440 Dart overheating at idle FOLLOW-UP.

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RonsSwinger

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Hello Mopar family. I placed a post a week or so ago looking for assistance with my Dart over heating an idle on hot days, and vapour lock issues. I want to note that the suggestions we very valuable to my approach to my problem. I was pointed out that my fan was not located properly (it should be 1/2 in and 1/2 out of the shroud). That’s was addressed although it doesn’t show well in pictures it is dead on. It was suggested that the loopy cam needs good advancement at idle or the engine works too hard (I checked it and it is advanced about 37 degrees, so no changes made there). I was advised to pay particular attention to the shroud to ensure it is sealed with no air flow escaping. As you can see I have a woodworking shop as well. I filled in the sides of the shroud with 1 1/2 lumber, and I got a wide piece of rubber (industrial baseboard for hospitals etc) and made a perfect circle inside, and against the fins for the vacuum effect. For my Vapour lock issue, my fuel line is very near the header. I put heat shield on the line from the carb to the fuel pump and also from the fuel pump back beyond the headers. I also put a spacer under the carb.
I am very pleased with the changes. I had the car out in 90 degree heat today in stop and go traffic with NO issues. The Vapor lock is Corrected as well. I want the thank the brother and sisterhood for the great input, and hopefully what I did to fix my issue and be used by someone else in need. Cheers Ron D and “The Gypsy Queen”

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It probably would work even better if you removed the wooden blocks from the shroud so that you get full airflow through all of the radiator.
 
It probably would work even better if you removed the wooden blocks from the shroud so that you get full airflow through all of the radiator.
I think by making the rad shroud perfectly round it pulls the air better than having the cavity on the side that made a large gap between the fan and shroud on one side. It gives the air more of a vacuum effect. The changes were very noticeable
 
To bad the Chrysler engineers through the decades never thought of that. :BangHead::rolleyes:
 
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I think by making the rad shroud perfectly round it pulls the air better than having the cavity on the side that made a large gap between the fan and shroud on one side. It gives the air more of a vacuum effect. The changes were very noticeable
Actually you may be creating dead spots in the corners because you are blocking off the airflow.
 
Hay yall, he found something that works for HIM. Geez. Let him run with it.
 
Often with cooling problems, you have to 'sneak up' on it. That is the approach I use. If I can make 5 changes that each takes out 3*, there is 15* in reduced running temp.
 
Often with cooling problems, you have to 'sneak up' on it. That is the approach I use. If I can make 5 changes that each takes out 3*, there is 15* in reduced running temp.
Exactly the approach I used to cure the detonation issue on my slant 6 when I first got it running. I made one change at a time that cooled it off a little each time. When I got to the thermostat, that's when the problem went completely away. It's a good approach for sure. THat way you don't get lost doing it all "at once".
 
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