How many gallons of coolant?
 

I have a 350 block and the BBC radiator. I put on a Be Kool high volume pump and now I have over heating problems. I pulled the new 180 stat and with 1/8 inch holes I drilled to get air bubbles out and put it in hot water and it opens at 180.

I put in 2 1/2 gallons of anti and distilled water. Within 8 miles it was puking out and 240 degrees.

The radiator was new last year. I was just thinking that the old pump needed a change out. I never had a problem before the pump change.

These BeKool is just a iron body with I would guess a bigger impeller.

My friend though that maybe it is not full with an air bubble in the block or something

advance auto parts has this avail for rent at most locations. Uview Airlift Cooling Tester Part No. UVU550000

its close to what we have at the dealer to suck all the air out of the engine/radiator and refill. that's the best way to get air out...
you can also check the radiator with a infrared thermometer to check if you have hot spots...

also don't over look the basics..... radiator cap and fan clutch......also those damn garbage bags that always get sucked up into the radiator.....

I drained it last fall. No problems last year. The only change was new fluids and water pump. I just don't know if the level was full or is the new pump bad.

If 2.5 is full. I will just buy a stewart stage 2

If your radiator cap isn't sealing and creating pressure in the system it will cause those symptoms.

Sounds like an airlock to me. A trick i use when i'm away from the workshop, is grab a softdrink bottle, cut the base off, wrap some electrical tape around the threaded bit until it's a tight fit in your radiator. With the bottle firmly in the neck of the radiator, fill the system slowly, squeezing the top hose to burp the air out.

Keep filling until the bottle is half full, start the engine and run it until the thermostat opens, all the while keeping the bottle half full. What this does is keep the water higher than the engine, forcing air up through the radiator and out the bottle.

Another way is to remove the thermostat housing and thermostat and slowly fill the block first, then replace the thermo and housing onto the intake. Make sure you fill slowly, to avoid air traps. Good luck :thumbs:

If you had no problems last year, why did you install a "high volume" pump on it?

I have a small block and an L82 size radiator, 4 row I guess. The engine is out of the car. I collected every drop of coolant from the system, including the block and it totalled 4 gallons. That's without the heater or hoses since I don't use them.

Stock copper/brass radiators fill to within 1" of the bottom of the fill neck. They require an air space for expansion.

:thumbs:

This is probably a longshot, but are you sure the new water pump is not a reverse rotation pump? I mean, everything was fine, then you changed the water pump, and now there is a problem. That doesn't guarantee that the water pump is the problem, but it's the obvious place to start.

Scott

I hate it when I fix something that's not broke and it ends up broke when I am done.

"If it ain't broke...fix it 'til it is!"

Seriously...high volume water pumps are only necessary for specific conditions and reasons. Cooling systems are designed as a system where all parts are supposed to work in concert to maintain optimum cooling efficiency within an expected environment. Installing a high volume water pump where it's not needed moves liquid through the system too fast to adequately cool as it passes through the radiator. Simply put, the coolant isn't in the radiator long enough for proper heat exchange to occur.

The same water pump can often be used in various versions of the same engine and in various vehicles with differing options. Different diameter pulleys are used depending on the application to maintain that optimum cooling performance.

That good question. I was detailing under the hood and decided to just put in a new nicely painted pump in preparation for a 3500 mile trip.

If the system takes 4 gallons without a heater I have to figure out how to get more in......

It is not a reverse flow pump, But I did say screw it and I just installed the Stewart stage II aluminum. My gaskets need to let the sealant dry before I refill it. $169 or so from Summit racing. I semi polished it on a wire wheel and it really looks nice.:D

I will give the results later

I've used the Stage2 many times, great pump.
Jack up the front a bit if you feel it's necessary, fill the rad and the overflow bottle and run till hot. It may take a couple of heat/cool cycles to purge all the air out. You can also loosen the heater hose on the manifold to help purge when filling.

Nice! Anything cast iron that you replace with aluminum is a step in the right direction!

Scott

get one of these to fill your radiator. best $30 you'll ever spend. fill it up, let it runn til the thermostat opens. when it does the coolant level will drop in the funnel. top it off and put the excess in your overflow.

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/web...sle_22970131-p

One foolproof method of filling the system is, with the car level, remove the radiator cap and remove the thermostat and water neck. Pour the coolant into the intake manifold where the tstat would be. The level will fill the manifold and the top of the rad at the same time.

So... How'd it work out? and of course you know we need pictures or there isn't an aluminum water pump on your motor :D

My camera is no good and I had to ask a forum member to make it available to show on this forum.

The picture doesn't show how nice it looks . I also put anti- seize on the blue plugs. That is as far as they go in.

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p...psadf8abb7.jpg

Cool, looks good. Now finish the install and test her out :thumbs:

Please allow me to disagree.
The radiator/engine is designed to be COMPLETELY full all the time. Any expansion goes into the overflow bottle, which should always contain enough water to cover the connecting hose end. This eliminates all air from the coolant passages, and slows any oxidation.
On an intial fillup, fill the radiator completly, and install the radiator cap. Fill the overflow bottle to "full hot". The next few heatup/cooldown cycles will "burp" out any air from the system. Turn on the heat, as well, to purge any air out of the heater core. Keep an eye on it, and top off as necessary.