67 barracuda with a 383, need help!
As Dana67Dart said there are many unknowns here and the factory would not make a car that wouldn’t run cool in severe heat.
I suggest that before you start throwing money at it you start by analyzing the problem.
Use a heat gun. Mine is a digital read out $40 Ryobi from Home Depot.
With the engine cold “shoot” the thermostat housing and the top and bottom of the radiator.
Then start the engine and, with repeated “shots” of the thermostat housing, you should be able to know if, when and at what temp the thermostat opens. You will then also know exactly where 180, 190 and 200 are on the dash gauge.
Also shoot the temperature across various points of the radiator, including the upper, lower and side tanks. A cooler area in the core, or in a tank, indicates blockage. A common problem with calcium deposits in SoCal recycled water. Below is a photo.
Turn on the heater and look for the appropriate temp change. Ditto with the AC off and on. Listen for the click of the fan clutch and a slight drop in rpm.
Turn up the idle to 1800 rpm and again check temps on the thermostat, water pump and in and out of the radiator.
Put it on paper and you will know if your problem is insufficient water flow or insufficient air at hot idle.
As Dana67Dart said there are many unknowns here and the factory would not make a car that wouldn’t run cool in severe heat.
I suggest that before you start throwing money at it you start by analyzing the problem.
Use a heat gun. Mine is a digital read out $40 Ryobi from Home Depot.
With the engine cold “shoot” the thermostat housing and the top and bottom of the radiator.
Then start the engine and, with repeated “shots” of the thermostat housing, you should be able to know if, when and at what temp the thermostat opens. You will then also know exactly where 180, 190 and 200 are on the dash gauge.
Also shoot the temperature across various points of the radiator, including the upper, lower and side tanks. A cooler area in the core, or in a tank, indicates blockage. A common problem with calcium deposits in SoCal recycled water. Below is a photo.
Turn on the heater and look for the appropriate temp change. Ditto with the AC off and on. Listen for the click of the fan clutch and a slight drop in rpm.
Turn up the idle to 1800 rpm and again check temps on the thermostat, water pump and in and out of the radiator.
Put it on paper and you will know if your problem is insufficient water flow or insufficient air at hot idle.
