I drive a 388w dart block with the same radiator and a cheap ass Amazon fan and it doesn’t overheat. Your original total timing sounds a little high, I think I run 32-34 total. The only time mine got up to 210 is when my relay went out, I would check that. I would also check your mixture at cruise if it doesn’t overheat sitting, very easy to run too lean. I run a 68 or 69 jet in the front and my power valve circuit is drilled and I run a 8.5 inch valve because I had a lean issue at part throttle. I am also a little bit suspicious of your water pump.
Thanks for the reply! I've been busy with work and house repairs that I haven't had a chance to mess with the car. Been meaning to try to drive it with the hood off, and also move the transmission cooler over. I've checked the spark plugs and it runs a little rich at cruise and WOT, but no where near fowling plugs rich. Just with it having overheating issues haven't swapped the jets. Waterpump is a bit sus, but that was going to be the third thing I was going to check. It's brand new and supposed to be reverse rotation, gate's site says so, but some sites say it's clockwise, and a few forums had threads questioning it. Oh was also going to double check/bump timing down also, just b/c at 200ish it did start to detonate, and given that it can get over 100F here for a week straight, could possibly be an issue. Too much to do, and not enough time to do, but better to wait and do it once correctly, rather than fix it later.
the detonation at 200 degrees is a little suspicious. 200 degrees is by no means overheating, most modern cars run at 200+ as normal operating temperature, I think you have a timing/air fuel mixture problem. I would not base my tuning on reading plugs, that method is really not accurate for a street driven car. I would buy or borrow an O2 meter and drive with it and watch what the car does in real time. I don’t know what springs you run in your distributor or if you have vacuum advance, but those are things I would look into as well - I run a medium and light spring in my MSD.
Bumped the timing back to 14 idle, 32 total @3000. (was 16 and 34 can adjust anything below total w/ the msd box, as distributor is locked out, and the timing curve is programmed w/ a computer) Took the hood off, and drove around. Still wants to go over 200. Probably 2 miles of driving 35, then another 2 miles of hwy (speed up to 55mph, 3 stop lights). Took the pulley off and made sure that I did have the correct waterpump, etched "Gates 43272" on the pump snout. Which is a reverse rotation water pump. Both heads read 200-ish with an IR thermometer. Radiator reads 190-ish at the top, 160ish at the bottom. Trans cooler reads 165ish at the top, 145ish at the bottom. Transmission pan reads 175ish (but that's also right by the headers/exhaust, car was too low to get a reading of the center of the pan.) Doesn't seem to want to cool down to 180 after getting to 200 while stopped and idling. Let it idle for probably 5 minutes when I got home, taking temp readings, and still stayed at 200ish. Fans are oriented correctly. Coolant system builds pressure (have tested the 16 psi cap in the recent past). New motorcraft thermostat, tested, working. Also it sat for a month and now it feels like the master cylinder is bad, only front brakes applying, so that's cool... Needs a disc/drum master anyways, but just tired of this car lol.
So posted this in a few places, but was recommended to try 25 initial, 34 total at 2000rpm. Did that, adjusted carb, drove around town for 30-45 mins. Car runs a consistent 200-205. With the hood on. Like yeah, that's "fine", but it's still not 180, and given that I want to put a blower and a/c on the car, 200 currently is not okay.
I have a 351W stock block .030 over with the same Blueprint heads and a Weiand 174 supercharger (blower). It ran 200/215 temp all the time, I went to a champion 4 row radiator. now it runs 180/190deg. some times on hot days (hi 90s) it might close to 200deg but will cool back down when driving. When its idling at 180 deg i can hold on to bottom hose bare handed. My set up is Champion 4 row rad, stock water pump, 180deg t stat, 16in electric fan pushing (fan will not fit between motor and rad) , 16deg initial 34 total at 3000 rpm. Sorry for the large picture, I could not figure how to make it smaller.
Welp, been sitting for a few months, untouched. Finally have some time, and headspace to work on her. Starting with the brakes I suppose, re-reading posts, I'd forgotten they went out lol.
Any updates? I have had ongoing issues with my 302 and want to see what other things I can try and do it steady the temp. I've done the block test, pressure test, checked for leaks. The thermostat was a 195 and have tested the system without a thermostat - temps still rise into the 220-230 range idling. I'm wondering if I should look into timing and air/fuel ratio.
After looking at your media pictures I see you have made modifications to you motor Aka more horse power, Horse power = heat. If you have the stock radiator in it I would switch to at least a 3row aluminum radiator and maybe an electric fan. If you go this route don't buy the flat aluminum fan shroud, They restrict the air flow to much during highway driving. Just my experience and opinion.
