OMG you don't even know about overheating problems untill you've heard my story. My 72 grabber has a 302 in it. When my dad and I restored the car, we had done everything to the car except anything to the engine. The engine ran, but rough. We basically rebuilt the upper end of the engine. Took off the heads, the pistons looked great. Compression A-OK, slapped some new parts on top, I.E. - carb, intake, points, plugs, wires, etc. It was a tight running non smoking engine. I felt I lucked out especially for only paying 200 bucks for the car and I have a 302. Oh yeah, then it happened. (ok, long intro, but had to set the dramatic scene.) Overheating, satans little cousin..... it decided to bless my 1st road trip in the car after i had basically a new maverick. Well, it's to be expected right? maybe vapor locking, yanno, new antifreeze, got some bubbles in there, etc. okey dokey. lets fix it. no, noooo.... not it. hmm.... thermostat. yeah, defective thermostat. i'll get a new one. no, i take that back, i'll buy 7. hell, maybe the last 6 decided to jump in my hands. after all, i am blessed. no. got a new one, didn't work. timing off? lets check..... top dead center. hmmm.. i have a fan shroud, maybe its the fan...replace and move on. Water pump! yeah, water pump... i'll get a new one. hmm.. how about 2. after all, if it's not this, it's gotta be the radiator.... ehh haaaaaaaaa (deep breath).... no. still overheating. Well, lets shell out the 200+ for the all new 3 core radiator. gotta have it. wow, works good. cars cool...................................................................................... for a couple days...:deadhorse Oooooooook, lets drain the water and try again. Maybe a dfective radiator, hey, it could happen... I mean, geez... We flushed the freakin' block and heads out how many times with a water hose and the prestone water block cleaner? and how much rust came out.....even with the freeze plugs out! lets get another one... 3 radiators down the road, i figure the rust is never going to stop coming. Yep, i said it. Rust. Apparently, this engine set 20+ years with water in the jackets and after repeated flushing, sealing, and cleaning, it was still coming up. every idea anyone ever had to try to fix it didnt work. No body around here had ever seen so much rust come out of an engine like that, especially how great it ran.... Oh, not too mention the car had been previously partially in the middle of a restoration back then, and they left the masking tape on my chrome and stainless trim... but thats another story. I lost well over a thousand dollars in trying to fix it through about 2 years, and wished i'd just saved it to buy another block.. oh well.... I still have the engine in the car, i'm getting ready to pull it out and slap a 347 stroker in it, and it will get tanked and flushed the right way... this just cant happen again... lol. But, you say.... Daniel.... you've been driving the car for the last 7 years, what of the last 5....how did it not overheat? ( ok, you probably didnt ask that) but.... Aluminum screen. yes, the same stuff you'll find on a screened in porch. hey, it doesn't rust.. and can stand high temps. I just cut a small piece and put the upper radiator hose over it on the return.... after about 2 days, i'd pull of the hose, and find a pile of rust and sedament just piled up on the one side of the screen, empty it, cut new screen, and do it again. it worked.... just a horrible waste of antifreeze and my money. Heh, it worked so good, i ran a 10.4 in the eighth hot lapping it 8 times in a row. hmmm... now i need a finger splint. ~Daniel.
I haven`t seen one lately but few years ago the car mags were always taliking about a company (can`t remember the name) that makes inline filters for radiator hoses... I`m going to do some internet searches and see what I can find.
This isn`t the one I remember but it wouold work! http://www.babymall.com.au/ibm_custom/tefba/index.cfm
Found It Mr Gasket 1-1/4 4384 1-1/2 4385 JUST GOT OFF PHONE THEY NO LONGER MAKE IT NO ONE BAUGHT IT SORRY
I would like to find one (probably will end up making it) to put on my wifes new engine when I fire it up...dont want to risk plugging up anything in the new aluminum Radiator .
I Think You Could Find One At Like A Hardware Store That Would Sell Like Pumps For Ponds Out Here In The Country They Have All Kinds Of Neat Stuff You Cant Find Anywhere Else
Had the same problem with the 302 Mav that I bought a few years ago, the car had low milage but had been sitting in a garage for a long time. I Flushed the cooling system at least 6 times over a 6 month period thinking I had got it licked every time but the brown mud rust water kept coming back, there is nothing like driving down the interstate and the windshield starts turning brown. This was a good excuse to get a stroker engine anyway. When I pulled the old engine out and poped the freeze plugs there still was a 1/2" of rust sitting in the bottom of the block.
