...and a GOOD shop can do it in less than 15 minutes.
BAD MECHANICS - Thermostat and Radiator Fan Blade
- Thread starter soonercruiser
- Start date
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Phreakish
Well-Known Member
Oof. When I bought my dart, the linkage was screwed up like OP. I fixed it fast, but the trans (904) still failed less than 200 miles later when the clutches welded together.
I hope OP has better luck, but he needs to fix it ASAP.
soonercruiser
Well-Known Member
Not that it will be "perfect" yet, but all the necessary parts delivered today...16" Flexfan and custom Thermostat housing.
I can fix the small stuff myself.
Would still be searching for a location for the temp sensor on the 318 block, lower; or even something like the lower rad hose.
Any other ideas?
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
DID YOU NOT READ THIS THREAD??
YOU DO NOT want to put a temp sensor in the LOWER hose, and there IS NO place on the block
The lower hose/ inlet side of the pump is all the "colder" side of the cooling system. You want to measure up top where it has been heated. GM put the sensors in the head starting?? in the 70's ??
Look, you have provided no photos of what you are up against. What brand is the gauge and what do you have for probe adapters? Some gauges can be adapted down to 3/8 pipe thread (about 5/8 OD) but I don't think they can be smaller, for mechanical ones.
Phreakish
Well-Known Member
I would make sure the trans linkage is fixed before you so much as put it in gear again. It's that big of a deal. Unless you're already planning to overhaul or replace the trans?
soonercruiser
Well-Known Member
Why the reference to the trans linkage????
junkyardhero
Well-Known Member
because we can see it's out of adjustment and don't want you to roach your transmission.
soonercruiser
Well-Known Member
Here is a historic hread on the subject.
I think I overthought the post saying "Below the thermostat'...which is correct.
But, a "spacer" with sensor ports puts the sensor "below the Thermostat" in a simple, uncomplicated way.
Alternative Port for Aftermarket Temp. Gauge, 318?.
I think I overthought the post saying "Below the thermostat'...which is correct.
But, a "spacer" with sensor ports puts the sensor "below the Thermostat" in a simple, uncomplicated way.
Alternative Port for Aftermarket Temp. Gauge, 318?.
Phreakish
Well-Known Member
As far as temp sensor location. Others have already posted photos of the proper adapter. If your intake has no other ports, then I'd use the suggested adapter. No other location makes any sense.
An aftermarket temp sensor would also be low priority for me versus a proper thermostat. So if time is a consideration, just plop the temp sensor down on top of the intake without putting it in any port. You might be surprised how close it reads.. I ran my efi that way for a couple weeks without issue (I needed to make a pipe thread adapter).
It's also not often difficult to find a good used radiator that will bolt in and mount up properly. I would never use a flex fan in order to keep the wrong radiator in the car.
My car had a direct drive (no clutch) fan when I bought it and it sucked. Loud and ineffective. A shroud, clutch, and half decent alum rad (with stock configuration) and now it works mostly right. It'll creep up to 210F if I idle for long periods, but at even 5mph it never gets over the stat temp of 195.
soonercruiser
Well-Known Member
Pictures were provided. See the first page.
Thanks for pointing out the "cool side".
That was going to be my next question.
Phreakish
Well-Known Member
Other users spotted it, I'm just sharing my experience that mine was setup similar to yours and despite my fixing it minutes after I bought it, the trans did not survive. I hope you have better luck.
The linkage to the trans controls the line pressure. If that linkage doesn't move right, then the lown pressure will cause the clutches in the trans to slip during shifts (or even during driving) and will wear them rapidly. Eventually they fail. In my case it was effectively stuck in 1st and I found out when I tried to reverse out of the shop and drove into a workbench instead. Yay.
Well, you can always just drill and tap a hole in the intake manifold as I described in Post # 19 above.
I wouldn't be using any flex fan, too many horror stories
I would follow the advice between my post here and your original post, either the adapter housing, or a port in the intake. Below the thermostat means within a few inches, not the bottom of the tank, block, hose or anywhere else. A water passage in the intake just below the thermostat.
If you can't swing the correct radiator right now, Find the correct molded upper hose, mount it on the thermostat housing, after trimming the hose so it fits at nice right angles get a Sharpie marker and draw a circle around the hose where it touches the radiator, take the radiator out and to a shop and have them weld a proper fitting (bring the hose with you)
GET THE TRANS KICKDOWN CORRECT BEFORE YOU MOVE THE CAR. join a local Mopar club, be nice and ask for help if you need to.
Work on getting other items fixed or tweaked to your liking and plan on getting a proper radiator, clutch fan, & shroud down the road. Shrouds can be found, made, or some measuring at a junkyard can get you one that might need a couple mods.
I would follow the advice between my post here and your original post, either the adapter housing, or a port in the intake. Below the thermostat means within a few inches, not the bottom of the tank, block, hose or anywhere else. A water passage in the intake just below the thermostat.
If you can't swing the correct radiator right now, Find the correct molded upper hose, mount it on the thermostat housing, after trimming the hose so it fits at nice right angles get a Sharpie marker and draw a circle around the hose where it touches the radiator, take the radiator out and to a shop and have them weld a proper fitting (bring the hose with you)
GET THE TRANS KICKDOWN CORRECT BEFORE YOU MOVE THE CAR. join a local Mopar club, be nice and ask for help if you need to.
