68 396 water pump rebuilt

[JRSully]

Rich, I think the key is to make sure you have completely bled all the air bubbles out of the system/engine. BB Chevys tend to develop air "pockets" in the rear of the heads which can be tough to get out sometimes. I learned that the best way is to cure it is to jack the front of the motor/car, and pour coolant slowly and dirtectly down the front of the intake/Thermostat housing so it flows right to the back of the heads/engine, until it fills just about to the stat flange, then install the stat and fill the rest of the radiator. I was running hot also until I learned of this method and I never had another overheating problem by using it. SULLY

[Mr. Chevy]

Sully, thanks for the info.. I've never heard of this method.. I'll have to give it a try..

Rich

[budnate]

also a old trick I was shown years ago and works well is drill a 1/8 or so little hole on the edge of the stat to let air through, on a system that was serviced, it wont affect running temps and keeps you from melting down a motor,

[1968 nova ss]

Sully,that's good info there.I will have to try it on my other 68 nova ss 396 currently.It runs about 190 temp at cruisin speed with 3;42 gear.but it will crank up 220 temp in traffic and that only at a short rate of time with new 4 core radiator and stock rebuilt,Just don;t want to have any cooling problems with this 396/375 hp nova ;with cloned over 842 aluminum heads and such and a decent amount of money forked in the motor to compete in the purestock drags races;wanna keep it runnning good and cool.chris teed

[WILMASBOYL78]

We put a Stewart Hi-perf pump on our 68 BB Nova....and their matching 160* t/stat. We have a 4 core OEM style radiator stock shroud and a steel fixed 6 blade fan...car runs about 170-175*...will go to 180-185* if it idles for awhile or traffic backs up. The engine has aluminum heads which also seem to help it run cooler...I also run some of the cars with just the t/stat body and remove the guts...acts like a restrictor...this seems to work ok, too. The black L78 th400 car runs really cool...last 2 nites at different cruises it ran at 170-175*...Harrison 4 core, stock BB pump, stock shroud and 6 blade flex fan...you really have to try to get it to 180*...maybe we just live right