Overheating Solutions?? Chevy 350

I have a 66' CJ5 with a small block in it. I bought the vehicle last winter and it ran fine around 220 or so which I know is high. Now that its summer here in AZ it is pushing 250 on the highway, which I know can't be right but still really high. yesterday my wires started to catch fire under the hood and smoke was blowing out. What is the problem or is there any fixes? I can't fit a bigger radiator in the compartment. I have an electric fan on the radiator now. Will installing a mechanical fan work better than the small elecric fan I have now? Would drilling a bunch of 3" holes in the wheel wells help it breath?

 

What kind of radiator do you have now? Hard to believe that you can't fit a bigger radiator. Folks have been putting Chevy V8s in Jeeps for over 50 years, and there are radiators built just for that purpose on the market. How do you know your radiator and/or block are not plugged up?

The fan should only matter in stop-and-go driving or when not moving. A bigger fan won't help on the open highway.

Anything obstructing the air flow?

 

If you can attach a picture of your current setup, it will be easier to help. I had to go to an aluminum radiator to help cool my 350. IT STILL RUNS A LITTLE WARM FOR ME (200 WITH A 180 THERMOSTAT). I'm running the mechanical fan with a home-made shroud.

 

I have a 350 in my Jeep,
Here are the things that helped me.
High flow water pump
I originally had a v-6 radiator with three cores in it and it cooled well, not perfect but O.K.
My fan went through the radiator and I couldn't find a direct repalcement so I bought a universal aluminum radiator from speedway. The mechanical fan would no longer fit so I installed a large electric in front of the radiator betwwen the grill. It has been cooling well except in hot weather going slow off road. No real problem, it would just get a little hot after a long period on the trail.
I just purchased a smaller electric fan (10")that I am mounting on the engine side to help cool on long slow trails, well see how it works soon.
You also should calibrate your gauge so that you know how "hot" hot is.

 

How do I check if the radiator is clogged? I know it getting from the radiator through the upper hose. I'm not sure if I even have a thermostat in there... do I have to drain the radiator and then take the hose off to check that? The radiator in there now was put on before I had the jeep and he said he has taken it out twice to fix a leak and it was flushed out a yr ago. There is only about an inch of room between the 10" electric fan and the motor. The fan runs 100% of the time. It does'nt help that I am driving it in 110 degree weather. HOW DO I ATTACH A PIC?

 

My friend runs a 350 in a 67 CJ-5. He uses a Ford Torino 4 row cross flow radiator. Has no cooling problems even running on hot soft beach sand in the summer,

 

Do you know if he extended the hood or pushed out the lights? The dimensions of my core are 17.5x16.5, I was looking at Torino Dimensions and nothing is less than 22"

 

Here are some pictures of my setup :









Without the shroud :



Width :



Height :

 

Dual 12" electric fans and a three row crossflow work for me . Only I'm running a V-6.

Well it's an idea.


http://groups.msn.com/ScottMilliner/scottsjeeppictures.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=53

 

when i ran the electric fan on mine, i couldn't get it to stay below 220*. I went back to the mech fan and run at 195* with the same rad (3 core) and 180* thremostat.

another thought:

What's your timing set at? too lean will make the motor run hotter.

 

My fans never come on and it stays a 195 degrees. The only time my fans work is on the trail, when it get up to 220 degrees. Then the fans kick on.

 

Just got home from work driving my Jeep with the high flow water pump. It really made a difference in the temp. I have calibrated my factory gauge when it reaches 180* . It was about 180* all the way home. I was using a parts house rebuild prior to the high flow, never again.
Hope this helps.