Overheating problem?

[Racin85]

New to modifieds motor is wanting to over heat any suggestions on what to do. I am running gas done broke one motor put the other one in and ran for 15 min. in garge and already up to 180

[johnny v]

you will probably get 101 answers to your question: Can we assume you have a good carb and the jet size is correct for your motor? Next question to you is: did your first motor overheat and blow or did something else happen to it? If you cooked it... your whole cooling system "Package" has a problem somewhere....... radiator bad, pump running too fast, water not restricted enough, pulley sizes/ speeds not right, hoses collapsing, etc.....
You have to be spot on ( or real close) with a lot of these variables when you run gas...
IMHO
180 in 15 min is not too bad sitting still in the shop.....that doesn't really indicate anything

[LM14]

180 after 15 minutes is not cause for concern. You are not getting any air movement sitting still other than the fan. I would be comfortable with that. Other than that, what makes you think you have a heating problem? How hot did your other motor get? What broke on it? Give us a total run-down on your system.

SPark

[sj valley dave]

On race gas, if we didn't tape off our radiator, sitting in the shop we would sit at 140-150* all day...we have to put cardboard in front of engine to get heat in the engine...Not sure about 180* with no load on engine with no thermostat...

[rubbinsracin]

we are the same as dave, unless we block off the atleast half the rad we only get to about 140* in the shop. here is our setup:

stewart stage 2 pump
double pass afco rad
good hoses (change every year atleast)
1:1 pulleys with good belts (replace the belts yearly as well)
18" 4 blade fan
good fitting shroud
no thermostat or restrictor

i think the shroud is one of the most overlooked piece of any cooling program. i know alot of guys just run theirs right against the radiator, but i like to keep mine back a few inches in case i have a fender bended. Cheaper to replace a shroud than a radiator.

another thing you can do to really help the car at speed is to put a flap of plastic below the rad that helps force some air up there.

[Racer111]

Same as above but i would go with a triple pass rad and in some cases some restrictions make the engine run cooler.Also use water wetter and run the hoses to back side of intake.

[Egoracing]

Go to Stewarts water pumps page and follow his rules. If you can keep an 800+hp late model engine cool with a single pass radiator and good pump with the nose on the track and no holes a modified should be no issue.