect.

Please take this as information and not a debate.

The comment about ported vacuum coming into being in the late 60's early 70's is correct for GM. Ford used ported vacuum on virtually all its engines beginning in the 50's. On many of its earlier engines the line to the vacuum advance was actually a steel line. To a ported source. The 2100 two barrel carb and the 4300 four barrel carb most common on the GT/CS cars came from the factory with a ported vacuum source.

The Ford distributor curve on a factory engine is matched to the fuel curve and is an integral part of the transition from the low speed or idle circuit to part throttle that one would experience leaving a stop sign under normal driving. The power valve, the accelerator pump, and the introduction of more timing as you come off idle are critical to part throttle acceleration. When you leave the stop sign the engine vacuum will drop to around 10 pounds and at the same time the ported vacuum is uncovered and vacuum is presented which brings in more advance. All of this works in unison to provide a smooth acceleration with no flat spots. As the RPM's come up the centrifugal advance comes in to bring in even more advance. Using a manifold source for initial timing drags all of it in at an idle. This makes the engine run faster and the owner can compensate by either reducing the initial timing or turning the idle stop screw in to slow the car down.

If you reduce the initial timing then the total timing is not achievable and you lose top end performance.

If you turn the idle stop screw out to close the throttle plates you position the throttle plates incorrectly to the transfer slots in the carb that control the idle mixture screws. This will have a negative affect on the idle screws and is the root of many "I turn the mixture screws and nothing happens" stories. And can result in a poor mixture at idle that is very rich and stinky.

I have tuned many a carb on all American V8's and find many of them suffer from poor throttle plate relationship and the owner thinks they have a large cam. When I dial it in and they have an engine the runs smooth sometimes they don't like me! Where to my big cam go!!

Of course all of the above goes out the door as you step into high performance. The throttle plate relationship is critical still, but big cams call for more primary throttle plate opening. I sometimes crack the secondary throttle plates open to bring the primary plates back to the proper relationship.

Neither of my cars even have a vacuum advance. I shorten the centrifugal advance curves to allow for 16 to 18 degrees of initial advance and a total of 38 degrees early in the RPM band. Both of these engines are on the high end of high performance. One with Weber 48 IDA's and the other with a supercharger.

A stock Ford engine with stock components is designed to have ported vacuum and it has nothing to do with late 60's emission control. The dual diaphragm distributor was an early attempt at emission control and I find that with some proper tuning you can "bypass" this and retain the stock look.

Rob