Just for fun, go rent a block tester and use it. You've been through everything else, twice, it sounds like. If it were me at this point I would want to rule in or hopefully out the possibility of head gasket.

 

edgraz, You might have been in my squad in The Nam. I am 75 and like us old soldiers just fading away my brother. I agree about the plugs probably not being the problem.. Now here is something to consider,although it is far out. Could a "counterclockwise" water pump have been installed instead of a clockwise pump? Other than that, I
, and other posters, still go back to the head gaskets as being the problem child. Hang in there.

 

Looks as though my next step is to determine if a head gasket is the issue. Thanks for your inputs, much appreciated. Will keep you informed. Keeping my fingers crossed. Contacted folks who rebuilt engine back in New York. Wanted to know if freeze out plugs were removed or push in upon rebuilding. Have bad feeling about this issue.
Regards Brothers

 

Hello Again,
I had a compression check on engine and all cylinders within 10 lbs. Called rebuilder and he stated that freeze out plugs removed not pushed in.
Has anyone ever heard of an engine damper having timing marks on both sides (180 degrees apart). when I bring number one cylinder to TDC on compression stroke it is at zero degree on one side of damper, when I time it the reading is on other side of damper. Yet the engine runs fine. any ideas?

edgraz1941

 

What condition are the spark plugs in when you pulled them? Lightly/evenly tanned, white, black/sooty? White is a lean condition which could cause overheating....

 

edgraz1941, The double stampings on your harmonic balancer is no problem. Some manufacturers do this so it can be used with either the 302 firing order, or 351 firing order. Back in the day I used to set up my competition HEMIs 180 degrees out. There was a reason for this which is still classified. Man, I hope it is not a head gasket, it is beginning to rear its ugly head. Our 331 stroker had exactly the same problem, and it turned out to be the radiator fan wasn't pulling in enough cfm. I went to a cheep competition Flex-a-Lite fan, #2216 reverse rotation, because of serpentine set-up, and it sat on 180 no matter what the air temperature was. Keep us posted brother.

 

Still waiting on the results of block test suggested earlier.... In conjunction with that, pressure test the cooling system.

These are two very easy, inexpensive and non time consuming things that IMO should have been done by now. Suggestions have been being given for a couple months now but they don't help if they aren't actually tried and results posted in reply.

 

Thank you all!!! Will look into a block tester after holidays are over.
Plugs are tannish in nature to answer the other gentleman.

 

Are you sure you set your distributor correctly into the engine? You have set up to number 6?? Why it runs I don't know. If you set number 1 piston on compression stroke, piston at top and both valves closed, your balance mark should be at TDC 0* which you said it did. Distributor rotor tip should point just right of center with #5 being center pointing towards firewall. When you start it to check and adjust timing the balance mark should be on same side as what you installed your distributor to not the opposite. I'm just going from pictures in my old "Fix Your Ford" book.

 

I have pretty much the same set up without the tranny cooler I have the 2 row radiator with the wide tubes how much is the tranny cooler restricting the air flow? Are you pulling air through the radiator fan ?