Work on getting other items fixed or tweaked to your liking and plan on getting a proper radiator, clutch fan, & shroud down the road. Shrouds can be found, made, or some measuring at a junkyard can get you one that might need a couple mods.
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I think 15 minutes is a little optimistic. Describe the steps that would need to be taken to do the complete repair in under 15 minutes. Are you planning on re-using the radiator inlet? Does this include pressure testing after the repair? I have done repairs similar to this before. The way I would do it is something like this...
1. Start the stopwatch. Determine the new position of the inlet. If the new position overlaps the old position it would matter how I approach the repair.
2. determine if there is enough length left in the old tube to be reused after it is cut off flush at the top of the weld attaching it to the radiator. If not you need a new inlet tube. Grinding the weld of the old tube is going to be outside the 15 minute time frame.
3. If the positions don't overlap. I would cut the old tube off with a saw and grind the weld flush. Then cut a rectangle or square patch that covers hole and grind marks and lays on top of the tank. This will be easier to weld and look pretty. Don't weld yet.
3A. If the positions do overlap or if you would like the way this repair looks better, then cut a rectangular patch to cover the whole area including just past where the tube goes. Spot patch in place.
4. Cut new hole for tube with holesaw.
5. Clean welding table off ( because there is always something laying on the welding table when you need to use it) Clean and prep for welding. Set welder up, grind tungsten if needed lay out filler rod and clean helmet lens.
6. Spot in patch ( if not already done) and tube then weld.
7. After it cools. Pressure test.
8. Click the stopwatch. Should be around 14 minutes and 55 seconds. lol
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I'll reiterate to fix kickdown 1st.
We can readily see several things done wrong. Makes you wonder how many other things are wrong that we can't see from the two photos the OP has provided.
At any rate, the problems we see are easily fixed. The OP has been told over and over how best to fix them. But he so far has ignored or rejected our advice. I see many posts like this where we go round and round and end up back where we started. Sorta like butting your head against a brick wall.
At any rate, the problems we see are easily fixed. The OP has been told over and over how best to fix them. But he so far has ignored or rejected our advice. I see many posts like this where we go round and round and end up back where we started. Sorta like butting your head against a brick wall.
abodyjoe
Well-Known Member
maybe something like this? Allstar Performance ALL30375 Allstar Performance Water Neck Spacers | Summit Racing
FYI on the thermostat housing, it is originally a GM housing. I believe it was used on big GM trucks with the 454 raise block truck engines.
Yep, that's F**ked up. It looks like a GM guy put this one together.
soonercruiser
Well-Known Member
Thanks AbodyJoe!
That is exactly what I had posted a link to a few posts back.
But the picky people are just picking away without looking at the the Thermostat spacers with ports for sensors fix that I had posted a link to earlie - which is a historic thread from this very Forum. It just takes a while to finds these kind of discussions.
Vintage Air 706001-VCQ Vintage Air Water Neck Risers | Summit Racing
Allstar Performance ALL30375 Allstar Performance Water Neck Spacers | Summit Racing
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Well, you've been asked what kind of intake manifold you have. Crickets. That could help us help you. You asked for help. People who don't even know you and are not being paid one red cent for their time and experience are reaching out to try and help you, but you're calling us picky? Might wanna rethink that and start answering pertinent questions if you want help. You have a lot of correcting to do and we can help, but you need to be respectful of those trying to help.
I don't think anyone has rejected the spacer as a workable solution; in fact several have recommended it (including me, although I also suggested a cheaper solution). What we have been picky about is your insistence on raising the radiator instead of simply moving the upper radiator hose fitting to the correct spot, your insistence on looking for a place to mount the temp sending unit on the block or in the lower radiator hose despite our warnings that those are not good places to try to mount the sending unit, your rejection of our advice not to run a flex fan, and your rejection of our advice that you absolutely need to correct your kickdown linkage.
I wasn't gonna post any more, but calling US "picky"?
Indeed. At this point, I say let him go forward in his own ignorance and burn the thing to the ground. I drove Vixen today and she runs fantastic!I don't think anyone has rejected the spacer as a workable solution; in fact several have recommended it (including me, although I also suggested a cheaper solution). What we have been picky about is your insistence on raising the radiator instead of simply moving the upper radiator hose fitting to the correct spot, your insistence on looking for a place to mount the temp sending unit on the block or in the lower radiator hose despite our warnings that those are not good places to try to mount the sending unit, your rejection of our advice not to run a flex fan, and your rejection of our advice that you absolutely need to correct your kickdown linkage.
I wasn't gonna post any more, but calling US "picky"?
Small block? There's usually at least one pipe plugged off port in the intake that could be used. But as long as the bulb lead (I'm assuming mechanical gauges since that's what I use) into the block drain? Once the engine is up to temp the water should be the same temp anywhere in the system. ( I've never had to do that but just an idea)
There's so many people that like the "idea" or like a "look" but on the functional side don't get executed too well.
Hey your learning.
Hopefully once the anger has subsided, you'll find the journey is part of the enjoyment and satisfaction. For some that's the main point. For me, I always hit a point where I want to drive it and not tinker. But the journey was and is part of why I own cars like this.
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