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Potent Rodent

New built engine, EFI, 4L80 transmission, t-case, brakes, hydroboost, tires/wheels and more!
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I just read your cooling story and Im facing much of the same issues with a similar motor and fan set up. 377 sbc 12:1, propane, 2-12" fans and an aluminum radiator with a aluminum shroud I made and it just doesn't cool enough. Im curious to see how the windstars do on yours.

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broflow said:
I just read your cooling story and Im facing much of the same issues with a similar motor and fan set up. 377 sbc 12:1, propane, 2-12" fans and an aluminum radiator with a aluminum shroud I made and it just doesn't cool enough. Im curious to see how the windstars do on yours.

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Just go get Windstars and put it on they work, they work really well
 
Well good to know I'm not the only one. With the new water with coolant additive and new drilled thermostat it got up 200 but dropped back down to 190 when going 45 mph on a 9 mile trip to the new house. I havent had much time with moving houses last weekend to focus on the k5. Maybe this weekend.

On top of that my m1008 has a new weird noise and the alternator belt squeels bad even though its tight.
 
At 45 if it is cooling that is good. You need more air flow at lower speeds aka fan that pulls more air.

Check the alternator's ability to spin with out the belt, sounds like a bearing is going / gone out.
 
kgblazerfive said:
At 45 if it is cooling that is good. You need more air flow at lower speeds aka fan that pulls more air.

Check the alternator's ability to spin with out the belt, sounds like a bearing is going / gone out.
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Its not a constant bearing sound. Like an weird electronic sound that comes and goes. Never heard one do this.
 
A little late to the party but why not look into using a radiator from a diesel square? Those are longer than the standard gas squares. The added length should give more cooling capacity.
 
Sorry now I'm a little late to the party. Unfortunately with the new house, and other car projects I had to put some things on hold. Looking forward to getting this running better along with cooling issue figured out.

As for the diesel radiator option, I thought of that but my 2nd battery is in the way. I'd have to re-locate that. I thought the 4 core standard size radiator would be plenty but maybe not.
 
@Shawn I don't remember what your engine is like, but I will tell you that at BB19 I saw temperatures up to 97* while we were out on the trail. I had the A/C running from noon on. No problems. I have a 4 row copper-brass with the eleven blade vortec fan on a TBI clutch, since I have serpentine stuff.
I believe that mine is still a bit rich on the AFR.
 
Shawn said:
Sorry now I'm a little late to the party. Unfortunately with the new house, and other car projects I had to put some things on hold. Looking forward to getting this running better along with cooling issue figured out.

As for the diesel radiator option, I thought of that but my 2nd battery is in the way. I'd have to re-locate that. I thought the 4 core standard size radiator would be plenty but maybe not.
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Simple fix would be to employ the battery trays from any military M-series since they're larger and both on the passenger side inner fender.
 
Little update....

Been busting my ass on my new back yard with this new house so unfortunately the K5 had to to be on the back burner. New cement patio with cement stairs, firepit area (took 60 bags of sand), new grass, sprinkler system, shed, trees, 5 yards of mulch, and 75 tons of rock! This is just showing half of the yard.
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Anyway, finally getting back to the K5 this weekend. I want to verify the high temps are valid and accurate so I ordered a new sensor for the Edelbrock EFI along with new 160 degree thermostat, water neck spacer (for additional sensors), Dakota digital cluster (working temp gauge). While I'm waiting for the parts to arrive, I thought I should finish up my new grill, re-paint my front bumper, and add the bottom grille support. Everything was going well until I installed the winch. It required me to cut the lower grille support to make room for the winch. Damn it! Not really a fan of this winch. I don't like how close it is to the grille and I had to run 1/8" spacer on the rear bolts to rotate away from the grille.

