Dartin for Divorce

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Pull the plugs and inspect them. The colour will tell you how its burning, too rich or too lean. While the plugs are out, do a compression test, that will let you know how healthy the engine is overall. Maybe it was rebuilt and you already have a good starting point. My dad always said to me " if it's not broke, don't fix it". Then again he didn't drive a dodge!!
 
Dave 74 Dart said:
Pull the plugs and inspect them. The colour will tell you how its burning, too rich or too lean. While the plugs are out, do a compression test, that will let you know how healthy the engine is overall. Maybe it was rebuilt and you already have a good starting point. My dad always said to me " if it's not broke, don't fix it". Then again he didn't drive a dodge!!
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I'd have to find the tools for a compression test, but that is actually a great saying which I usually use as well. I just hate to put my kids in any precarious situations.

Just purchased oil, oil filter, coolant, fan clutch, radiator hoses, and a thermostat.

Only problem which I cannot find the answer to is the water pump for a car set up with a/c is it the same pump just the belts ran differently?
 
I'm not sure about the pump, as I've never had a/c on an old car. Compression tester is pretty cheap, maybe 30 bucks? Good to have in the toolbox to quickly help diagnose piston ring/ valve issues . Don't forget about a rad overflow jug to help keep your garage floor clean. I've used a old windshield washer jug ziptied to the rad support with the overflow hose drilled thru the cap, ( until I found a correct jug).
 
Dave 74 Dart said:
I'm not sure about the pump, as I've never had a/c on an old car. Compression tester is pretty cheap, maybe 30 bucks? Good to have in the toolbox to quickly help diagnose piston ring/ valve issues . Don't forget about a rad overflow jug to help keep your garage floor clean. I've used a old windshield washer jug ziptied to the rad support with the overflow hose drilled thru the cap, ( until I found a correct jug).
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Maybe I'll grab one of each, an extra jug and a jug!

Info on the pump found. Ac cars used 6 blad designs with larger diameter shafts and deeper housings this allowed them to push more coolant through the radiator to help cool the engines. Someone also stated in one thread that many people used to run ac pumps on non AC cars to help with hotter climates and overheating issues. One person said it helped him/her lower their engine temps by 20 degrees.
 
You can "borrow" compression testers from Auto Parts stores. Typically, they charge you the price of a purchase, then refund it when you return it.
 
An old head once told me that the radiatir on these cars will"piss out the overflow" if the radiator is topped off all the way. The proper level, beleive it or not is an inch to an inch and a half low when you takee the cap off cold. If your rad was topped off, it may have just expanded and "self ajusted " the coolant level. I am not 100% on this, just what I was told, but hot fluid expansion makes sense. That, and the fact that modern cars have the overflow tank where the fluid can expand and over flow, then draw fluid back into the system when it cools. Short version is, that fluid pissing may not be an indicator of a problem, now a "boil over" is completely different and indicates overheating.
 
Well it was definitely boiling, super hot, but it also is now about 1-1.5 inches from the cap. It definitely needs the system cleaned though. Stick your finger in and wipe away the gunk and grime in there.

When you say flush the block you really just flush water through the block where the coolant would run?
 
Correct. Last time I did mine, I took out the two drain plugs, one on each side of the block toward the bottom. They have square heads. Once you take them out you will probably need to poke through the gunk with a small screwdriver or something. Take both radiator hoses off and thermostat out and run water through the block from the thermostat hole.
 
66fyssh said:
Correct. Last time I did mine, I took out the two drain plugs, one on each side of the block toward the bottom. They have square heads. Once you take them out you will probably need to poke through the gunk with a small screwdriver or something. Take both radiator hoses off and thermostat out and run water through the block from the thermostat hole.
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Will be trying this for sure! I'm definitely scared to do it but it sounds like if I am going to be updating the cooling system I should do it the right way...

So I have been looking at radiators but have no clue which one to get. Many people here are happy with Cold Case, ECP, and Champion radiators.

