The standard TF radiator should keep up with a 454 with the following
provisions:
1. Is the fan turning the right way? Don't laugh, it varies from year to
year, especially now with the serpentine belts. Electric fans come as
pushers and pullers too. Unless it is on a D8 Cat, the fan should be
pushing or pulling air towards the engine.
2. Is the water pump turning the right way? Same as above. Centrifugal
pumps become very inefficient when spinning backwards. The scroll should
trail when it spins, and the pump pumps water into the engine. This also
varies from year to year.
3. Is the lower hose kinked, collapsed, or obstructed?
4. Are you sure you have the right thermostat? Installed the right way?
It should have a second disk on the engine side that closes when the main
thermostat opens. This controls the bypass around the radiator and makes
it heat up faster. If it is stuck open or not there, the engine doesn't
cool. If you don't want to tear it apart, clamp the L shaped hose between
the thermostat and water pump shut and try it. Things should get better if
this is the problem.
5. Is the radiator full of crud on the inside or outside?
6. TF radiators are only good for 7 psi. Don't put a 15 psi cap on it.
7. Is the head gasket leaking?
8. Is the timing, vacuum advance, and so on working correctly on the
engine? If it isn't running right, it will overheat.
Bruce Kettunen
57 3200
Mt. Iron, MN
>Hi all:
>
>I've finally been able to drive my 55 2nd GMC on a daily basis for the past
>few weeks. (the gas companies doubled their prices to help me celebrate). I
>expected to have some problems to work through, and I've not been
>disappointed. Other than the transmission cooler line splitting and dumping
>a whole bunch of blood on my driveway, and repeating the trick in a busy
>parking lot the next day (shouldv'e taken the time to replace the whole hose
>instead of just cutting off the end of the old hose), the main problem has
>been keeping the 454 cool.
>
>It has decided it wants to get hotter and hotter as though the cooling
>system is inadequate. I replaced the thermostat (180) but it didn't change
>anything. It gets hot up to 230 or so when idling, and doesn't cool off much
>when driving on the open road. If I take right off and drive with out
>sitting and idling the temp guage will stay in the 212 range. The radiator
>is the original, that came with the orig V8. It might be the rising ambient
>temperatures, but it seems like the overheating problem is getting worse.
>
>What else can I do besides get a new, bigger radiator? If I do need a bigger
>radiator, what the best one to get so the problem will be over? I'm planning
>to add the Vintage Air unit sometime, so 454 need all the cooling help it
>can get. The fan is the biggest electric fan I could get.
>
>Thanks,
>
>Karl Lutes
>Union KY
>55 2nd GMC sort of rod
>58 Chev FS in limbo
>
>oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
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