What does this mean?

This has become a cart before the horse situation. It isnt even known if there is a problem to begin with. I always, and I mean ALWAYS instantly will not believe someone when they tell me the engine is rebuilt in a car I am looking at. No, there is really not a way of knowing the engine has been rebuilt unless you tear it down. Drive the car, see what it does.
Dan

 

This has probably been said, but...
.060" over is max for our blocks. If you ever need to rebuild the engine, you will need another block. That one is effectively on it's 'last leg' as far as rebuilds go.
Cooling can be a concern, but that varies block to block and depends on the well being of other parts as well. If you rebuild .060" over and use a mediocre old radiator you will probably run hot, but if you run a rebuilt radiator with the rebuilt engine, you will be okay in most cases. For the most part, overbore and overheating are overblown.
Dave

 

I agree with Dan... and everyone else for that matter. Buy it! Drive it!

If someone took the time to rebuild it and bore it that much, then hopefully the seller has put the right things to go along with it to ensure that it is going to run right. If not, then whats the point in doing it? I would think they would want to do the job right the first time.

 

Why spend 500 on a Griffin radiator?
I put a Jegs or Summit brand (forgot which) in my old 66 F-100 with a 390 FE and it only ran me 180 bucks. They have them for that price all day long. Its all aluminum, tanks and all.
As for cooling... run an aluminum water pump which is readily available at Autozone, Oreillys, etc as a stock replacement part, and are the same price. Just ask for an aluminum one. Ive done it several times.
Buy a electric fan. Even invest in the thermostat kit. Well worth it. I've ran them w/ and w/o the thermostats and either way is fine.
If you decide to run an electric fan and a stock fan, make sure the clutch in it is in good shape.

With this said, I would buy it and drive it.
Electric fans are easily obtained for few dollars new and even cheaper used.
I found mine on the side of the road. Someone ditched a ford car radiator, and a door.
the fan was still on it. I got the radiator, scraped it for aluminum and tried the fan. Worked great. Im sure you can get one from a junkyard for about 15 bucks.

My post have tended to get longer and longer lately. so I'll end this.
Just buy the car if you feel comfortable with it, and drive it.
Just maintain all fluid levels and watch your gauges and you should be fine.

 

Mine is bored .60 over World Senior heads, performer rpm cam 492/512 lift i think 3 core rad. big flex fan 160 thermostat gets warm if stoped on hot stays good on road. Seems if stoped if it gets to 190 or above if i hold the rpm at 2000 it will drop to 180 and stay.

 

I agree with Dan in the spirit of Buyer Beware.

See if you can test drive the car, take it to a mechanic
to have it checked out, ask for any receipts from parts,
labor or machine work. You can get away with this by
saying,
'...do you suppose there is any warranty on parts
or labor from the rebuild? Got and receipts?'

Best of luck to you.

Seth

 

Like everyone else has said, I agree. I had mine bored .030 when I rebuilt it. I have a 3 core radiator (stock looking), fan shroud, flex fan, high volume water pump & tranny cooler. I've never had a problem with overheating. Just drive it, & see what happens. If it does seem to want to overheat, I'd start with a 3 core radiator & flex fan. Then go from there. The person may have done it right, & you'll never have problem. Try it, you might like it!

 

Mine is bored .060 over and is running at about 180 degrees most of the time, but it does tend to get up to 190 and even 200 degrees at times.

What should I do?
The radiator is brand new. I was thinking about going with a higher volume alum. water pump... does that sound good to start with?

 

High volume aluminum pump would help a bit
200 isn't all that bad on temps. As long as they don't creep over 210 I usually run them and have had no problems.
If you want a simpler addition, add an electric fan. Goes on w/ 4 pull tight plastic things (dont know the name) and you can either run it from a toggle switch, or run a thermostat or something. I've ran both ways, either is fine.
If you add the electric fan and the better water pump, you should be running around 175 or so all the time.
I ran a 390 FE Big Block w/ a aluminum radiator, standard water pump, and a electric fan on a toggle switch. Never had to run the fan on highway or interstate and very little in traffic

 

60 0ver

IMO. 60 over is ok for everyday driving and the occasional day at the strip. As all of the above said take it out fer a drive and make arrangements in adavance to see your mechanic or a referral of 1 that can be trusted to chk out the car. If it has a overheating problem, put a new or recored rad in and a 6-7 blade fan fron a v8 car of some sort. I personally won't use a flex fan.I have used a 7 blade fan off lg v8 ford motors and they pull a lot more air. Make sure it has or you put on a shroud too. Just make sure you can take the car for a few hrs. IF he says no then I would stay away as he might be trying to hide something, hence your mechanic can't check out the car. check the compression. Again ask for receipts for the parts that he has put into the car or engine. good luck and happy motoring.

 

Always run a stat.
The stat's 'other' job is to slow coolant flow so that it is in the engine long enough to absorb heat.
If there is no stat, the water flows through too quickly and the heat remains in the iron.
Dave

 

In your opinions, how helpful would it be to replace a 4 blade fan with a 6 blade?
Im running at about 200 - 210, I would like to get it down to stay at about 180-190.

--Rick

 

Opinion on high volume pumps:

I got this one from an engine builder:

'Many people like the flex fans that don't move air and many throw their
factory fan shroud in the trash. It's possible that a high volume
pump will move water too fast, not giving it enough time to cool off in a radiator that is inhibited by flex fans and lack of a fan shroud.'

I would stick with the 'good' fans or convert to a T-stat
controlled electric fan, make sure you have a shroud, good
thermostat and clean adequate radiator. IF you still have problems
perhaps a high volume pump will work for you, but this guy
says they usually amplify a problem.

Seth

 

The thermostat Regulates the flow of water. The Pump just pushes the coolant. A better designed pump will push more and in a more controlled way. Impeller design is very important. The right impeller keeps the coolant flowing without cativation(spelling) (air in the coolant). I like the edelbrock pumps they seem to be well made and resist cativation caused by high rpms. My car typically runs 190 F that is with a 180 thermostat, griffin aluminum rad(universal made my own brackets cost $189.99 5 years ago) Edelbrock victor water pump($159.99) , Overflow, a Mr. Gasket Electric fan(16 inch set up on a relay less than $100.00 bucks) and a 13 PSI Rad Cap. On a really Hot day sitting still in a drive through with a good wait it will creep upto 200F. That was before the overflow however. This is on a 306 with 10.4 to 1 comp ratio ,34 degree ignition timing all in by 2500 rpm, bored .030 over. Revs stay below 6300rpm via crane ignition box with rev limiter. Like stated before 210f is about the limit of comfort IMO. Some of the newer cars operate at 220F to 230F for emissions.My 1994 Olds Ciera wagon with a 3.1L is such an example. The ECM does not tell the fans to kick on untill 232 degree F.