I have heard that you can run alot hotter when you remove the heater hoses from the motor.(mine were originally run to the front of the aluminum manifold and to the back of the manifold. Is this true?? I have a 383 with aluminum heads, BE COOL radiator and 16 inch Spal fan. I use to have no problem with cooling and seldom needed the fan when I had a stock iron head 350 in the car. Now with the ALUMINUM 383 motor in there I have to keep the electric fan running all the time even on the highway and the temp stay at 180.

I know 180 is not a problem, but I would think that an aluminum head motor should cool better. The only two things that are different besides the motor is the HEATER HOSES were removed to clean up the engine bay and I have a block off plate under the hood at the radiator support. This plate I figured would help more with cooling since it does not allow any hot engine air to get sucked back in front of the radiator. Would connecting the heater hoses back solve my problem or do I need to look elsewhere.

Thanks
Mark
TOOFUN

I have heard that you can run alot hotter when you remove the heater hoses from the motor.(mine were originally run to the front of the aluminum manifold and to the back of the manifold. Is this true?? I have a 383 with aluminum heads, BE COOL radiator and 16 inch Spal fan. I use to have no problem with cooling and seldom needed the fan when I had a stock iron head 350 in the car. Now with the ALUMINUM 383 motor in there I have to keep the electric fan running all the time even on the highway and the temp stay at 180.

I know 180 is not a problem, but I would think that an aluminum head motor should cool better. The only two things that are different besides the motor is the HEATER HOSES were removed to clean up the engine bay and I have a block off plate under the hood at the radiator support. This plate I figured would help more with cooling since it does not allow any hot engine air to get sucked back in front of the radiator. Would connecting the heater hoses back solve my problem or do I need to look elsewhere.

Thanks
Mark
TOOFUN
Mark
first off 180 is the number to shoot for ... 210 -220 is something to worry about .
is the fan on a sensor to start or set to run all the time ...if sensor it should be in the intake manifold and a 195 on 175 off setting

I think i understood you had heater hoses running in the front and rear of the manifold previously? but to where? if thats correct, I would think that you would eliminate a hot spot at the rear of the head at least on one side. This is a plus.

I have an airgap manifold with plugged access at the rear of my manifold and was attempting to do some type of plumbing to connect those rear points to my heater hose but that point is still plugged as it connects to a heater valve that allows only flow, when the heater is in operation, so I dont need that as it would be cold weather. Now to figure out to take that hot spot at the rear of the head to the or a suction point at the water pump to circulate that water.... Still working on this,,, maybe simple but have not gotten there yet. My aluim headed motor usually runs 100* above ambient so I consider that ok.

I'm wondering if you have a bypass problem now? If the thermostat is closed maybe there is not enough coolant flowing to it to open it up?
I'm sure someone knows if this makes any difference or not.

I do know that if you don't have a bypass plumbed in you need to drill a couple of holes in the thermostat or buy one with this already done.

Aluminum heads will cool the motor better, but not in a way that you want. They actually transfer more heat out of the combustion chamber than iron heads will, so they place more load on the cooling system. I don't know if it is a significant amount, but your radiator should handle it either way.

Hello,

Thanks for all the answers. The fan is on an on/off switch mounted on my dash. Problem is before I use to turn it on manually from time to time, but now I have to run it all the time otherwise the temp will rise to 210 and up. I have a sensor but dont know how to hook it up or where to put it. I see that you posted where to put it but how do you hook it up?

Thanks
Mark
TOOFUN

If you want the fan to work automatically you would need to wire the fan in line with your sensor. Thats what that sensor is designed to do right? Cut on and cut off your fan? Or is it just a temperature sensor/sending unit?