[Faith No More]

My mustang (67 V8 302 4bbl)
started running really hot today, and i pulled over let it cool off, and drove it off and it stayed cool long enough for me to get home, i checked all fluids and everything's full. I JUST replaced the radiator with a brand new aluminum radiator, replaced the water pump and thermo.
So im sure it's not a malfunction of these parts, any ideas on how i can insure that it runs cool???? preferably easily done things, for a guy who has only a basic tool kit from walmart, haha..

[VicTemon]

personally i have gotten bad thermostats especially if u got it from autozone. make sure its not backward ofcourse. to test your thermostat, determine the temperature your choice of thermostat and boil a pot of water using a thermometer. when you reach your temp drop in the thermostat and make sure its functioning. also make completely sure you have gotten all of the air bubbles out of the system. if you extinguish all the air then later notice more bubbles, better start checking for top end leaks. oh, are u sure your actually overheating?im new to this so send me a pm or check out my threads. good luck!

[andrewmp6]

Try some water wetter and if you don't have a over flow get one.If that don't fix it try electric fans.

[Print Dad]

Hello Faith no More,
When you replaced the radiator did you install the fan shroud?
This helps direct sucked air through the radiator and helps cooling.
If you did, I'd try a new thermostat.....Jim

[Faith No More]

there's no shroud, and never was.

It only starts getting too hot when idling for extended periods of time (Like in a drive through)

[cindys_sn95]

was it running hot before you changed parts? are you going off of the factory gauge? what temp thermostat?

[66Sprint200]

When you replaced the thermostat, did you go with the factory 180? If so there's your problem. 180 is too hot for our classic cars now that it is hotter and there is more traffic. I kept over heating, and I got so fed up that I replaced the thermostat with a 160, and I haven't overheated since, and that was 2 years ago. Hope this helps.

[Faith No More]

are you sure that's fine??? i just went out and bought a bottle of water wetter, im going to see if it helps, if it doesn't ill go buy a new thermostat, is a 160 good?? or will having it smaller cause any issues???

No, it wasnt doing that before changing the parts, but it also JUST started getting really hot. And yes, im going off of the factory guage.

[Veronica]

Hello. I've used a 160 thermostat in my car for years, and have never had any problems because of it. Idon't know how hot it gets in Fresno, or how the traffic is, but, I can't help but think that it gets a lot hotter and the traffic is much worse here in Houston.

[jbarela]

I aggree with the red line water wetter..greatest product..I even ran it without my thermostat..problem was that the engine would never warm up to operating temps with or without the thermostat..I used 160 also..would never go higher than 180..if it even reached that....go figure..

[Faith No More]

Ah, ok. well i've always had a motto of it's ok to go bigger, but never smaller, when it comes to cars, haha.. If something can take a size 5, you can give it a 6, 7, or 8 etc. but never a 4, 3, or 2. know what i mean?

But if you guys say a 160 thermo will do me good, ill take your word. The water wetter did indeed make a difference. But im changing the thermo, my mechanic put in the thermo currently in there for me, when he did my transmission, but he's got a nack for putting stock parts in, and i looked it up, the stock for my engine (302 4bbl out of a 68) was a 192 or something of that sort, so im assuming that when im revving my engine/accelerating the engine is heating up enough to open up the thermostat, and when im idling/stopped it's not quite as hot so it doesn't open up.

[andrewmp6]

Yeah you need to get a shroud for it fast.I swear by water wetter i use it in everything i own and a overflow is cheap and easy to add if it don't have one.