Lower grille support painted and installed. Later have to hack this up to make room for the winch. :(
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The new grille is a repo part. Fit is ok, the square holes for the nut inserts will a little off and some of them were loose but got it to fit with a little persuasion.. I cut off the GMC emblem mounting holes with this saw and some pliers.
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Bumper sanded and re-painted. Not the best rattle job but it will do.
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Grille and bezels installed.
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Bumper installed. Old SEC bumper, no longer made.
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The winch was a PITA since I had to hack the freshly painted lower grille support and the support bracket. A new hole was made to fasten the support to the cut bracket. Spacer installed in the back to rotate the winch from the grille. Notches in the bumper were from previous Warn 12k winch. I was going to move the winch holes forward but there is a steel C channel brace underneath. I may find another winch that doesn't have the tall top cross support which is still close to the grille.
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Future mods coming soon:

Dakota Cluster
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Dirty Life Beadlocks (still need to find 17" tires)
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WhooHoo! Get on it boy!
 
You’re going to enjoy those gauges. Clean and tidy and accurate.

David
 
Had some time to mess with the cooling issue. ALMOST thought I had it resolved. I put a cooler 160 thermostat and replaced the Edelbrock EFI coolant sensor with another. It got up to 181 idling with the small 12" fans and I thought I had it licked. But that was short lived when I took it for a spin a mile away and it got up to 210 before shutting it down. I just wanted to try that first before messing with a new fan setup and I can cross those parts off the list of possibly being the issue. Also added a water neck spacer for another coolant sensor but might take that out since it raises the water neck higher which could create an air pocket.
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Back to the fan.... I already have the Windstar 4400 cfm fan ready to install but not really liking the mounting options or the side gaps I will have to fill. Kept going back and forth how to mount this sucker correctly and not look like a hack job. My OCD got the the best of me and I ended ordering a new Flex-a-fan 4600cfm fan from Jegs last week. This fan looked like this would be a cleaner install for $150 more and easier to mount up. Unfortunately, that turned into a shit show since Flex-a-fan is at limited productivity because the state of Washington has put them in a bind due to Covid. I called Flex-A-Fan directly, and they are now telling me 3 to 5 MORE weeks. Today I found another one on Amazon with 2 day shipping (shows 5 in stock) so we will see what happens. If that fails, then I will put the Windstar fan in.

Flex-A-Lite dual fan
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Windstar fan:
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Also... Dakota gauges on back order till August 21. FML
 
Sorry to ask a dumb question, but what do you have the AFR set at, and the timing? Have you messed with both, one at a time to see what happens?

Did 210* make you concerned enough to shut it off? Or was it just the end of the drive?
My fat block truck has a 195* thermostat and runs 208* to 212* in the summer. Only slightly less in the cooler months.
 
12 degrees set with the Edelbrock Pro-Flo opton. Idle AFR is like 13.4, Cruise AFR set for 13.9 and Accel AFR set for 12.8. I tried to play with the timing and retard it a little. It ran like shit and was hard to start. Have not tried to play with the AFR since it seems ok.

Yes, 210 after a short drive had me concerned since it had a 160 thermostat. I arrived at the parts store so I decided to shut it off anyway and let it cool a little so I could get back home a mile away without risking over heating. I realize I could probably get it up to 220 but didn't want to take any chances until I can control the temps better. Its already been up to 230. Hopefully that didn't hurt anything.

Thanks for the input!
 
I would leave the base timing at 12*. What have you dialed into the program for timing at idle? I think that I have mine at 26* at idle. Then I have all the advance in by 3000 rpm. If I remember, the total advance added is 20*. Also have the vacuum advance at 4* , I think.

I used to always advance the timing until it started to ping, then back it down. Seems like there are lots who do that when working with an engine on the dyno, so I believe that it will work. But it takes some drive time to find out if the curve works overall.

I wouldn't think that 230 on the water temperature for a short time hurt anything.
 
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I believe I'm still at the defaults. Idle spark is 15, total = 36 @3000. Going off the demo numbers since I'm at work now. I might try to lower mine down to numbers like yours and see if it makes a difference. I can just let it idle though and it keeps climbing so I HOPE its just inadequate fan. I wish Pro-Flo had knock detection. I might look at something simple to detect knock. Its hard to hear the engine over the dual 3" exhaust. Thanks!!!

BTW- Just got the UPS tracking number for the Flex-a-fan from Amazon. Looks like I will be canceling the Jegs order.
 
Maybe I am not understanding you correctly. I wouldn't lower your timing numbers, crank it up! If you are at 15* , then it's only giving it 3*over what you have set with the distributor. Turn it up 5* at a time and see what happens.
Late timing can make it heat from what I have seen.
 
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