BUILD THREAD 78 Malibu 350 rocket build kind of

[UC645]

I drove it around a little bit. It didn't really climb past 190 until I got on it. And after that I think it stayed around 200 or so. it might have come back down if I kept driving it normal I'm not sure.

I got home and it sat at what I believe is 175 after idling a few mins.

My only concern with them is they sit away from the bottom of the rad about an inch. They might not be getting enough air pulled out.

I'll get the air box Monday and see what happens after that. I might just have to get a Lincoln fan.

The fans being off the bottom shouldn’t cause a real issue imo, the Intrepid fans I’m running leave 3-4 inches exposed at the bottom on my SS and I haven’t had cooling issues so far.

The GN airbox and deflector should feed air into that area.

 

[jasonhudsonCIA]

Hey guys long story short overheated the block to 260 not paying attention. Everything as far as I know is fine except one problem.

when I put a thermostat in the block I get no coolant pressure or flow. But when I take it out it gets pressure and doesn't overheat.

I've got no signs of a blown headgasket. I've confirmed the thermostat works. The water pump still circulates water without a thermostat in.

I'm just not entirely sure what it is.

 

[Sweet_Johnny]

Faulty thermostat?

 

[jasonhudsonCIA]

Faulty thermostat?

It could be. I did buy a 195 and it was still the same issue. I put both the 180 and 195 in a boiling pot of water and they opened up.

I wonder if it boiled up some trash and rust from bottom of the block.

 

[jasonhudsonCIA]

Drove it around without a thermostat. i cruised at 190 for like 30 mins.

I opened up the radiator and found all this. I hope that and ain't combustion bubbles and rust.

 

[Sweet_Johnny]

Maybe it's time to flush the system and get a good baseline...

 

[jasonhudsonCIA]

Maybe it's time to flush the system and get a good baseline...

I indeed did that. I think the head gasket is good. Probably just had a little air in there.

I noticed that the water pump wasn't moving a lot of water when I had the heater core line off. I bet it's cavitation now.

 

[Sweet_Johnny]

Sorry, the color of that water told me it hasn't been flushed. My mistake.

The bubbles absolutely could be from a bit of trapped air, and we all hope that's what it is.

 

[jasonhudsonCIA]

Sorry, the color of that water told me it hasn't been flushed. My mistake.

The bubbles absolutely could be from a bit of trapped air, and we all hope that's what it is.

Sorry that pic was mid way through flushing. I'll just take the water pump replace that maybe with a flowklooer or something. then I'll pop a thermostat back in it too and see what happens.