09-12-2018, 01:42 PM
Slight delay on the progress of the car as I am not feeling my best, and with Florence out there, it has reminded me that I need to resolve an issue with my trailer. When I was towing with my Navigator, I had modified some slip-on extension mirrors that allowed me to see down the sides of the trailer while towing. My new Excursion has the slide out tow mirrors, but even fully extended, I can not see down the sides of the trailer. In traffic, this makes it hard to know if it is safe to make a lane change or not.

A while back I had picked up the hardware to expand the single backup camera on the trailer to a 4 camera setup, adding one camera to each side of the trailer and one more inside so I can watch the load. The camera's and wiring will be permanently installed on the trailer, but I am making the vehicle harness loose, so that it can be moved to any tow vehicle. I have finished this harness, but need to spend time in the trailer, installing the 3 additional cameras.

09-09-2018, 10:50 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Turnall
Why do you think the engine temp got to 217* with the 190 thermostat if the radiator does not have a problem dissipating heat? It's my understanding that the thermostats job is to allow the engine to get to operating temperature sooner for optimal performance but that it does not control the engines top end running temperature. In other words an engine with no thermostat will run the same temp as an engine with a 190 thermostat provided the engine will run above 190* anyway (which you state yours ran up to 217* with the 190 thermostat).

I'm just wondering and interested in the answer, not doubting what you are seeing with your engine.

Still following your build...

Allen

217 deg was the highest temp I recorded from my non-contact thermal gun, when scanning between the thermostat housing to the top of the radiator. It did average lower during the break-in and further runs. Correct, the thermostat will not control the upper temps, just the lower. My observations show that the 190 deg thermostat might be closing while the engine is running as there are at times, very low visible flow in the radiator at times. It is of my opinion, that the cooling system of my car will allow the engine to operate below 190 deg. My cooling system consists of:

Evans Waterless coolant
High volume water pump
New 3 row 24" aluminum radiator
Fresh engine build, block & heads hot tanked so the water passages have been cleaned out
Factory 5 blade flex fan
Original style (repro) fan shroud

The heads and intake are back on, just need to finish adding all the other items and I should be ready to start it up in a day or two and see if I am correct, or not.

Now I still have to add the A/C. The condenser is in place, but not hooked up. Adding the extra heat from the A/C might throw all of this off. But it still just a change in the Thermostat.

09-08-2018, 01:57 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Redneckgearhead
You're only lowering the minimum temp an engine can run with the 160° t stat, not the running temp.

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk

Changing the lower temp limit, correct. So you are saying, that when I changed from the 180 deg to the 190 deg, that my running temp did not go up? I am sure it did. So thus, by changing back to a 180 deg, it should lower? changing from a 190 deg to a 170 deg will lower temps, as well as changing from a 190 deg to a 160 deg will lower temps. I am not saying it will have a running temp of 160, just that it will lower under hood temps. The engine temps will be lower initially, as the 160 deg t-stat opens and allows the coolant to flow through the radiator earlier, at a lower temp thus allowing more time before it reaches higher temps.

I had read that with the Evens, my engine would be running about 10 deg higher than it did before, and to up the t-stat 10 deg. In my new build, I changed to an aluminum radiator, same 24", same 3 row. Not sure how much of a difference that made, but it seems to me I may not be seeing a 10 deg increase in engine temp with the Evens. So by changing to the 190 deg, I have forced the engine temp up, and as a result, the underhood temp. With a 160 deg t-stat, I will at least see what the low end possibilities will be.

09-07-2018, 11:27 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Blue Blood
If you’re running rich, using a 160* thermostat isn’t going to help. Even in my stroked 5.0L with a 2200 Kenne Bell the motor ran much better with a 180* than it did the 160*.

Maybe, but the 190, which was suggested when running the Evens Waterless coolant, is too high. Forcing the engine up to 190 before allowing the radiator to do its job. The radiator seems to be doing that quite well as the temps do not go much over 200, but the dissipated heat does soak everything in the engine compartment, making everything else fairly hot, and I have not even had the hood on the car yet. That is also a worry as it is the fiberglass hood, and many know the 69-70 hoods tend to bow, with heat being one factor for this. So reducing the under-hood temps would be beneficial whether it helps with the rich condition or not.

09-06-2018, 04:44 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by 68Hildago
Sounds like you have troubleshooted quite a lot already. Hopefully someone will chime in with some more suggestions.

As you know, white smoke typically means burning coolant. You mention all of the plugs were black, one of them should of been cleaner if burning coolant.

Possibly a bad head gasket?


If it was running great with lots of power, I would guess you are on the right track by reducing the jet sizes to try and lean it out.

I am questioning the head locator pin as seen in the previous photos. Normally they are inserted in the block. This one looks to be, and was pressed into the head at a slight angle. Its possible it might have not allowed the head to seat properly on the block. The head gaskets both look good, new even. No markings that would indicate a blown gasket or gasket failure. All 8 plugs are black as are all 8 combustion chambers. All 8 pistons are clean, look like they were just put in.

The factory intake, I did originally have problems getting a good cooling pressure seal around the water ports and thermostat area until I used Aviation Form a gasket on it, and changed from the Felpro gasket to the Mr Gasket 210 intake gaskets.

09-06-2018, 01:17 PM
Next, I have just not been able to get the engine to run correctly. It would occasionally put out white smoke, the plugs are just black no matter how much I lean out the idle screws. I've only driven it around the block twice so all the other run time has been idle/non load in the driveway. I pulled the plugs, yes, all are black, and put one of those scopes down the plug hole to have a look. Pistons are shiny new looking, hone marks are still on the walls. I attached the mirror and looked up at the combustion chamber and all I can see is black. Not soot black, but rough bumpy black. I pulled the carb, turned it over and checked the transition slots. They look to be within spec, not tipping into the mains at idle. Pull the bowls off and find 75 jets in the front, 76 jets in the rear. Too big for my motor. Power valve is a 4.8, which might be too small, but I'll leave it for now. I've ordered 5 sets of smaller jets, 73, 71, 69, 67, and 65. Overall the carb is clean.

I pulled the intake and heads. All 8 pistons look perfect.


Each combustion chamber is full of black residue, in the chamber and out the exhaust ports. I have to wire wheel the chambers, valves to get most of it off. Feels like old hard gum. Engine cleaner and a brass brush are used to finish cleaning the chambers and the ports are soaking in engine cleaner.


Oil is clean, the cooling system is clean. I was running a 190 deg thermostat with the Evens Waterless but am going to drop it to a 160 deg as it seemed to me everything in the engine compartment was getting way too hot (hot to the touch) and the hottest I ever saw the engine get up to was 217 deg. Seems the radiator does not have a problem dissipating the heat, so I'll let it start cooling earlier instead of waiting till the engine is up to 190.

08-29-2018, 05:02 PM
As I'm on restricted duty due to my knee, I have started on my steering wheel. I've had this chrome tape since the 90's and the sticky on the back is not really sticking anymore, so I swabbed in some elmers and let it dry overnight. Next is to fill the gap in (over the silver tape) with some clear 5 min epoxy.


The black back side only has 1 crack to fill, the top "wood" side is in pretty good shape. It's going to get scrubbed and then painted with a mixture of black and dark brown paint. Then some extra fine steel wool to take it off the raised areas leaving the "scratches" dark to give it a better wood look. The top will then be sprayed with a satin clear coat.