Edz 66 Convertible

[hybrid]

Anywhere between 0-5 psi is OK at idle. Worst case, just make sure it's slightly above zero so you know you have SOME pressure.
C6's are nice and strong, but they're a very big and heavy box.

But yes, if you don't set up an AOD properly, it won't be nice to you.
We are tying to take an auto that was made purely for fuel efficiency and turn it into a performance auto.

[Edz66Vert]

Will do, good advice Hybrid! Thanks.


Thought I'd post an update.


Overheating - fixed finally!

So looks like I've nearly fixed the overheating issue. I have a big block radiator ($540 one from Harry's) and she was constantly turning the fan on at 80 - 100 kmh on the road even on a coolish night (22 deg).

Took it to the radiator shop and described the symptoms and told them everything was new and they needed to drive it to see the problem. They said they don't drive customers cars. Came back at the end of the day and they said no problems. They let it idle for an hour and it just cycled through the fan cutting in and out as the coolant cooled down. No problems. Suggested I clean the coolant filter and that the problem was an airflow/cooling issue - which I already knew.

Got home, went to clean the filter and found that the gauze had been punched into the outlet neck, I assume by coolant pressure from the high flow pump I have? Straightened this out but didn't take it for a test drive so not sure if this was part of the restriction problem.

Pulled the transmission cooler off (which covers half of the radiator and sits about 5 mm away from it) and took it for a run but this made no difference. Removed the shroud that I made with the 3 bypass flaps and cable tied the fan to the radiator and all fine, fan does not come on above 60 k's! Put the transmission cooler back on and still fine. Fan only comes on when under 60 kmh now which is pretty good.

One interesting point, I have a temp gauge on the tranny pan. With the cooler connected, it generally runs at 50 - 60 degrees C. When I replaced it with copper pipe for the airflow test it got up to 85 degrees on a 1 hour cruise with some small hills. With the cooler in place and crawling slowly on black tar for 10 minutes into a coffee show on a 30 degree day the tranny temp went to 85 degrees.

Starter - fixed after 2 months of dramas (thanks to Nuts help)
Fitted the Chinese 2.2 kw/3 hp red clockable starter, all I can say is - WOW! It's instant starts when I hit the key. Not sure about the quality long term and they're the same price as the Bosch ones but being clockable was good as I could rotate the solenoid away from the headers. The old Bosch is pretty dead, okay cold, won't start the car as soon as the engine is hot.

Coolant leak up front - fixed
Fixed, added a second hose clamp to the thermostat neck.

Scott Drake Crap Cowl Cover - fixed
Bought a cowl cover from Harry in Sydney for $60 and first time I went to fit it it went bang and cracked up the guts! Not happy Jan, seems they use acrylic instead of spending $1 more and using Lexan/polycarbonate which is what they should have used in the first place. I contacted them about it as other people have complained about the same thing to them in the feedback. Cost me $42 to redo it in Lexan with a new seal. At least it will never break, it's the same stuff they use for race car and light plane windshielsds and motorbike visors.


Engineering and swap to ACT rego
Only have the following to do:
- carby float level setup, idle mixture setup and jet tune (pulling 11 on the wideband all the time and drinks fuel like there is no tomorrow - 12 mpg!)
- remove tramp rods as I finally got the new 10 mm leaf spring plates back from my mate with the waterjet cutter
- change speedo sticker to one that shows 100 kmh at a true 97 kmh to keep rego and the engineer happy. Picking a couple of white ones up today as the ones I bought from the US for $50 are out by 15 kmh (show 100 when you are doing 85 on the gps)! Have to take a couple of photos with two GPS's and the speedo in the pic at 60, 80 and 100.
- fix the intermittent horn switch
- quieten exhaust with J pipes

[Edz66Vert]

So the overheating problems continued. The temp goes to 2/3 (separate gauge reads 105-110c) on the road at 80-110. Thermo fan comes on and the only time it goes off is a gentle downhill cruise. This happened previously with the old motor and ended up burning out my Spal fan.

Yesterday I tried with and without the shroud, fitting the fan up tight to the radiator with foam tape. Seems to run a little better this way than with shroud (this is 20 mm deep due to fan to pulley clearance issues).

