Interceptor Overheat?

[rustycarr]

Hey guys,Im wondering how your replicas fair in hot weather? I usually run cool in town (170-180) but when i get on the highway and get up to 70mph, the temp gauge creeps up to 200-210, anyone else have this problem with a replica? Ive got an aluminum radiator and a belt driven fan with a clutch, but no fan shroud, i tried a flex fan but it ran hotter. Im gonna try the shroud first, then i might have the headlight covers made out of metal so air can get in. (its also 100 plus degrees in Texas right now)

[MFP1]

Shroud will definitely help.

[mack tanker]

What Engine? What thermostat you running?

[rustycarr]

Thanks going to try the shroud first thing. The engine is a sbc 400 with a 180 Tstat.

[roadwarriormfp]

Oh lord.... guy guy guys... the factory set up never had a drama all those yrs ago.
I live in a tropical climate where the outdoor ambient temp from the road can reach 45 to 50C


One: throw the fecking flex fan in the bin. and the alloy radiator as well.

A great deal of issues stems from people wanting to make their engine bay look "cool" by installing stuff which doesnt work.
The ford falcon forums constantly have people posting their cars run hot and they dont know why.
usually because people mess with the standard set up.
A great deal of alloy radiators are made shit... full stop. Cheap crap from China and alloy doesn't dissipate heat as well as brass.
Buy the standard 3 core radiator. Alloy ones typically cant be repaired either when they get blocked as you cant remove the tanks.

Put the shroud on, buy a Ford clutch fan with a 8 blade fan (im sure US models had them).

The thermostat is another one, people buy the wrong one. The proper one is a Dayco DT66a https://www.rarespares.net.au/rarespare ... duct=DT66A
DO NOT use ANY OTHER TYPE... The can type is the correct one. Do not listen to idiots who say you can put whatever one u want....

Also make sure you have the rubber seals fitted either side of the radiator to fill in the gaps.

Due to the smaller intake because of the nose cone, See if you can build a some ducting to direct the air into it, instead of allowing to spill all over the place within the nose cone.

[.MAD MAX.]

Ummm....Sammy?? he's running a 400 Chevy motor

Those always ran hotter than the 350 Chevs. Use a shroud, proper fan. make sure you have the heater hoses hooked up and flowing through the heater core as running a by pass defeats the purpose and some guys actually block off those hoses altogether+DUMB.
Another thing to check is to make sure you have the proper water pump...some guys have put on pumps from newer chevs that ran a serpentine belt and that pump turns the opposite direction.
One last thing is to make sure you are using the correct size pulley.....if it's to small it will pump the water through to quickly and it does not cool properly

[rustycarr]

All good points ,thanks for info, i ll get back with
Results..

[roadwarriormfp]

Didnt see the post about the chevy motor sorry... assumed when he asked about overheating in interceptors it was a Falcon with a 351.

[rustycarr]

my bad, i should have been more clear, i have a 72 javelin with a sbc 400 built into a replica. All great information, hopefully it will help. Maybe I just need a Falcon, that would cure all my problems..haha..

[MrSpeed]

I had a simular problem with a car years ago, the problem turned out to be crap in the radiator, I also tested the fan clutch which wasn't working to good, when I removed the rad to flush it I noticed it was also blocked externally dust bugs and road grim build up, after fitting a new fan clutch, pressure washing the outside (being careful not to damage the fins) and flushing the rad out it ran perfect after that, I would agree with sam that also flow to the rad at speed could make it run hotter because of the nosecone.