[baron_]

I posted a while back, thinking i'd blown a head gasket - still think I did.

Got that replaced - no water coming out of the tail pipe or head anymore, so that's good.

But the car's still having the same problem.

I run it for about 10 minutes (sounds great). No movement in radiator at all and coolant still cold. Then, suddenly, it starts boiling and going wild (if cap is off). Thought it was just a head gasket, but i think i blew that from another problem

Put the cap on and it'll squirt out the overflow like mad and you can hear water boiling in the block (a slushing noise). Suddenly, radiator really hot (engine very hot too)

Next i'm thinking water pump, but i turned the fan earlier and i can hear it pumping water (maybe there isn't the proper space as discussed in so many posts?)
(new thermostat, by the way)

Any suggestions? (just stripped a bolt on the water pump and wondering if this should even be my next step?)

It's always something...fix one problem and another comes along
Some pictures for your entertainment...

[baron_]

I posted a while back, thinking i'd blown a head gasket - still think I did.

Got that replaced - no water coming out of the tail pipe or head anymore, so that's good.

But the car's still having the same problem.

I run it for about 10 minutes (sounds great). No movement in radiator at all and coolant still cold. Then, suddenly, it starts boiling and going wild (if cap is off). Thought it was just a head gasket, but i think i blew that from another problem

Put the cap on and it'll squirt out the overflow like mad and you can hear water boiling in the block (a slushing noise). Suddenly, radiator really hot (engine very hot too)

Next i'm thinking water pump, but i turned the fan earlier and i can hear it pumping water (maybe there isn't the proper space as discussed in so many posts?)
(new thermostat, by the way)

Any suggestions? (just stripped a bolt on the water pump and wondering if this should even be my next step?)

It's always something...fix one problem and another comes along
Some pictures for your entertainment...

[Squidward]

I'd recommend just going ahead with pulling the water pump. You'll be able to get the best snapshot of your cooling system that way. You'll be able to check if your divider plate(s) are in good shape, and you might as well replace your T-stat with another one in case that's an issue. Besides, you never know what a previous owner might've left you with (or without!).

It sounds to me you might not have adequate flow. If your divider plates are corroded away, it can cause the impeller to just spin around, making a whole lot of turbulence and no flow.

Feeling your heater core lines (if connected) can also give indication of flow.

[Shadowjack]

No water flow, all right. Could be the pump, could be the thermostat. Is the heater hooked up? If the pump is working at all, the hoses will get hot.
BTW, got enough '66='67s?

[baron_]

never enough

i never thought about the hose
i don't have the heater plugged in

i guess i'll just replace the water pump
and cuss at thsoe bolts all day long

[gtohunter]

Make sure bottom rad hose isn't sucking itself closed, or otherwise blocking inlet flow??

[buwalda]

I would have the coolant system pressure tested to make sure there are no leaks, like a cracked head.

[MONTY]

could you also have a air pocket in the motor? That would cause very rapid heating and no flow.

[baron_]

got the water pump off, and there's a ridiculous amount of space between it and the spacer

so i'm putting it back together today and hoping that's it

[chiphead]

How many bolts in water pump? Are the '67 timing covers being used? What does the temp gauge say when engine is running?

The 8 bolt pumps used 66-68 require 2 divider plates. The 69-newer 11 bolt pumps require one divider plate.

Check radiator. I had to have my newer 4 core rodded out. The previous engine dumped scale into the cooling system and plugged the radiator. Then I was wondering why my new 400 was getting hot.

[SWEETJUDGE]

MAKE SURE YOUR NOT AIRBOUND inside the motor
you have to let the engine run awhile & let the coolant burp out of the rad, keep an eye on the temp guage,if theres a lot of burping u have alot of air in the engine
ALSO
try a restrictor instead of the thermostat

there is a blow hole in the water pump i believ if it goes it will piss out the hole
ive had to jack cars up in different configurations to get air out of some motors its a bitch but sounds like your problem

[Goatracer1]

If you have an air pocket the thermostat wont open. Remove the thermostat and fill the intake to the top and then replace. Start engine and loosen the temp sender and let the remainder of the air out while filling the radiator. When fluid comes out around sender retighten and continue to fill radiator.

[cwolf]

have you by chance read the post on water pumps in the heating and cooling thread? maybe there is something there to help

[dragracer]

before you install the thermostat, if you drill a couple of small holse in the thermostat body, the part that sits against the manifold but still in the water passage, it will let the air escape as you fill it, it works

[tininjun67]

I'd pressure test the cooling system and then check to see if you've got any coolant in the oil. It does sound like you've got air getting into the system. This is assuming you've bled it and it's full of coolant. If you crack the drain plug on the oil pan a couple hours after the press test and see water before the oil I'd be looking at the head and cylinder wall of the side that blew the gasket. I'd get the head press tested. A stuck t-stat or no coolant near the t-stat would explain the lack of flow. Or a busted impeller on the water pump. I've never been able to spin a pump by hand and see flow in the radiator.

[baron_]

(if you're curious)

looks like it was the water pump
i read the posts about the space between the divider on the 11 bolt...and it was ridiculous

this was a 'new rebuilt' engine by a chebby engine builder noone had been able to get to run right - it was a simple problem all along

replaced with the cast waterpump that has the vanes nearly touching

you can see in the picture, they look half an inch away from the divider...and that's without the gasket (put an old divider on for the picture, so you could see)

thanks for the suggestions