Mopar Performance 360/380 running pretty hot

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Trevor B

Trevor B

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We just installed a Mopar Performance 360 380 hp in my '73 Duster. It is a strong runner and came to me with about 4k miles on it. It seems happiest between 195 and 205 degrees! I cannot confirm whether it is supposed to be running that hot - lots of magnum guys on other forums say 205-215 is okay, but none of them are 'performance' engines like mine.

I have a fairly small radiator that I was planning on swapping out anyway but do any of you have this engine? What are you running at?

Thanks!
 
195-205 anything better than that would be an extravagance and we wouldn't stand for it .
 
195-205 is fine. Think about it, the stock thermostat for these cars is a 195*. I know that's not a stock engine, but, there's no reason it should run cooler than stock.
 
72bluNblu said:
195-205 is fine. Think about it, the stock thermostat for these cars is a 195*. I know that's not a stock engine, but, there's no reason it should run cooler than stock.
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Or much hotter!
 
Okay - got it on operating temp.
When I'm going for it, she is getting up to 215-220 and it was worrying me.
 
Still running the stock '73 318 radiator, which is dinky, although it kept my other 360 cool enough. I'm looking to upgrade right away. Did end up going with 16" electric fan with its own shroud, that takes up most of the radiator. No separate shroud.
 
So a 22” radiator? What cfm does the electric fan pull, and how are you controlling it?
 
Actually, it's more like 19" (wide that is). Fan has a is rated 2050 cfm and has 180 degree controller installed, and also a manual switch in the cabin.
 
Huh. I didn’t think you could still get a 19”radiator with a v8 in ‘73. That is on the small side. So is the fan, 2050 cfm isn’t terrible, but it’s not what I would want. That combined with the 19” radiator and your cooling system is a bit undersized, makes sense that it would be ok most of the time but fall behind when you up the demand. And you’re running a thermostatic switch that triggers the fan at 180*? So it’s running almost all the time. 180* thermostat too?

Just for reference, the Ford contour electric fans I run are ~3,500 cfm on low speed, and around 5,000 cfm on high.
 
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IIRC, (LOL!, But... ) Doesn’t the MP viscous can pull something around 4,000 cfm?
 
Correction: thermostatic switch goes on at 195. Yup - starting to research upgrade radiators and gonna need better fan.

This is a lot more engine than I am used to and learning a lot about all the newness: power, serpentine setup, electric fuel pumps, cooling system.

Thanks for all the help!
 
A 22” radiator should be more than capable of cooling that engine. However, if I were in your spot I would go straight to a 26” radiator. It requires very little extra work to install, you don’t even need to worry about opening up the radiator support. I’m pretty sure the support is the same for a 19” radiator as it is for a 22”, and I didn’t do open up the extra space when I installed my 26” 3 core.

If you’re staying with an electric fan, I would get a 26” 3-core and use the Ford contour set up. @goldduster318 has a very nice write up of how to install the Ford contour dual electric fans. You can also look at my build thread or do a search, I run the same set up. It works great, it’s an OE design that was very well engineered, and you can get the fans for around $100 brand new. They outflow most of the trick aftermarket fans out there for a fraction of the price. With a couple of relays and a Dakota digital fan controller the system works very well and you can program the fans to come on and turn off whenever you want.

A mechanical fan will work too, although for that you’d have to do some research for a 3 core to make sure you have enough room. A 26” 2 core would still be plenty big enough though, and that would work fine with a mechanical fan, clutch and a shroud if you went on that route.
 
An Old, long time, engine builder told Me that 200 is normal.
 
72bluNblu said:
Huh. I didn’t think you could still get a 19”radiator with a v8 in ‘73. That is on the small side. So is the fan, 2050 cfm isn’t terrible, but it’s not what I would want. That combined with the 19” radiator and your cooling system is a bit undersized, makes sense that it would be ok most of the time but fall behind when you up the demand. And you’re running a thermostatic switch that triggers the fan at 180*? So it’s running almost all the time. 180* thermostat too?

Just for reference, the Ford contour electric fans I run are ~3,500 cfm on low speed, and around 5,000 cfm on high.
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The twin fan factory serup,72 ?
 
rumblefish360 said:
Link to the Ford Contour fan fix?
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The info on my build is here
My "new" '74 Duster- or why I need a project like a hole in the head

IMG_1558_zps3b79216a.jpg


goldduster318 has the PDF file that covers how he did his, which is what I used for mine. Looks like I can attach it so it should show up below...
 

Attachments

  • Electric Fan 26in Radiator.pdf
    4.4 MB · Views: 1,829
Abodybomber said:
Dann,nice setup...
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Yes it is! I like it. Cheaper than some of the aftermarket options too, even with the relays and digital controller. It pushes more air than a lot of aftermarket fans too, ~3,500 cfm on low and ~5,000 cfm on high, depending on who you ask. I've only had the high speed kick on a couple of times, this summer was lousy and we had a few 105+*f days where I was out and about in traffic. And it's an OE set up, I know Ford tested the crap out of it and they go 100,000 plus miles. And if it craps out there's at least a chance I can get some of the parts locally.

You do need to invest in some other electrical upgrades though. I run mine with a 100 amp alternator, and I would suggest an amp gauge bypass. I've been running mine without one so far, I converted a stock amp gauge over to a voltmeter to swap in but haven't done the install and bypass yet. I do run it with its own relays, and I have everything attached to a continuous duty relay already as the pictures in my thread show. But I think those upgrades go along with any fan set up that will push enough CFM to be useful, big CFM means a big draw, that's just the way it is.
 
72bluNblu said:
Yes it is! I like it. Cheaper than some of the aftermarket options too, even with the relays and digital controller. It pushes more air than a lot of aftermarket fans too, ~3,500 cfm on low and ~5,000 cfm on high, depending on who you ask. I've only had the high speed kick on a couple of times, this summer was lousy and we had a few 105+*f days where I was out and about in traffic. And it's an OE set up, I know Ford tested the crap out of it and they go 100,000 plus miles. And if it craps out there's at least a chance I can get some of the parts locally.

You do need to invest in some other electrical upgrades though. I run mine with a 100 amp alternator, and I would suggest an amp gauge bypass. I've been running mine without one so far, I converted a stock amp gauge over to a voltmeter to swap in but haven't done the install and bypass yet. I do run it with its own relays, and I have everything attached to a continuous duty relay already as the pictures in my thread show. But I think those upgrades go along with any fan set up that will push enough CFM to be useful, big CFM means a big draw, that's just the way it is.
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I agree.. 72 . I bought in '04 off Dorman's measure. It cools,like nobody's business. (Brass radiator, 360 /380 Magnum crate cloned..) The high flow Mr Gasket was kicking to 210-220 .. Pulled the stat,water pan boiled it.. was going more like 200 -210 on the oven turkey meter probe. Gutted the failed wax peice, installed a fan controller. Problems fixed.
 
Trevor B said:
Correction: thermostatic switch goes on at 195. Yup - starting to research upgrade radiators and gonna need better fan.

This is a lot more engine than I am used to and learning a lot about all the newness: power, serpentine setup, electric fuel pumps, cooling system.

Thanks for all the help!
Click to expand...

What initial timing are you running?
That can have a lot to do with engine temp.
 
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