TODAY, WITH THE OUTSIDE AIR TEMP. AT 87F, THE H20 TEMP READ 180F FOR ABOUT FIVE MILES; THEN, UP TO 195F FOR ANOTHER FIVE MILES; THEN UP TO 215F FOR ANOTHER 5 MILES; THEN 230 FOR ANOTHER FIVE MILES. I "LIMPED" IT INTO THE DRIVEWAY AT 240F AS IT STARTED DUMPING COOLANT INTO THE STREET.
MY AVERAGE DRIVING SPEED WAS 55 TO 60 MPH FOR THE FIRST TO SEGMENTS (ABOVE), AND 40 TO 45 MPH THE REST OF THE WAY. EACH TIME THAT I STOPPED FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT (THERE WAS NO APPRECIABLE TRAFFIC TODAY) THE TEMP WOULD CLIMB BUT NOT COME DOWN AFTER I RESUMED SPEED. IF I "GOT ON IT" IT WOULD ALSO CLIMB A FEW DEGREES AND NOT RETURN AFTERWARD.
I'M REASONABLY CONVINCED THAT THE PROBLEM IS NOT ELECTRICAL (WITH THE POSSIBLE EXCEPTION OF THE HIGH RESISTANCE WITH THE COOLING FANS). WITH EACH INCREMENTAL INCREASE IN H2O TEMP THERE WAS A CORRESPONDING INCREASE IN
OIL TEMP AND A CORRESPONDING DECREASE IN
OIL PRESSURE. THE MOVEMENT OF THE THREE GAUGES WAS NOT AT ALL RANDOM THE CHANGES WERE DIRECTLY RELEVANT.
PAT: - - - IT DOESN'T "SNAP" LIKE A FAKE ROLEX, BUT RATHER GLIDES LIKE A REAL ONE. THE CHANGE IS SMOOTH BUT "MUCH" FASTER THAN A TEMP GAUGE WOULD NORMALLY MOVE.
JIM: - - - I AGREE, THE RADIATOR SHOULD HAVE A PURGE/BLEED VALVE AT THE TOP. A DRAIN VALVE AT THE BOTTOM WOULD BE NICE ALSO. I'M TEMPTED TO PULL IT BACK OUT AND TAKE IT TO A RADIATOR SHOP AND HAVE THEM INSTALLED.
PETE & COBRANUT: - - - YEAH, I DIDN'T DO THE WIRING AND I HAVEN'T, AS YET, REALLY "CRAWLED THROUGH IT". MAINLY BECAUSE THE GUY WHO BUILT THE CAR DID SUCH A GREAT JOB ON THE DETAILS. I'M A GREAT BELIEVER IN RELAYS. (PROBABLY COMES FROM TOO MANY HOURS FLYING THE LOCKHEED ELECTRA. P-3 TO YOU NAVY TYPES). I'M GOING TO PHYSICALLY TRACE OUT THE FAN FEED AND CONTROL CIRCUITS AND PROBABLY RUN A 12 GA. FEED CIRCUIT FOR IT.
McFEZ: - - - I'M VERY INTERESTED IN THE "U-VIEW AIRLFT COMBO KIT. I SAW IT IN AN AUTO PARTS SHOP CATALOG TODAY. I'LL SEND YOU AN E-MAIL.
ANYBODY: - - - KENNE-BELL MAKES A VOLTAGE BOOSTER FOR ELECTRIC FUEL PUMPS, CALLED THE "BOOST-A PUMP". ANY THOUGHTS ON INCREASING THE VOLTAGE TO THE FANS. THE FAN LABELS SAY 12 VDC BUT STSTEM OPERATING VOLTAGE IS 13.8 (TYPICALLY). AN INCREASE TO 16 OR 16.5 VOLTS SHOULD INCREASE FAN SPEED BY 10 TO 15%. ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT??
I REALLY WANT TO GET THIS CAR ON THE ROAD. I PLAN TO DRIVE IT TO CARLISLE AND ALSO TO DVSF. BUT NOT UNLESS I CAN GET THE TEMPERATURE UNDER CONTROL.
THANKS VERY MUCH FOR ALL THE GREAT SUGGESTIONS. THE HELP IS REALLY APPRECIATED.
Y'ALL HAVE A REALLY GREAT DAY,
BLACKJACK