Well, I've put up several posts that generated lots of attention, so here is another that might stir things up a bit... I live in Colorado, b/t 6,000 and 7,000 feet altitude. I'm just breaking my new engine in and it is overheating a bit. I don't have the tranny completely full yet, going to actually engage the transmission tonight. I just got past a sticky rocker problem having to get locking nuts, which then were too high for my valve covers. So, after another good post, I doubled a pair of valve cover gaskets and voila, no more knocking around under my nice valve covers. I ran it for over 20 minutes and it just got too hot to keep running so I shut it down, and conversely had the radiator throw fluid all over my floor, prompting another post about overflow tanks. Anyway, my next move, after changing the oil tonight (after my cam break last night), I plan to check all the fluids, and start it again, let it get fairly warm, remove the vaccuum line to the distributor (have the stock distributor with a Pertronix ignitor and Flamethrower coil) and set it to, oh, about 12 degrees btdc. I'm hoping that getting a better fix on the timing will help with the overheating. I have a newly rebuilt c4 tranny with a 2500rpm stall converter, and I know the second I engage the transmission I'll have to dump more fluid in, which could bea part of the overheating also. Oh yeah, I have a stock-looking 3 row radiator and I have a flex fan with a shroud on it, and a 180degree thermostat.
So, to my questions... would 12 degrees be where this bored-.030-over 302 be a good target? I have a new vacuum inlet on my distributor also, so vaccuum should not be an issue.
With my flex fan and shroud, would an electric fan on the frontside be something that would work with the stock, mechanical fan? If I go to an electric fan, should I lose the mechanical one and get pulleys made for no mechanical fan? Has anyone at altitude had any luck with a particular brand or style of electric fan? I've seen single fans and dual fans, not sure what to do so thought I'd see what experience out there has to say...
Thanks again!

 

how old is the rad?
did you get it cored?

 

Kick it down to about 8 degrees BTDC and see how she acts. 12 is just too high and is one of the reasons you are overheating. Then, let's talk about fans.

 

Did I get it cored? Not sure what that means. I bought it from, I think, Dallas Mustang about 2 or 3 years ago, supposed to be a 3row. I'll set her to about 8 degrees and let you know!
Thanks!

 

Cored, or rodded means you take the rad to a rad shop and have them take the top and bottom off the tank and run a rod throught it clean out all the crud. Obviously you haven't done that, nor do you need to do that.

 

Thanks for the explanation soaring, no I have not done that. I did time the car to about 8 degrees BTDC and it appears to run much cooler although I've only run it for about 25 minutes. It is still up on 4 jackstands, I hope to get her off the jackstands sometime this week or upcoming weekend for the first time in a year. Then we'll see how she cools.
Also, any comments on the electric fan questions? You can have both a stock mechanical fan along with an electric fan, can you not? I'm sure I've seen cars at shows around here that have them both. I would guess the electric fan would simply free-wheel going down the road for the most part...

 

FWIW, my car purrs like a kitten a 12* BTDC (proven by the dyno tune) at sea level on 91 octane in a Ford Racing crate motor and MSD ignition. I don't know too much about running at altitude other than that you can run lower octane fuel without predetonation. I would think that would also allow you to run a little more advance on a car without overheating as well.

 

I'll see what the 8 degrees does, i've traditionally used about 10-12 btdc for my timing but open for any suggestions. Up here at altitude they run hotter, at least that is what i've always heard (and seen!).
Dwayne