Engine running due to stall converter???

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Jbuhr

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Hey all -

Engine running hot, that is.

I recently acquired a 67 Valiant, 360, 727, 3.91 with a 3800 stall converter. The car runs well and is pretty quick. The problem is that the engine temp will creep up while maintaining high speed (60mph). It will keep climbing until I come down to slower speeds. Then the electric fan is able to bring it back to 190'. My question is: do you all think the converter is causing the heat? I sure do. I've checked everything else like thermostat, coolant level, radiator and radiator hose blockages, etc. The only transmission cooler being used is the one in the radiator.

Your thoughts and ideas are welcome.
Thanks.

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i doubt its the converter.. whats it have for a radiator? whats the timing look like? is the carb lean? sure the air is flowing through the rad core properly?
 
I haven't checked the timing, but I know that could cause unwanted heat. I was told it is at 34' full advance. The rad is an aftermarket aluminum unit. There is a little room for air to go around the radiator, but I suppose I could seal it off. There is an aftermarket trans cooler mounted to the front of the radiator that the previous owner chose not to use last time he had the coolers out. It could be lean. Plugs look good though. I think I will start with the timing.
 
From what I know, when you install a high stall converter, you should install a good quality Transmission cooler at the same time. It does build up heat. And plumb around the cooler in the Rad. IMO.
 
Jbuhr said:
Hey all -

Engine running hot, that is.

I recently acquired a 67 Valiant, 360, 727, 3.91 with a 3800 stall converter. The car runs well and is pretty quick. The problem is that the engine temp will creep up while maintaining high speed (60mph). It will keep climbing until I come down to slower speeds. Then the electric fan is able to bring it back to 190'. My question is: do you all think the converter is causing the heat? I sure do. I've checked everything else like thermostat, coolant level, radiator and radiator hose blockages, etc. The only transmission cooler being used is the one in the radiator.

Your thoughts and ideas are welcome.
Thanks.

View attachment 1715077850

View attachment 1715077855
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Nice car. Would drop the cooler in the rad,go for external. Has more capacity,and takes excess heat out of rad. Up here i think using the rad cooler is beneficial, in winter.
Like the hoist, i have a backyard buddy myself. Use it daily. 9000 lb version. I cut a box into my ceiling,collar tied the rafters, doubled a few up and full size pickups go right to top.
 
What size radiator is that? Doesn't even fill up the core support with the radiator core. Less than a 22" radiator?
 
RustyRatRod said:
Nevermind. I am done.
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Yeah rob, we get it, the radiator is too small. Pretty obvious.

But what size he needs has a lot to do with what size he's already running. So, actually trying to be helpful means finding out what size radiator he already has so we can go from there.
 
We cannot know THAT without a frame rail measurement, now can we? Do you know what it is? I surely do not.
 
Unless that converter is a piece of garbage and slipping like crazy I can't see it being the problem. I have a 4000 stall in my car and my 408 has never gone over 205 in hot city traffic or racing. I do have a radiator that takes full advantage of the core support opening. I'd check the timing and jetting like mentioned above and like RRR mentioned don't rule out the radiator being too small. BTW: I never had a lot of luck with electric fans. They can actually block some air flow when not running. Viscous is the way to go IMHO
 
fishy68 said:
Unless that converter is a piece of garbage and slipping like crazy I can't see it being the problem. I have a 4000 stall in my car and my 408 has never gone over 205 in hot city traffic or racing. I do have a radiator that takes full advantage of the core support opening. I'd check the timing and jetting like mentioned above and like RRR mentioned don't rule out the radiator being too small. BTW: I never had a lot of luck with electric fans. They can actually block some air flow when not running. Viscous is the way to go IMHO
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I couldn`t tell in the pic. Are u running a hood scoop? If u are , and it`s not sealed to the carb., it can ram air into the engine compartment -which will fight the radiator air flow on the hi way, but not at slower speeds. Food for thot, I have seen it .
 
The radiator core fits the core support opening perfectly. The core could be bigger, but it would be blocked by sheet metal. The core is 22' wide and 16.5 inches tall. This could still be the issue, I guess. The fan blocks a lot of the radiator surface area. So air isn't really going through the core. More like it's being block by the fan. Could be simply an air flow issue which is like having to radiator that is too small.
 
RustyRatRod said:
We cannot know THAT without a frame rail measurement, now can we? Do you know what it is? I surely do not.
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I know exactly what the frame rail measurement is, it's the same on every A-body built from 1967-1976. I also know how big a radiator will fit in there. But there's no point telling him he needs to upgrade to a 26" radiator if all he has in there now is a 19" and going to a 22" will solve his problem.

Jbuhr said:
The radiator core fits the core support opening perfectly. The core could be bigger, but it would be blocked by sheet metal. The core is 22' wide and 16.5 inches tall. This could still be the issue, I guess. The fan blocks a lot of the radiator surface area. So air isn't really going through the core. More like it's being block by the fan. Could be simply an air flow issue which is like having to radiator that is too small.
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Ok, so it's a standard 22" aluminum replacement. Angle of your picture must have thrown me off for it lining up with the opening. Is it a 2 core or a 3 core? A 3 core 22" radiator should probably be able to cool what you've got if everything is properly tuned.

The fan shouldn't be the issue, the shroud is on the backside so the air being directed by the shroud has already passed through the radiator core. That auxiliary transmission cooler that you aren't using sitting in front of your radiator blocks a crap load of air flow though. Still, it shouldn't be any more than what an A/C condenser out front will block. But if you're not using it I'd lose it, it's just in the way. Ma Mopar did start running 26" radiators on the later A/C, V8 A-bodies. And they didn't need 3800 stall convertors.

Few more questions for you- Do you have the seals that attach to the front and rear of the hood that seal the radiator support to the hood and the hood to the rear cowl? And, while it shouldn't be causing your problem, what is the thermostat temperature and how is the electric fan being controlled? The fan looks like a Taurus set up, is that right? Are you running a standard or high volume water pump?
 
Add a quality transmission cooler and run it in conjunction with the cooler built into the rad. Get the stacked style cooler made by Tru-Cool. They look like a radiator and get a good sized one. Summit sells them in B & M packaging under part number B & N 70268. This one measures, 7 1/2 x 12 x 3/4 (inches). There is also a larger one that is 12x12x3/4 that might also interest you. The one in my Challenger was directly mounted to the rad cradle.
 
Jbuhr said:
I have good trans cooler, just need to plumb it. It has a 180 stat.
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What electric fan do you have and how is it controlled? Do you have the hood to radiator support seal in place? What water pump?
 
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