[SantaFe66]

Originally Posted by RICK LAKE

Mark Deluca Mark there are a couple of tricks you can use if stuck in traffic. First Crack the hood about 1-2" inches. This will help remove the hot air under the hood. Run a 180 degree thermostat. If you have aPEPboys or Autozone around. Go there and look at thermostats for the old dodge 383-440 motors. If you compare these thermo's to the FE ones you will see a big differents with the outlet size. It's about 1/4" bigger. You will need to trim about 2mm off the outside edge all the way around. This will increase your coolant flow about 15-20%. Who water pump are you running? Some pumps don't have a plate welded to the impellor in the pump. They sell a kit for $12.00 that you rivet one on. This helps move more water through the motor and radiator. Who's pulleys are you running on the car? If they are underdrive ones like from March, they will make your car run hot. Top and bottom pulleys need to be the same size or the water pump one a little bigger than the crank. We are talking 1/4" at max. Kirkham sell a set of custom pulleys that have the right ratio for FE motor and look sweet. 50/50 mix is good. Add a bottle of WATERWETTER to the system. Switching from a 14-17 psi rad cap will increase the boiling point for the coolant, and also causing a rad hose to blow off or out. I race with a 12 psi. If the cooling system is setup right, you should need any more pressure than this. The MAIN problem is geeting the hot air from under the hood. If you have side ducts in your fenders that are open, get 2, 4" fans from Boatingworld stores and install them to help remove the hot air. They are waterproof. Bildge fans about $27.00 each. You will need a switch and 30 amp relay for this. If stuck in traffic, you can just turn on the fans, or open the hood, either way the hot air has some place to go. Rick L.

Rick, I tried to get one of the 383/440 Dodge thermostats at my local Carquest store and the outlet was the exact same size as my Ford FE thermostat. The outside was larger, of course. Where do I find the Dodge stat with larger inlet/outlet? Dealer? Paul

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