1970 300 w/440 running at 220 normal? Is 225 OK stopped in traffic?

[Imperial Pete]

The torque convertor is the biggest secret with the low down "snappy" response with the N Code 383's and the 360 2 barrels. I havent tried putting one behind a 440, its something I want to try. Steve may have tried one behind a 440. If anyone has it would be good to know the difference.
In Australia we got the 360 2 barrels in our top of the line luxury Chryslers, they had the small convertors. They are torque monsters, tyre burners. No point revving them though, nothing over 3500 RPM but that is not what they are built for.

 

[3175375]

Another tip I have found (especially with engines that have sat) is to fit one of the below in line filters to the top hose. This will also save the new radiator from blocking again. Yeah it looks awful but keep checking it and cleaning it out regularly. Eventually the crud will clear and you can remove it.
They have an in line mesh filter and a magnet to catch it all. Easy to clean all you do is unscrew the cap, flush the filter with a hose.
My Imperial had sat for over 20 years, I had a new super high flow radiator made ($1200 in Australia!) so blocking a new radiator is not something I wanted. Even after flushing the block there still is a fair amount of crud in there.
Not sure if you guys in the US have these, pretty sure they also make billet ones in the US.
TEFBA-IN-LINE RADIATOR-FILTER-1-¼ 32MM RADIATOR-HOSES

Regarding a filter for the cooling system, you may be interested in the Tefba filter Buy Tefba Radiator Antifreeze Coolant Water Filter for Packard M - Twin Six in American Fork, Utah, US, for US $69.50

I have one of these in my 65 Mustang and it works well.

 

[Boydsdodge]

I would check your temps with a good calibrated gauge and thermometer, then ignition timing. get vacuum gauge to manifold vacuum set timing to highest vacuum, while idle speed increases adjust idle speed to correct rpm.
Once at top vacuum, back off a couple of inches of vacuum, take for test drive and listen for ping or knocking. these cars need to run premium hi octane fuel, ethanol free if you can get. I found that what the pump says doesn't mean good gas tho, I bought on premium non ethanol on the way to Carlisle at an independent station and the imperial was running worse and pinging. Next fill up was at Sheets premium and it was back to before.
After you find the initial timing that your engine wants/likes you will have to check on your total mechanical timing. 36 deg total should be good. and run your vacuum advance to ported on carb.

 

[Northcoast300h]

Wow, lots of great ideas and I really appreciate it, although some are just too expensive for me. (Living in the USA means vandalism, crashes and theft, so I always go the cheap way first).

Engine runs great cold or hot. Wouldn't a bad or lose timing chain make the car run bad? If I can lower temp about 15 degrees to max of 205 or even 210, I'm calling that a win.

No leaking from any plugs but I'm going to try the "freeze plug" thing, (expansion plug, core plug). Anyone know how many there are on a 440 and which ones I should start with? (I did a search but hardly any info on a 440). Should I get brass plugs? This is going to be a PITA, correct?

Imperial Pete - Wouldn't a filter slow the speed of the coolant making it hotter?

 

[Northcoast300h]

If anyone cares. Car today and car when I bought it in 2001 for $1K (no one wanted this car?) Although I found out it is a real 300 Hurst, this was, and still is, a budget build, filled with bondo, Ford, ebay parts, Maaco paintjob, etc. I know it wouldn't win any awards, so I made many small subtle changes to how Chrysler should have made it. ...... (and yes, I know, no 300 Hurst came with the Imperial cloth/leather interior, but it states that as a change on the build sheet, so yeah its kinda weird.

 

[thethee]

Wow, lots of great ideas and I really appreciate it, although some are just too expensive for me. (Living in the USA means vandalism, crashes and theft, so I always go the cheap way first).

Engine runs great cold or hot. Wouldn't a bad or lose timing chain make the car run bad? If I can lower temp about 15 degrees to max of 205 or even 210, I'm calling that a win.

No leaking from any plugs but I'm going to try the "freeze plug" thing, (expansion plug, core plug). Anyone know how many there are on a 440 and which ones I should start with? (I did a search but hardly any info on a 440). Should I get brass plugs? This is going to be a PITA, correct?

Imperial Pete - Wouldn't a filter slow the speed of the coolant making it hotter?

440 has six core plugs, three either side. And yes, this is a pita if you're not pulling the engine. With mine the front two are blocked by the engine mounts and one is blocked by the starter. However, as I understand it, most crud settles in the back of the engine so you don't have to do the two front plugs (I didnt).

