Overheating and Electrical Together??

1mightymopar · Sep 12, 2019

Hey guys, hoping someone can shed some light on what's going on.....

I recently installed a set of headers and did a power steering conversion at the same time. Added new head bolts with some threat sealer to stop leaks.

Ever since the install, my ammeter is boucing around when I'm driving and the temp gauge quickly hits 230-240 when in gear. If i put it in neutral, it comes back down to 170'sh. Never had a heating issue before. Gauge on the rad shows 180. Wondering if the fluid is not properly makes its way around the heads or if this is all connected somehow electrically?? Why does it keep temp in park/neutral, but jump as soon as it's in gear?

Any help is greatly appreciated!!

btw... 906 heads, 440, auto, aluminum rad, tti hedders.

747mopar · Sep 12, 2019

What kind of gauge, factory, electrical I assume? How quickly does the temp go up and down? With the ammeter jumping up and down and the only other thing changed is power steering you might check your belts, belt slip or a bad power steering pump could be causing some slippage which could explain both. Easiest test is to hook a mechanical gauge up and compare the readings to rule out the gauge.

1mightymopar · Sep 12, 2019

747mopar said:
What kind of gauge, factory, electrical I assume? How quickly does the temp go up and down? With the ammeter jumping up and down and the only other thing changed is power steering you might check your belts, belt slip or a bad power steering pump could be causing some slippage which could explain both. Easiest test is to hook a mechanical gauge up and compare the readings to rule out the gauge.

The gauges are all stock. When the car is warmed up (180) I can put it in reverse and the gauge will started to move almost instantly. You figure with higher rpm, the temp should go down, not up. At idle the Ammeter is also somewhat steady. Both worked perfect before... you think the pump can be causing all this? A bad ground may explain the ammeter, but the temp has me stumped.

1mightymopar · Sep 12, 2019

Could the heads be jammed up/plugged? I had the cap off the rad and there was movement. Slow mind you, but there was movement. Could 1 head be clogged?

493 Mike · Sep 12, 2019

Did you hook up the ground strap from the new head to the firewall?
Mike

1mightymopar · Sep 12, 2019

493 Mike said:
Did you hook up the ground strap from the new head to the firewall?
Mike

The heads weren't changed. Just added hedders with new hedder bolts. They first leaked, so I pulled them out and added thread sealer. Leaks stopped with that.

Bobby Sixkiller · Sep 12, 2019

Make sure no wires got pinched or burned etc by the headers. Shouldn’t be any close but anything is possible. I would also suggest a mechanical temp gauge. Even if just run through the window or something temporarily. Just to rule that out. Also do you mean it instantly gets hot in gear. Without driving. Just making sure. Maybe wires rubbing the gear selector.

Bobby Sixkiller · Sep 12, 2019

Also just a thought. You could remove the thermostat. Put the housing and hose back. Fill with water and should see water flow good through the radiator.

watermelon · Sep 12, 2019

I think it was mentioned but check belt tensions

buy an infrared temp gun and measure radiator hose temps to verify temp gauge

do you have a clutch fan or electric fan?

watermelon

6-david-5 · Sep 12, 2019

1mightymopar said:
Hey guys, hoping someone can shed some light on what's going on.....

I recently installed a set of headers and did a power steering conversion at the same time. Added new head bolts with some threat sealer to stop leaks.

Ever since the install, my ammeter is boucing around when I'm driving and the temp gauge quickly hits 230-240 when in gear. If i put it in neutral, it comes back down to 170'sh. Never had a heating issue before. Gauge on the rad shows 180. Wondering if the fluid is not properly makes its way around the heads or if this is all connected somehow electrically?? Why does it keep temp in park/neutral, but jump as soon as it's in gear?

Any help is greatly appreciated!!

btw... 906 heads, 440, auto, aluminum rad, tti hedders.

**********************************************
I'm assuming your talking about the '69 Charger in your avatar. If this were my car, the 1'st thing I would do is check system voltage during the occurrence with a DVOM (Digital Volt Ohm Meter)--even a cheap one will give you a useful number for your battery voltage. Attach it to the battery with aligator clips & see where the voltage goes. It sounds like it is going really high--I say this because you say your temp readings go high! Does the Ammeter slam over to "C"? "D"??

Does your fuel level change along with your temp readings, and in the same direction??????

