Bigal75
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I had a 73 rr with a big block and it had rubber ones.
HELP!!! Overheating issue
- Thread starter shrek
- Start date
shrek
Active Member
yeah, I have a set of those that were on the car. But the inspection opening on the big block parts car is much bigger. trying to figure how to upload a pic so you can see what I am talking about.. I have a pic up on my gallery if you don't mind taking a look. thanks
idrivemopar
Well-Known Member
I don't think I have seen openings that big, I wonder if that was modified by a previous owner. I thought they were all the same regardless of motor.
71airgrabberRR
Well-Known Member
Years ago I owned a U code Charger. If my memory serves me correctly, there was a large rubberized cover that snapped in place on the passenger side. It was held in place with little metal clips.
I'm pretty sure the metal cover was on the driver side.
Hope this helps. Maybe someone on here can post up a photo of their factory Big block car.
One other thing about your overheating issue.
Once I had a 77 Cordoba with a factory installed 400 in it. It overheated similar to what you're experiencing. I did all of the things you mentioned. Plus I popped the freeze plugs while I had the engine out. Behind the freeze plugs the same black material you described was blocking the water passages in between the cylinders. I would suggest removing the freeze plugs and flushing out the block while you have the engine out. It will give you piece of mind.
Even after all of this the engine still ran hot but not as bad as it did before.
The radiator became suspect. So I purchased a new aftermarket replacement.
This made things worse. Believe it or not the car made me so angry I pulled the 400 out and installed a 1969 383 HP engine that I pulled from a Road Runner many years before this.
After all of this trouble, I found out the problem WAS the radiator. The new replacement one had most of the cooling passageways soldered over on the bottom. I never would have found that out if I didn't take the radiator in to a shop and had them remove the upper and lower tank to see what was going on.
Bottom line is this. Check your radiator too.
Hope this helps. Please keep us posted.
BTW. I kept the 383 in the Cordoba for quite a while afterwards. Ran very well. It was a sleeper.
I'm pretty sure the metal cover was on the driver side.
Hope this helps. Maybe someone on here can post up a photo of their factory Big block car.
One other thing about your overheating issue.
Once I had a 77 Cordoba with a factory installed 400 in it. It overheated similar to what you're experiencing. I did all of the things you mentioned. Plus I popped the freeze plugs while I had the engine out. Behind the freeze plugs the same black material you described was blocking the water passages in between the cylinders. I would suggest removing the freeze plugs and flushing out the block while you have the engine out. It will give you piece of mind.
Even after all of this the engine still ran hot but not as bad as it did before.
The radiator became suspect. So I purchased a new aftermarket replacement.
This made things worse. Believe it or not the car made me so angry I pulled the 400 out and installed a 1969 383 HP engine that I pulled from a Road Runner many years before this.
After all of this trouble, I found out the problem WAS the radiator. The new replacement one had most of the cooling passageways soldered over on the bottom. I never would have found that out if I didn't take the radiator in to a shop and had them remove the upper and lower tank to see what was going on.
Bottom line is this. Check your radiator too.
Hope this helps. Please keep us posted.
BTW. I kept the 383 in the Cordoba for quite a while afterwards. Ran very well. It was a sleeper.
Funship32
Well-Known Member
Oh cool. if you are breaking it in then you should be able to look at the lower hose and see if it is collapsing. I know on my rig the PO put the spring on the TOP hose. Then again I think the PO was Helen Keller considering some of the work done on her.
J.L.Stubbs
New Member
This may seem too simple...but it happened to me.Check your radiator cap pressure to make sure it is correct.I found out the hard way that I had been running a 7 pound cap.I guess my water pump wasn't stout enough for the problem to show up until I rebuilt the 383 and added a new high capacity pump.It did the same think the OP says his done.I didn't realize the problem and bought a custom made Mancini radiator to try and cure the overheating and water puking.It didn't help.I finally decided to check the cap and changed it out...problem solved.I'm not proud...but I am a bit more humble.
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