283/270 hp overheating

[richard raine]

Here's a puzzle for all of you gear heads.

I have a 270 hp 283 (for 1960 car). The engine runs pretty well but it overheats quite quickly (15 min at idle in the garage). I am also consuming radiator fluid slowly, but it is not visibly leaking (the floor is dry). One suggestion is that hot exhaust gas is soemhow getting into the cooling fluid (and fluid into the exhaust) causing the fluid to heat up. Is this plausible? Where would the exhaust gas likely be coming from?

I know the problem is not the thermostat. My fan is correctly positioned on the fan shroud.

I would appreciate any comments you may have and suggestions for diagnosing and correcting the problem.

Thanks

Richard

[Mike M.]

Re: 283/270 hp overheating

have the oil and the coolant analyized for cross contamination. blown head gasket, cracked head/ block? good luck. ike

[Clem Z.]

Re: 283/270 hp overheating

remove your water pump belts and your thermostat and housing. with the water level up in the thermostat housing in the intake manifold start the engine and watch for air bubbles in the coolant. if you see bubbles you have a leak from the combustion chamber to the water jacket and this will cause overheating

[Doug Flaten]

Re: 283/270 hp overheating

Last year my car developed a coolant leak under the intake manifold and was drinking fluid. Once the coolant level drops, you are going to see some increase in temperature, because the mass of coolant that absorbs and dissipates the heat has been reduced. How much of a temp increase depends on how much coolant you are losing(sssuming everything else is working correctly).