Question for a buddy. He built a 1979 SCCA GT1 spec Fox body Mustang, cooling issues..

Third time to a local test and tune to iron stuff out before putting down the bucks for a race weekend.  There's a race next weekend that he'd like to participate in with this car.

The new issue is the car's now overheating.  Granted it was 100*'s at the track.  

Part info, brand new alloy radiator, has an oil cooler that's also brand new but the whole damn thong is new.

First time winding it out a bit from 4500rpm to 6500.  Still on break in oil, new iron  302 block, 72 heads that've been gone thru completely as well with all new bits.

Not running a fan, either mechanical or electrical.   After 5-6 laps he did a cool down lap and pitted as the gauges were going too high temp wise.  His theory is that the lower radiator hose is collapsing under high speed causing the radiator not to provide water to the block as it should. 

Open to any and all theories.  And thanks in advance.

Cheers,

Cris

Lower hose collapse is a well known phenomenon with those Ford engines. Also make sure the air has a clear path both into and out of the radiator.

Put a gopro in the engine bay pointed at the hoses.

It's a 302 or 5.0?  The water pumps spin different directions on each, but bolt up fine. Also the thermostat could be stuck or installed wrong.  

AnthonyGS (Forum Supporter) said:

It's a 302 or 5.0?  The water pumps spin different directions on each, but bolt up fine. Also the thermostat could be stuck or installed wrong.  

Is the pump direction issue related to "302 vs 5.0" or "v-belt vs serpentine"? 

I know for the GM 6.2/6.5 diesels (and probably other engines) the pump rotation was one direction for v-belts and the opposite for serpentine.

Hmmmm...

Hillbillyheathen wrote " Not running a fan, either mechanical or electrical. "

And the car is overheating? 

Maybe that is what you need to install.

https://www.amazon.com/Mishimoto-MMFS-MUS-79-Performance-Aluminum-1979-1993/dp/B00368OXQ0

He swears he shouldn't need  a fan, because race car.  None of his Lotus, sprites or sports racers has a fan.

The engine is a Cle-Sor, a mix of Cleveland and Windsor parts.  Aftermarket belt set up, serpentine style. 

I'll check out the above link.  Thanks for the replies/help.

Cris

I wonder if he's trapping air under the hood preventing/reducing flow through the radiator?

Having run the Q45 with no fans and hit limp home mode at the 60 foot, you need fans.  Even if it's an electric fan on a switch to use in the staging lanes.  We used a leaf blower for Challenge reasons.

New engine? Head gaskets installed backwards?

In reply to No Time :

Usually the V belt setups use the standard rotation water pump.  The 5.0s normally use the serpentine where the back of the belt spins the water pump; counter rotation.  I think you may be right it is the belt setup.  But I know Ford makes specific 302 and 5.0 water pumps.  

Im just here hoping to see some pics of the car

If the over heating condition occurs at a speed above 60MPH the problem is absolutely not the fan.

^ This for sure.  He's swapped out the 180* for a 160* thermostat, also ordered a different diameter pulley to change pulley vs. crank speed (lowering water pump speed)  and fondled

enough lower rad' hoses in auto part stores to almost be banned  He's trying to find these spring dealio's he's seen before that went inside the hose to help keep it from collapsing..   

Says he found a Duralast that he couldn't squish.  Basically it's another system that didn't like being turned so fast.  First time out we found out that the power steering pump was way overpowering the box.  Got that dialed in.  

Miss-spoke, it's a Clevor motor.  Back to the track on Friday ahead of race weekend. I'll take some pictures of the cars naughty bits.  If it's not cured plan  B is to swap the Mustang for his very nice Lotus Elan that he's raced for decades.

Thanks again folks.

Cris

My car has a 69 302. I chased a similar issue that turned out to be a collapsing lower radiator hose 

I believe the lower rad hose for my '64 Savoy with a 225 cube slant six had one of those springs in it.  Probably just pull it from one of those hoses and put it into the hose on the Ford.

Most 302s and 5.0s do have a large spring in the lower hose too.  It's a Clevor, so it has 351 W firing order same as a 5.0.  With a serpentine belt it will need a reverse rotation 5.0 water pump.

If you rule out the water pump and lower hose, then this might be worth reading:

GRM hood vent/extractor thread

Air in the cooling system?

radiator ducting?

UPDATE:  30 minute session with a max water temp of 210*'s.  YAY!!

Going to figure out how to add photos, but that will probably be Monday, busy weekend ahead

with the racing and getting ready for a road trip to Car Week in Monterey (and see mom & family in Gilroy).

Thanks again for all the help!  Very much appreciated.

Cris

What did he do??