440 get hot fast

[mopar367]

My rebuilt 440 seems to get hot really fast when being run. I filled it with water as coolant through the thermostat housing to make sure there was no air trapped inside. I only have a 2 core rad for now. Its on a run stand also.

The engine runs well, has 75 psi oil pressure. Turns over freely. When I start it, it gets hot after like 5 mins of running at 1800 rpm. So my break in has been about 4, 5 min sessions because it gets hot.. What could this be ? my timing is set at 10 advanced, I tried advancing it more but didn't help. Should I just try a larger rad? I heard that a backwards head gasket can cause this too. There's a thermostat in it with two 1/8th inch holes drilled in it.

 

[tpodwdog]

a newly built engine is "tight' . this means your clearances havent found a "home" yet.it eventually run cooler as time goes on. being on an engine stand isnt helping matters and neither is a 2 core rad. how old is the rad?.. how hot is it getting in degrees??...how hopped up did you make it ?

210 is about normal operating temperature....but being that its freshly rebuilt...i would not worry if it went as high as 220 -225. the holes in the t-stat is to let air out and to " bleed itself".

putting a head gasket on backwards is almost an impossibility....putting one on upside down is . the heads should be symetrical....and head gaskets "usually" tell you which way they should go on..( at least 30 or so years ago they did if i remember correctly). i would take out the t-stat and see what happens.

 

[mopar367]

I did try it without a thermostat, and it still got hot. I don't have a temp gauge, but when the rad steams with water in it I shut it down. As to not overheat it.

I was thinking because its a tight engine, the engine isn' t too hopped up. Its an 8.6 compression 440 with 906 heads and a purple .455 cam, torker intake and a edelbrock 600 on it for now.

The rad I have I borrowed from a buddy its an old 2 core from a 1990 dodge ram. I kept the hose on it with cold water bc I didn't have a fan. I think I'm going to get my other 3 core rad out of my truck and maybe give it a try with the direct drive fan.

Will it hurt it to break it in like over 3 or 4 tries? I'm really paranoid of screwing up the cam and having the rings not seat properly. But so far has run well.

 

[mattsmopars]

You really need to have a temp gauge on it so that you have some idea of the water temp. Also is it boiling over with the radiator cap on it? I have rebuilt a 383 and have a 22" 3 core radiator in it with a 180 t stat it wants to run around 195-200 degree.
Matt

 

[tpodwdog]

with a 440 i would go no less than a 3 core 26" rad and make sure its not PLUGGED UP WITH GOOK AND CRAP. new champion is 245 on ebay i highly suggest one

go to the parts store and get a 6 pound rad cap and a temp gauge,,,theyre cheap...AND A FAN TOO.

Sparatic runs of 5 minutes will not break in your new engine properly....but i doubt if youll seriously hurt anything,,,,,maybe the cam.

too hot of an engine= thin oil....not good for break in...tho 75 psi is pretty good.

 

[mopar367]

I took the big 3 core rad out of my old truck holds like 7 gallons. I took the t stat out . It seemed a bit better ran it for 10 solid minutes. 5 with the rad cap off. Didn't boil over. unfortunately i don't have a temp gauge. I also used my 5 blade flex fan. I think after i run it like this for a while, it will gradually run a bit cooler after broken it. Still seems hot. My guess is it was running around 200 with the big rad. Guess I kinda solved my problem.

Still holds 65 psi of oil when hot and idled down too.

Lets hope there are no more problems to getting this beast running real good.