Today, I lifted the rear of the bonnet up 20 mm and took it for a drive to see if underbonnet heat was the problem, but this didn't change anything. When I get home from a 10 minute run, it's that hot that I can only wrap my hand around a bonnet hinge for about 3 seconds before it's too hot to hold.

Any ideas, everything is new and was checked out by a radiator shop who found no problems?

[hybrid]

Too much timing or too lean?

[Edz66Vert]

Set initial timing with vacuum advance blocked off to 10 deg. When connected total timing is about 38 deg.

Played with jets, started with factory #72 in 750 Holley. Wideband was sitting on 10.8-11. Down to #62 jets, afr 12.4 - 12.7 under light cruise and acceleration.

New big block radiator, cnc Flowcooler hiflow water pump, Milodon 180 high flow thermostat.

[hybrid]

Bizarre. Head gaskets definitely on the right way?

[Edz66Vert]

No idea, Rocket did re-install the heads for me so who knows? That means pulling the inlet manifold to check but at this stage I'm pulling my hair out so may be worth checking after Summernats next week. I'll also double check the timing tomorrow.

[scedd]

Any ideas, everything is new

NEW can stand for Never Ever Worked.

[Nuts]

Just a thought.. The under hood temp you're experiencing isn't a reflection of the heat coming from the radiator it will be mainly from the headers. Shroud, Shroud, Shroud Mr Ed!

[Charbel]

Usually cruise overheating is an airflow problem. Fans really should not be needed at cruise speed, the slight improvement after removing the shroud is a clue.

If you have a temp gun, grab some temps of the thermostat housing, inlet of the radiator, outlet of the radiator. Cross check your guages with the housing temp.

You should have at least a 10deg difference inlet to outlet of the radiator anything less and the radiator is not cooling your waters..

[Edz66Vert]

Checked temps yesterday again with the infrared gun and getting at least 10 deg difference between inlet and outlet on the radiator. I'll check them again after the next run. Refitting the shroud again but I still think the shroud actually makes it a bit worse. It cycles fine idling with the shroud, the fan cuts, in runs for a couple of minutes, then cuts out again. The radiator place couldn't fault it. I just think it's too shallow, it's only 20 mm deep and the 16"Spal fan is offset to the battery side due to clearance to the waterpump. This means 1/3 of the radiator on the other side is semi-blocked and not getting a good airflow? I originally had flaps there that opened up, then left the shroud and removed the flaps, but no change. I've tried lots of combinations.

I'm definitely going Mondeo fans but can't get onto them for at least a week or two as everything shuts down over New Year. They will allow a bit more airflow when cruising than my current shroud but it should not get hot at anything over 60k? My Fj that I fitted a V6 too only needed me to turn the fan on below 40k, other than that it never needed a fan.

I looked at the Felpro gaskets that I have hear which are probably the ones Rocket used when they refitted my heads and you're right Hybrid, they definitely only go on one way. Maybe the monkey they used to put them on fitted them back to front and blocked a couple of passages? Unfortunately you can't see if they are on the right way without removing the heads as they don't have tabs. It gets up to temp very quickly when I drive it, only takes about 2 minutes from dead cold at a gentle drive away from home which makes me think it could be a head gasket installation issue? Has a 180 thermostat but you can sit and watch the temp gauge rise.

[hybrid]

and you're right Hybrid

Thats usually the case mate ?

[malscar]

Stupid question, but is the thermostat working properly?

[Edz66Vert]

Nuts said I can check the head gasket orientation by removing the inlet manifold but is pretty sure it's not the problem as he's come across that before and it would boil it's head off. Mine sits and idles nicely.

Scedd - when I say new I also mean quality parts and I have tested the thermostat and fan switch as did the radiator place.

[Edz66Vert]

Stupid question, but is the thermostat working properly?

Yes, pulled it out and tested in boiling water with a brand name radiator thermometer to check what temp it opened and to see if it went wide open and shut. Rad place also tested.

Noticed this morning that I could squeeze the bottom radiator hose for about 80-10 mm as the spring was too short and had slid back in so fitted a new hose with longer spring.

About to go for a test drive, the shroud is back on. Then I'll check temps and try a standard water pump, test drive and fit the 160 Milodon thermostat and test drive to see what that does.