For the passed few years I've had cooling problems with my 79 Malibu. It's to the point know where I don't even want to drive the car, well actually, I can't. I can't even drive 3 miles without the car getting to 200 degrees. The other day it was about 80 degree F out and on the way home I had to stop about every mile and a half to let the car cool down to 170* and I had to do that 3 times before I got home. After letting it cool down the one time, as I was pulling away, I smashed the gas pedal, the car started going sideways then all of a sudden the car just bogged down and just died. I new immediately that it was due to vapor lock.
Information: It's a 79 Malibu with a 355ci sbc pump gas motor (carbureted, Quickfuel 750 mechanical secondaries with annular boosters) (cast iron heads and block) it makes around 10:1 compression with a th-400 transmission. I have a griffin 2 core ( tubes measure 1.25" wide) aluminum radiator with a CSR 35gpm electric water pump with heater core outlet on it. I have a billet aluminum moroso overflow canister on it. I have one 16" puller fan with a shroud and a 12" pusher fan. Timing is set at 23* initial and 33* total. I have a 180* thermostat. The engine is not lean, if anything is a little too rich. The coolant also has a bottle of water wetter in it. Rad cap is a griffin 17 lbs. I use ultra 94 gasoline)
A couple years ago I used to have a 3 core aluminum radiator (champion brand) with dual 12" puller fans with no shroud and it seemed to cool ok at first but progressively as time went on, the engine would get hotter and hotter. I've tried a 160* thermostat, I've tried the restrictor washers instead of a thermostat, I've tried no thermostat, I've tried different rad caps with different lbs ratings, different mixtures of coolant to water. Nothing seems to make a difference and I'm really starting to get frustrated.
I'm definitely in need of some help please.
Thanks in advance!!
Information: It's a 79 Malibu with a 355ci sbc pump gas motor (carbureted, Quickfuel 750 mechanical secondaries with annular boosters) (cast iron heads and block) it makes around 10:1 compression with a th-400 transmission. I have a griffin 2 core ( tubes measure 1.25" wide) aluminum radiator with a CSR 35gpm electric water pump with heater core outlet on it. I have a billet aluminum moroso overflow canister on it. I have one 16" puller fan with a shroud and a 12" pusher fan. Timing is set at 23* initial and 33* total. I have a 180* thermostat. The engine is not lean, if anything is a little too rich. The coolant also has a bottle of water wetter in it. Rad cap is a griffin 17 lbs. I use ultra 94 gasoline)
A couple years ago I used to have a 3 core aluminum radiator (champion brand) with dual 12" puller fans with no shroud and it seemed to cool ok at first but progressively as time went on, the engine would get hotter and hotter. I've tried a 160* thermostat, I've tried the restrictor washers instead of a thermostat, I've tried no thermostat, I've tried different rad caps with different lbs ratings, different mixtures of coolant to water. Nothing seems to make a difference and I'm really starting to get frustrated.
I'm definitely in need of some help please.
Thanks in advance!!