Hooray, New Problem!!! Why'd I buy this

Don't worry about the balanced I got it off with no problems and the new timing cover came with a crank seal so it'll be fine! I ordered the Cloyes timing chain that's 10 thousandths smaller so that I can install it tomorrow! I am having trouble removing the old timing cover off though. It seems that the gasket melted as the engine was overheating with the previous owner and now it is stuck so I am lost on what to do! I rather wait for tomorrow to have a fresh start and have a better look at it!

 

Works every time. That is how I de-rust everything these days. Best part, its CHEAP and no toxic chemicals. I soak rusty blocks in feed grade molasses.

 

I always use a sharpened putty knife ... bevel 1 side of it as a scraper, pocket knife, and if need be a wire wheel & or scotch bright pad on a drill. It's not always easy getting a drill in there to it but that's why the other non powered hand tools come out to play

 

Not to make your life any more complicated than it already is.. but why did you buy a -.010 timing chain set? Has this block been line bored during a rebuild?

Only reason I ask is to save you the hassle of a sloppy timing chain result after you went to all this extra trouble and expense. The chain should be super tight to begin with to help compensate for the slight mating/stretching that will always occur once everything runs in together for a few miles. Starting out too loose.. ends up even looser.

 

google autorestomod that is Jeff Ford's how to site. His currant videos are about this very subject. He posts a new video every Thursday.

 

Ok so to start off I didn't buy the timing chain because it was too late and it would've have come until July 6 and I didn't want to leave the engine opens couple of nights! I also have finished installing the new parts and reinstalling everything else back to how it was before! It looks great and it's cleaner! Of coarse I do have another new problem, so it seems there is something wrong again with the cooling system! After the water pump was changed the flow seemed to be interrupted! the lower house was around 90 degrees and the upper hide was at 210 degrees and that was after a drive that took less than five minutes! The temp gauge also read past 260 degrees which never happened before! I don't know what went wrong but it is overheating a lot faster than before! Any suggestions again? I'll post a before and after shots!

PS I also accidentally moved the harmonic balancer counterclockwise a bit while removing the center bolt, other than that everything else is fine! Also I wanted to ask is it possible that it can overheat because the hose clamps are too tight and in the pictures shown are the hoses I the right places? I ask because my father doesn't believe me when I say they are!Ask for more pics and such if needed to better understand my situation and I'll get back to you as soon as I can!

 

no on the hose clamps....
after it cools down, remove the rad. cap crank the engine and see if the water is moving in the rad.
if it heats that fast it could have an air lock in the system. I can drive mine 55 miles interstate to Summit and the fan doesn't come on (186 degrees) until I catch the light at the exit.
yours should overheat sitting still if it only takes 5 min. drive. also check and see if your gauge is reading correctly.

 

The balancer only goes on one way, "slides on a key-way". So that's not an issue. Putting a shroud on that fan will go a long way keeping temp's in check while idling. Lastly, do you have a spring in the lower radiator hose to prevent colapsing?

 

I would think, a Hose Clamp would break, if its too tight. Too lose and you will find a leak soon enough. Check all Clamps yearly!

 

Can you go a bit more in depth on what you mean by having an air lock in the system?

 

yep.. as mojo mentions.. the lower hose is the intake for the water pump and needs the internal spring to avoid flow restrictions. Generally only a bigger issue when the water pump is spinning faster(not at idle) and the hose collapses. Another thing to check is the orientation of the t-stat. Many people inadvertently install it upside down which makes the engine overheat.

 

There is no spring in the lower hose but there was never a problem with it that i know of. I have check the t.stat and it the spring is facing the engine so all is fine but in a bit i was told to take the t.stat out and test if it is opening!

 

If the upper hose is getting hot the T-stat is opening...

Now if I remember correctly you stated it's been over heating the whole time you've owned it, the spring is a good idea... Also if you aren't going to install a shroud(that AFAIK ALL 302 had), at least move the fan to within 1" of radiator so it can actually pull some air through it...

 

yep.. that would be the next test. You could also delete it to see what affect that has too. Should stay cool and take much longer to heat up to a lower overall temp than normal.

EDIT; Tom does make a valid point above. All depends on how long all this takes to reach those overheating temps.

 

I will try without the t. stat to see if it gets any better but I am putting a fan shroud as of right now it is on back order so I have to wait a while!