Mopar Muscle Association UK

Ordered a thermostat and a copy of Dons book, thanks chaps.

Any advice on gaskets / gasket sealant as my sealant has gone off. Might as well get the advice whilst I’m ordering.

Before doing anything else I'd fabricate and fit a fan shroud. The engine may well struggle to cool at idle without one.

And as already suggested:
Set initial timing. My iron-head 440 required 15 degrees, which is not unusual.

My 340 ran a 180 stat from Real Steel, I used a corrugated hose for 7 years without issues.
Timing is the go as other have said..as much as the motor can use.
I also used a alloy rad and hemi sized clutch fan. Motor never got hot.

Not really considered a fan shroud as heard so many varying thoughts on them. I may look into it, thanks

Miles, I’ve ordered a 180 stat, just gone with standard replacement continental hoses. It’s a 360, have an ally champion rad in it, fan seems ok vs the last one, but still not overly happy at the amount of lateral motion. Considering new pulley.

My 360 also has a Champion rad, its never had a shroud and doesn't run hot. It looks like a stock style shroud will fit so I've ordered one, not so much for cooling but for safety as I must be running out of chances for keeping all my fingers. Though I've never used a shroud, its never a bad idea IMO.

Be interested to know how it fits, Blue.

In the meantime, I’ve bought some bedtime reading.

Should be here soon so I'll let you know. Working through the timing and carb set up takes a bit of time but you'll be impressed with the results.

Probably a stupid question, but is there any difference big block / small block thermostats?

Just sorting out a for sale / take to the tip pile and found this in my stash that I didn’t even know I had

Both the same, that's my preferred high flow jobbie you have there.

Balls. Just paid for one the other day that I waiting to be delivered.

Oh well, at least I have what I need. Thanks Blue.

No idea where the hell I picked that up and why, but will have a spare now.

And look what was waiting for me when I got home, just arrived...

I might be needing one for a job, I’ll let you know

No problem.

Also got a new water pump that I found brand new in box, not sure whether to bother with that or not yet.

After that, need new sump gasket, transmission pan gasket and possibly got a leak where the Speedo drive connects to the trans also, guessing that’s just an o ring?

Thought I had everything licked a month ago, seems to be all falling apart again now.

Redroduction fan shroud fitted, it bolts up to a 22" Champion rad with the minimum of trimming for hose clearance. What you do get though is a gap of about 1" or so at the top due to the thinner header tank, I'll deal with that in due course.

First thing - is your overheating at speed or idle? This could point to different problems and different solutions.

Second, that fan isn't doing much without a shroud, its too far away from the core to be drawing a lot of air. You definitely need a fan shroud, it makes a big difference.

Without a fan shroud you get inefficient airflow around the ends of the blades as high pressure air (behind the fan) naturally tries to find areas of low pressure air (in front of the fan). In short you end up recycling the air at the tips of the blades from behind the blade to in front of the blade, which reduces the amount being sucked through the core.