I think I smell coolant leaking. . . (while on woodward) lol

Facts first: '66 Cuda, 360 basically stock, *stock radiator / fan*

So yeah, was out last night with my lady friend cruising around in the '66 Barracuda on Woodward. It was pretty packed, just bumper-to-bumper idling around for 1 1/2 hours or so. My temp gauge (factory) was staying around the 3/4 mark. Heres basically what happened:
Me: I think I smell coolant
Girlfriend: This lady is waving at you on the sidewalk
Random lady on sidewalk: Your car is leaking something!!!
Me: S&*it

pulled into a parking lot and sure as heck its pouring coolant everywhere. I couldn't believe it! I waited a bit for her to cool down and released the vent, it started hissing out around the lower rad hose. I'm thinking either blew a hose or cracked the radiator somewhere down there. This is the stock system, no overflow tank.
After it cooled down a bit, and moving into a new parking spot that wasent covered in green stuff. I looked and couldnt find anything wrong, no cracks, no blown hoses nothing. Then I remembered the little rubber overflow/vent tube goes down there too! It was a great duh / thank god moment.

Great luck, the restaurant I parked behind had a garden hose! Tugged it over to my car and filled up maybe 2 gallons of water into the thirsty 360. Then we were off! Made it home fine, temp stayed in the low 1/4 range the whole way home.

That was a trip, at least the AAA card stayed in the wallet haha.

2 part question now:

Any nice alum radiators you guys can recommend? Does it really help having an electric fan or is a good viscous fine?

Does it hurt anything to just toss the thermostat and run an open system?

Go an alloy radiator....gets rid of the heat very well.

What car are you running it in? what brand / size radiator? price?

I just bought a Smith Radiator for mine, but I am a decade or two from being on the road so I can not be much help on how well it will work or the electric fan....

Sounds like all you need is a new radiator cap.

If you remove the t-stat it will flow too fast to cool and overheat worse. For racing they sell washers to replace the t-stat.

chryslerfat said:

If you remove the t-stat it will flow too fast to cool and overheat worse. For racing they sell washers to replace the t-stat.

Click to expand...

What he said.......
...... The water needs to stay in the radiator long enough to cool.....with no thermostat its just in and out of that hot block getting hotter and hotter.

You need a fan clutch and a 195 degree thermostat. The water needs to stay in the rad as long as possible to cool down. The washer wont work in a street car. When a car is moving forward a fan clutch dosent do much. If yyou run hot on the highway you need a rad.

This worked for me.8)

Could someone explain the real theory behind thermostat temps? I was under the belief that it was simply a 160 opened at 160 degrees, a 180 at 180 and so on. Is there more to it an that? It doesnt seem that a 195 would make it run cooler . .. or would it?

I'm going to go pick up an electronic rad fan and mount it up infront of the radiator. Run a manual switch so I can just click it on in traffic. Hopefully that'll make a difference. I also wanted to put in a recovery / overflow bottle but dont want a big ugly thing, do they make any "stealth" recovery bottles that you could hide on the side or infront of the rad supports, or somewhere else not so obvious?

what kind of temp drops have you guys seen with just these mods or only an electric fan?

My 66 Dart has a overflow recovery bottle(stock)it,s a very simple looking bottle,but works.Good luck.

1974DartSwinger said:

Could someone explain the real theory behind thermostat temps? I was under the belief that it was simply a 160 opened at 160 degrees, a 180 at 180 and so on. Is there more to it an that? It doesnt seem that a 195 would make it run cooler . .. or would it?

I'm going to go pick up an electronic rad fan and mount it up infront of the radiator. Run a manual switch so I can just click it on in traffic. Hopefully that'll make a difference. I also wanted to put in a recovery / overflow bottle but dont want a big ugly thing, do they make any "stealth" recovery bottles that you could hide on the side or infront of the rad supports, or somewhere else not so obvious?

what kind of temp drops have you guys seen with just these mods or only an electric fan?

Click to expand...

Your results may vary, from mine, I have only been playing with
My own vehicles since 1976, before that I helped Dad with his cars/P/U's. ;)

Coolant overflow bottle;
I am using a plastic bottle at the bottom of the radiator support,
held on with 2 plastic cable ties.
You can't see it unless you really look for it.

The electric fan is wired up via a relay, with the thermocouple on the back of the radiator controlling when the fan goes on/off.
It comes on when the temp is warmer than normal, like on a Hot day,
or if the traffic is moving slow.It makes a difference, and was worth the aprox $100, for the fan and control/relay kit.8)

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/we...trol-Imperial_6016936-P_N6003C_P|GRP2061A____


Imperial Adjustable Thermostatic Fan Control
Part No. 226203


I am using a 180f high flow t'stat.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/MRG-4367/