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Cannot stop 1972 351cj from running hot. Please advise!
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Turn it off
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You've probably got the wrong thermostat. Cleveland engines run different thermostats then the Windsor based engines. Go to the search bar and type in Cleveland Thermostat and you should find several articles on the subject. Hope it helps.
JTS
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(05-24-2022, 03:29 AM)JTS71 Mach1 Wrote: You've probably got the wrong thermostat. Cleveland engines run different thermostats then the Windsor based engines. Go to the search bar and type in Cleveland Thermostat and you should find several articles on the subject. Hope it helps.
JTS
I've already been down that road and paid like $50 for the special restrictor plate and tstat with no change. I went with a 4 core, aluminum radiator with electric fans and no change. As long as I'm moving it stays nice and cool, but as soon as I come to a stop it starts creeping up and up. Got up to 215 degrees in the inspection lane and had to shut it down. It seams to be getting a little worse and worse each trip.
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Ok Lets look at the common issues. Any coolant loss? Coolant in the oil? Or oil in the coolant? A gas analysis of the coolant will tell you if it's got exhaust gasses, in the coolant. Excessive pressure in the Radiator? Hook a pressure tester to the radiator, and run the engine to temp, watch the gauge. it shouldn't get above 15 or 16 lbs. If it goes much higher you have a internal leak of some sort, cracked head, blown head gasket, could even be a thin cylinder if the block has been bored several times. Not very likely, but it has happened. I've also seen a cracked block cause a similar issue. These are a few Ideas, but by far are not the only causes. Give us a little more history on the engine, and what's been done to it, and maybe we can hone in on the problem. Hope It helps. Keep us posted.
JTS
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I have the same engine and you need the thermostat and the right gasket for the special water path that the Cleveland has. Tried new fan different shroud and racing antifreeze no help, as far as new radiator tried that also and it still runs at 195 and hotter like you say. Good luck.
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