[ERIC17621]

I am looking for a little more help from you guys. The divider plate thread has been great, and I am almost where I want to be! Just to recap, I started off running REALLY hot. Car would get up to about 230 if idling too long (at stoplights and what not). Pulled plate, had .4" clearance, adjusted to .09”, and temps down to 200-220. Found that the rear carb’s butterfly's were not seating well, and allowing an air leak, in addition vacuum advance was bad, causing additional air leak, and motor leaning out. Rebuilt rear carb, no air leak now. Also, plugged off vacuum advance until have a chance to replace. Now car runs much better, and cooler. Usually temps stay around 190 around town driving. The other day, ran it at about 65mph (3000rpm) for 15 miles, and it started to warm up a little more. Finally the temp settled and stayed between 200-210. I am looking to get that down, preferably around 180 or lower.

A little info on the car: Original 389 tripower, original radiator, not sure if ever re-cored, but no rust in coolant. Coolant is a 50/50 mix. New fan clutch, fan shroud added to help air flow. 8 bolt water pump, with divider plate clearance set at .09”. 160 t-stat. Timing set at 9* static, around 35-36* total advance no vacuum advance right now. Heads rated at 10.75:1 compression. Run 91 octane, with the $10 VP off road formula octane booster (supposed to raise 6 points = 97 octane maybe?). No pre-detonation problems ever.

Three questions: Will the Vacuum advance help temps, particularly cruising just under, or around 3000 RPM? Second, What, if any difference is there between the 8 bolt 64-66 water pump, and the 8 bolt 67 water pump? I want to try the larger cast Cardone water pump mentioned in another thread, but not sure is it will work. The parts house lists it as a 67 model only part. Will it work for me? If not, have we found a good manufacture of the 64-66 water pumps with the large cast vanes? Lastly, are there any other tips you guys have for me to lower temps besides spending $500 on an aluminum radiator? I prefer to use the original equipment, even if it means running a few degrees warmer. Thanks for all your help.

[ERIC17621]

I am looking for a little more help from you guys. The divider plate thread has been great, and I am almost where I want to be! Just to recap, I started off running REALLY hot. Car would get up to about 230 if idling too long (at stoplights and what not). Pulled plate, had .4" clearance, adjusted to .09”, and temps down to 200-220. Found that the rear carb’s butterfly's were not seating well, and allowing an air leak, in addition vacuum advance was bad, causing additional air leak, and motor leaning out. Rebuilt rear carb, no air leak now. Also, plugged off vacuum advance until have a chance to replace. Now car runs much better, and cooler. Usually temps stay around 190 around town driving. The other day, ran it at about 65mph (3000rpm) for 15 miles, and it started to warm up a little more. Finally the temp settled and stayed between 200-210. I am looking to get that down, preferably around 180 or lower.

A little info on the car: Original 389 tripower, original radiator, not sure if ever re-cored, but no rust in coolant. Coolant is a 50/50 mix. New fan clutch, fan shroud added to help air flow. 8 bolt water pump, with divider plate clearance set at .09”. 160 t-stat. Timing set at 9* static, around 35-36* total advance no vacuum advance right now. Heads rated at 10.75:1 compression. Run 91 octane, with the $10 VP off road formula octane booster (supposed to raise 6 points = 97 octane maybe?). No pre-detonation problems ever.

Three questions: Will the Vacuum advance help temps, particularly cruising just under, or around 3000 RPM? Second, What, if any difference is there between the 8 bolt 64-66 water pump, and the 8 bolt 67 water pump? I want to try the larger cast Cardone water pump mentioned in another thread, but not sure is it will work. The parts house lists it as a 67 model only part. Will it work for me? If not, have we found a good manufacture of the 64-66 water pumps with the large cast vanes? Lastly, are there any other tips you guys have for me to lower temps besides spending $500 on an aluminum radiator? I prefer to use the original equipment, even if it means running a few degrees warmer. Thanks for all your help.

[george kujanski]

Eric: from everything I've read, the vacuum advance will help you run more efficiently (less fuel= lower temps also) at part throttle conditions such as cruise. I've never personally tried it without.

In fact, just do it; that's the way it came from the factory.

George

[Old Goat 67]

Eric, I second George’s opinion. Can’t say about the difference between 65 & 67 pump. Does it look like the 67 divider plate setup I posted? If so, couldn’t you pick up a good deep impellor pump, keep your old one to compare fit of plates, turn old one in later! You don’t say you have a cast pump, I assume so. Get a vacuum advance. It will run hotter without it.
Charles

[ERIC17621]

My setup defiantly looks like the setup you posted out of the 67 manual. I just couldn't decide if I was missing something or not. I plan to install the vacuum advance, just haven’t had an opportunity as of yet. I suppose I will just make a run down to the store and puck up the Cardone, and see if it works. I'll get a vacuum advance while I am there. If there are any other ideas, feel free to post them. BTW Charles, I do have the cast impellor already.

[Old Goat 67]

Eric, I would try the vacuum advance first. Could be the only thing you would need to do. If you come home with the pump too, compare it real good on the bench for fit to the plate’s b4 junking the old one. Check the way the impellor fits the cavity. Be advised, my new pump had the impellor too high on the shaft. It stuck out too far to the rear. I had to press it further onto the shaft by about 1/8". See my photos on the other thread. When I did that, it fit in there almost perfectly.
Charles

[ERIC17621]

How did you move the impellor further onto the shaft? Can you do this with a hammer, and just bump it down? I don't want to put too much stress on the bearing inside the pump. I got the vacuum advance last night. Autozone did not carry the correct water pump. I may still try the water pump, but I will try the vacuum advance first. My only concern is that the water pump I have had about .4" gap before the modification. As I figure, the only way that large of a gap could be present was if an inferior (small finned cast impellor) was used to begin with. Although tightening the clearance did help somewhat, the cooling system seems to be overpowered eventually under long cruises.

[george kujanski]

Agree with your assessment that your pump assy really needs a cast impeller with the taller vanes. Trying to close up a .4" gap is crazy. You definitely need one like OLDGOAT67 found.

George

[Old Goat 67]

Eric,
I have a press, but it can be pressed on further easily, if you have someone hold it upright on the tip of the shaft where the fan mounts while you use a socket and a hammer with a few light taps on the impellor end.
Let us know how the vacumm advance works out.
Charles

[ERIC17621]

OK, just reporting back. I replaced the vacuum advance yesterday. Car runs much better, and stronger, with great off idle response. It’s a little cooler too. I ran it pretty hard for about 10+ miles. I really gave it a workout, and stayed at about 190*. Towards the end of the run, it was peaking at about 200, but would cool back to 190 if I went easy on it for a little while. I think I have most of my cooling problems solved now. I still may search for a larger veined pump as mine was defiantly on the small size, and I have been shooting for a constant 180 or lower running temp. For now though, the car is much happier, and so am I. Thank you all for your help, and I am glad to have this resource.

[Old Goat 67]

I for one, appreciate your Thanks and the report of success. Nice to know you won.
Charles

[pont406]

Have you tried a 180 T-stat in it yet? it seem to stabilize the temps in my car better, over the 160. worth a try.also try mixing 3 to 5 gallon of 108/110 racing gas in with every tank full,(if availible locally) most of the small can of octane booster have nowhere near enough to properly "feed" your cars octane requirements! just because you don't "hear" pinging, doesn't mean it not there.