All have radiatiors that fit the Dart.
Cold case $369 - 2 row with 1 1/4 in tubes
ECP $219 - 2 Row with 1 in tubes
Champion $245 - 3 Row 1 1/2 in tubes

Aren't bigger tubes better than more rows?
 
I'm no help with your rad questions. But, do you have a factory temp gauge or an after market gauge? When it puked coolant, was the gauge pegged over to hot? A 20 dollar aftermarket gauge will tell you the exact temp when this happens . Maybe it's just the wrong fan, no shroud, thermostat sticking closed??
 
Dave 74 Dart said:
I'm no help with your rad questions. But, do you have a factory temp gauge or an after market gauge? When it puked coolant, was the gauge pegged over to hot? A 20 dollar aftermarket gauge will tell you the exact temp when this happens . Maybe it's just the wrong fan, no shroud, thermostat sticking closed??
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Just the stock guage, it actually didn't even get over the half way mark and didn't overflow until I parked it in the garage.

I got a spec 22in fan shroud today it should be here next week, the car doesn't have one on it right now. Also doesn't have a fan clutch on the end so I got one of those as well. well.Lite the only thing I haven't purchased for the cooling system is the radiator because I haven't decided on one .
 
I would give it a good flush as 66fyssh suggested. Put the shroud on once you get it. My son's 360 has been built up( internal work is unknown , but very lumpy cam, 175 psi/cylinder, 190degree thermostat,homemade aluminum shroud, stock radiator with an over flow jug attached and it runs 195 to 210 degrees in our 95° plus humidity summer weather. Maybe give the rad a try with your new mods to save a couple bucks?
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I found a new aluminum radiator in town that will fit, wouldn't work for the guy who bought it. It has 1in inlet and outlet s though, so I'm looking for a hose adapter
 
This is the junk that came out of the radiator. New water pump and clutch fan, but it seems like the clutch fan does not fit on the end of the fan, so I'm assuming when the fan comes off it sits on the clutch shaft somehow. We will see when I put all the parts on tomorrow. Tonight I'm just flushing.

Sanded the headers with the help of the cars owner, now she is ready to start painting them after her snack .

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In our make shift paint booth in front of my green renegade that I let my kids pick the color on. Hopefully no over spray on mommys new car

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Wow, what a difference already! P.S. I hope you realize that your giving your helper memories and "you can do anything that you set your mind to" qualities that will likely stick with her for the rest of her life!!! Cudo's buddy!:thumbsup:
 
Dave 74 Dart said:
Wow, what a difference already! P.S. I hope you realize that your giving your helper memories and "you can do anything that you set your mind to" qualities that will likely stick with her for the rest of her life!!! Cudo's buddy!:thumbsup:
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She probably won't remember much of this until I show her pictures when she is older .memories for me will be forever though. She really is the best helper.

Ps- I hope everyone is listening to "JoJo Siwa" while working on your rides. If you're not, you don't know what you're missing!
 
It also needs some new exhaust manifold gaskets because it's dripping a little something and smoking out the far rear one of the driver's side.

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No wonder it was running hot... Opened up the thermostat housing on the block and look what I found... ...

Nothing!

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Flush that puppy out and run a couple treatments of that Thermocure that @Stephen Hotz posted about. Since you actually drive the car while using it, it will clean up the radiator also.
 
Or, just pull the radiator and take it to a radiator shop for a thorough cleaning.

Took my 50 year old radiator to a shop. He wouldn't rod it out, but he ran it through his tank to clean it and pressure tested it. Can't remember cost, but I thought it was inexpensive.
 
I'm pouring the new cleaner in right now. I don't like the idea of running the stuff with only water for 2 hours but hopefully it doesn't overheat.

Then I'll flush it again before putting the water pump on .If the rad looks clean I won't get a new one or else I'll just pick up a new aluminum one probably.
 
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