Remember, if your IVR (instrument voltage regulator) is original (mechanical), I'm not certain how accurate it remains as you feed it more than 13 Volts! I really don't think your car is overheating! Your gauges are just seeing alot of voltage!

You put headers on. Did you happen to whack the Voltage Regulator by accident??? Is a field wire making contact with ground & staying there--only while in gear?? It sounds to me like a field wire doesn't touch anything until you make the engine rattle a little after putting it in gear, and it then finds a surface to ground against. I would check that wire (and the harness that runs along the right valve cover for it's entire length).

David

68Moparmaniac · Sep 13, 2019

If your talking about your 69 Charger, it's bad..real bad. I'll help you out, just put it on a transport and send it to me. I'll do some extreme testing and trouble shooting for you... no charge :thumbsup:

1mightymopar · Sep 13, 2019

watermelon said:
I think it was mentioned but check belt tensions

buy an infrared temp gun and measure radiator hose temps to verify temp gauge

do you have a clutch fan or electric fan?

watermelon

Thanks, I did try with a infrared gun. Rad is cold as a cucumber, water pump also ok. Driver side head a little hot but not

6-david-5 said:
**********************************************
I'm assuming your talking about the '69 Charger in your avatar. If this were my car, the 1'st thing I would do is check system voltage during the occurrence with a DVOM (Digital Volt Ohm Meter)--even a cheap one will give you a useful number for your battery voltage. Attach it to the battery with aligator clips & see where the voltage goes. It sounds like it is going really high--I say this because you say your temp readings go high! Does the Ammeter slam over to "C"? "D"??

Does your fuel level change along with your temp readings, and in the same direction??????

Remember, if your IVR (instrument voltage regulator) is original (mechanical), I'm not certain how accurate it remains as you feed it more than 13 Volts! I really don't think your car is overheating! Your gauges are just seeing alot of voltage!

You put headers on. Did you happen to whack the Voltage Regulator by accident??? Is a field wire making contact with ground & staying there--only while in gear?? It sounds to me like a field wire doesn't touch anything until you make the engine rattle a little after putting it in gear, and it then finds a surface to ground against. I would check that wire (and the harness that runs along the right valve cover for it's entire length).

David

Thanks David,
I did hook up a voltage meter to the battery. 12 volts off and 14.2 - 14.5 when running.
Gas gauge does not move. Solid as a rock.
I'll double check the wiring from the temp sending unit to the firewall again, but looked ok. Voltage regulator is high up and intact. Nothing would have touched it.

This is driving me crazy! lol Thanks all for your help thus far! We'll get it. lol

hunt2elk · Sep 13, 2019

Did you happen to accidently ram the header into to bulkhead connector or any other electrical component while fighting to get the header in place?

1mightymopar · Sep 13, 2019

I don't thin so, but anything is possible?

I read somewhere guys were having issues with e3 plugs? That true?

I just came in from a ride. Took it in the highway to see. It's nice and cool out today. On the highway, perfect. 170, ammeter slightly over half solid. No bounce. The minute I got off, ammeter dropped below 0 and temp started to increase. Shot up again. Parked it in my driveway for 20 minutes running. Steady at 170! What the heck?????

747mopar · Sep 13, 2019

I'd definitely run a cheap mechanical gauge temporarily just to rule that out but if it's creeping up and down rapidly my guess is it's electrical and not the cooling.

Bobby Sixkiller · Sep 13, 2019

Try unhooking the alternator and driving it. Just pull the main wire off and tape it up good. The alternator might be causing problems.

Shorthorse · Sep 13, 2019

The last thing you did before your issue was the header bolts. It sure sounds like an electrical issue to me. Do a detailed inspection of all the wiring everywhere your hands and wrenches were close to.

1mightymopar · Sep 13, 2019

Shorthorse said:
The last thing you did before your issue was the header bolts. It sure sounds like an electrical issue to me. Do a detailed inspection of all the wiring everywhere your hands and wrenches were close to.

Is it possible I put too much thread sealer on and the water channels are blocked in the heads? Still doesn't explain the ammeter though.

Shorthorse · Sep 13, 2019

You'd have to have used a lot of sealer to block that spot. Hunt2elk mentioned the bulkhead connector. I agree. With age, early Mopar bulkhead connectors can be problematic and you were working in that area.

slepr1 · Sep 13, 2019

If the heads were blocked I'd guess the temp would always be high.

Overheating and Electrical Together??

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