Got candy thermo, and aftermarket gauge.

[JMcTurnan]

I got the candy thermometer, and it only went to 190, my water reached there after 30min, then i took it out so it wouldnt bust. I installed a gauge, and it stayed at around 180 without the thermostat even being in. So i think its running a tad hot, and there are bubbles here and there in radiator. It's not milky though. Then stupid me, i thought the "manual" gauge was just an electric wire, and I cut it. Unfortunately not, so I have to get another gauge, unfortunately. Ill mount it and put the put the thermostat back in, and see what it runs.

[fordman]

180- 190 is right for that engine. a few bubbles could just be turbulence in the water from circulation. it sounds like your guage was reading wrong to me. the old one i mean.

[willowbilly3]

It would be right for the gauge to read about what the thermostat is, like 190.
I have had hundreds of overheating complaints come in over the years. My first question is this, does it boil over or loose coolant? More often than not the answer is no. If it isn't pushing out coolant then it isn't running too hot, and if it is you very likely just need a new pressure cap.

[JMcTurnan]

Yea maybe, it boils over when I hit gas hard. But thats it, I also have no shroud which may be part of the reason of slight overheating.

[willowbilly3]

No shroud, how far is the fan from the radiator? Look at how ford built them. They did everything for a reason and fery vew original trucks overheated. If you have a fan clutch, those can go bad. Maybe the fan just isn't spinning fast enough when you wonk on it.
If you suspect a head gasket you can get a kit, mine is from NAPA, that you test for combustion gas in the coolant.
I'd say get the cat within 1-2 inches of the radiator and get a shroud on it. Also make sure you have an adequate sized radiator.
And quite starting so many new threads about it, it's hard to chase you around.

[towtruckerfour]

If I remember right, you have a 302. The one in my 70 ran about 180-190. Having a shroud will definitely help with cooling.

[Alvin in AZ]

Oh man, did you check that candy thermometer against boiling water?
About half of them are like 10 degrees off. :)

Alvin in AZ

[fordman]

they dont make 6 cyl radiator fan shroud. and he is using a 6 cyl radiator in his so he has to make a shroud if he wants one.

[Alvin in AZ]

Sure sounds like the OP (JMcTurnan) has a head gasket problem to me,
it's just not real bad yet? {shrug} Only time I've seen bubbles, was with my
son's Toyotee 22R engine, that sorry sucker's head gasket went out twice.
He sold it. :)

------------------------------

I have participated in a bunch of threads on over heating problems and
had them myself too.

The fix in my case is the same that others have found but it's usually
buried inside a huge thread and not made a big deal of, so I'm here to
make a big deal out of it. LOL :)

Ignition timing.

Don't know nothin' about other engines but FE's like it up there around
10 to 12 degrees ahead of top dead center while idling, to stay cool.

Too dangged simple to sound like it's worth a hoot, huh. ;)
BTDT and it work for me and many others too.
Cheap enough to try it tho? ;)

Alvin in AZ '75 F150 360FE T18 (not automatic;)
ps- I had the original shroud, no pressure cap or leak problems, a tested
192 degree Robert Shaw thermostat, Flow-Kooler 12 finned water pump
new 4 core radiator and still sit at a light and get friggin hot with the
A/C off. Went from ~4* BTDC to ~10*BTDC and it quit over heating just
like that. No more having to rev the engine to keep it cooled off. YMMV

[willowbilly3]

Sure sounds like the OP (JMcTurnan) has a head gasket problem to me,
it's just not real bad yet? {shrug} Only time I've seen bubbles, was with my
son's Toyotee 22R engine, that sorry sucker's head gasket went out twice.
He sold it.

------------------------------

I have participated in a bunch of threads on over heating problems and
had them myself too.

The fix in my case is the same that others have found but it's usually
buried inside a huge thread and not made a big deal of, so I'm here to
make a big deal out of it. LOL

Ignition timing.



Don't know nothin' about other engines but FE's like it up there around
10 to 12 degrees ahead of top dead center while idling, to stay cool.

Too dangged simple to sound like it's worth a hoot, huh.
BTDT and it work for me and many others too.
Cheap enough to try it tho?

Alvin in AZ '75 F150 360FE T18 (not automatic;)
ps- I had the original shroud, no pressure cap or leak problems, a tested
192 degree Robert Shaw thermostat, Flow-Kooler 12 finned water pump
new 4 core radiator and still sit at a light and get friggin hot with the
A/C off. Went from ~4* BTDC to ~10*BTDC and it quit over heating just
like that. No more having to rev the engine to keep it cooled off. YMMV

Thanks Alvin, we tend to over look that one. When the same subject comes up over and over with the same answers sometimes the guys with the solutions don't respond after a while. I think this would be a good candidate for a FAQ sticky

[fordman]

i have seen resently a couple of members who have a problem with thier trucks running right or like they think they should run. one thing about those memebrs is that they tend to start one thread saying they think this or that and we try and talk the person through the problem but the problem did go away. then the next thing yo uknow the same person will start anohter thread saying that this or that is now happening and was happening before he started the first thread. well we try and work him throughthe second thread. same problem what we tell him did n't fix the problem either. so then the member will make two or three more threads about two or three different other items that are wrong with thier truck.

so the sticky shoul dread liek this. please present all symptoms of your problem. please try to keep it all in one thread. sometimes symptoms are related. and do not deserve a new thread. because it is all being caused by the problems with all of the symptoms. i am not saying it is JC who is doing this or another person. it is several others that i have read that seem to be doing this.

it is start to look like a timing issue now myself. but what are all of the symptoms your truck is doing? poor gas mileage gets hot when you put your foot into it. what else was it i can't remember right now.

[JMcTurnan]

I found out it's not timing, I believe it is a carberator and radiator problem together, I dont have a shroud or clutch on radiator, and the carberator is acting funny. I also have a vaccum leak I believe through the carb. I got another temp gauge today, and it got up to 220 while I was hauling ass, which is way to hot.

[JMcTurnan]

Sorry accidently posted twice

[willowbilly3]

Question" Do you try any of the things suggested? Did you actually check the timing properly with a timing light? Why do you think it is the carb now?

[JMcTurnan]

Yes I bought a timing light saturday, I checked. I put the breaker bar and it turned with ease. And the carb is partially out of adjustment, I adjusted it. And it started to sound better, and run better. Than a intake blew, or what I believe. I mean its not like its one big problem. But a bunch of small ones adding up.