DO try both block drain plugs first or you can get a face full of coolant from the plug

 

[70bigblockdodge]

Fin count on radiator recores is a thing. Needs to have tight fin count. The loose ones you can see through are no good.

 

[saforwardlook]

Since you brought it up, and you've given good driving testimony on a 360 vs a 383-2, and also on the 383-4 vs a 440 -- please post that cam part#?
You put it in E85s or E86s?
If only the E85, how does it make it feel vs an E86?
Or if both, how does it compare with a stock E86?

I relied on the racing engine company that rebuilt my 440s to supply the best cam for what I was seeking, which was as mentioned even better low end torque and yet retain a smooth idle. He told me he knew exactly which one would work best - and he delivered. However, he didn't give me the part number so I will have to call him to get that number (it wasn't on the receipt), so I will get back with you when I get it.

I put that cam in a couple standard E85 440s and it gave low end performance very close to what the E86 set ups delivered in those vehicles equipped with the HP engine despite my E85s not having the 3.23 rear axle ratios and HP manifolds and dual exhaust that the original E86 vehicles had standard. My E85s came with standard exhaust manifolds and single exhaust and 2.7 rear ends. The HP package could burn rubber more easily but initial non-full throttle launches felt nearly as strong as the HPs.

I have never tried a high stall converter in a 440 largely because it would cause already high fuel consumption to be significantly worse and probably generate too much heat for anything close to stock radiator set ups. The 440s have good torque already due to their long stroke and the 360s with standard high stall converters also have good low end torque due to their relatively long stroke and that is why the 360-2 bbls were very close in performance to the 383 -4 packages with relatively short stroke in comparison, so with the high stall converters in the 383-4 bbl engines they were only a little better than the 360-2 bbls with their standard high stall converters in overall feel in normal driving. The reality is that the 383 engines only had 23 more cu. inches than the 360s so that is why the 360-2 2 bbls felt better to me in low end driving than the 383-2 bbls. The draw of the 383-2 bbl set ups was their really smooth low rpm launches that were definitely more quiet and what Chrysler owners seemed to desire more than hearing engine rpm churning.

I owned a 1970 Chrysler Newport Custom coupe for probably 15 years and drove it to work and back every day. It was the perfect car for taking me back home each day after the usual ruckus at work in sheer peace and superb quiet and for some reason had an a/c system that was superior to any other C body car I have had and with every thing considered was the perfect commute car. I really loved that car!

 

[Northcoast300h]

Thanks for everyones help. It'll probably take a month to post how it went, since I'm kinda lazy (and afraid I'll break something).

thethee - what goop did you use or did you install them dry? Any tips on best way to remove, clean and install or just follow what others have done on other posts?

 

[TxDon]

There are a lot of posts concerning running too hot at this time of year which make perfect sense, and I have been where you are today in being worried about how hot is too hot? A lot of good ideas put out and some may help. My question to you is: what does the factory gauge show? Does it have actual temp numbers or just lines like my 66? You are concerned about a number on an aftermarket gauge but does the factory gauge actually show you are in the overheat range? My experience is that actual design operating temps may be quite high under heat load times but that the engine is designed to handle them under normal conditions. You have said that your car still runs great when hot, it is not puking coolant, and you don't have vapor lock problems, so---

 

[thethee]

Thanks for everyones help. It'll probably take a month to post how it went, since I'm kinda lazy (and afraid I'll break something).

thethee - what goop did you use or did you install them dry? Any tips on best way to remove, clean and install or just follow what others have done on other posts?

IMO you pretty much can't go wrong with following what others have done, it's what I did. I installed them with some rtv but there might be better things.

Removing old plugs -- hammer them in with a flat blade screwdriver on one side, the idea is to get them to spin a bit so the bottom will end up sticking out of the block so you can grab it with some pliers and pull it out. Be careful not to knock it in entirely, that will make it a whole lot harder, don't ask me how I know...

New plugs -- get a socket that is the size of the plug internal diameter, with anything else you might damage the plug, and hammer it in. The hardest part is getting it going and keep checking if it's going in straight or you'll end up ruining a new plug. Again, don't ask me how I know

 

[thethee]

There are several threads here and also a lot of youtube videos which helped me a lot

 

[saforwardlook]

There are a lot of posts concerning running too hot at this time of year which make perfect sense, and I have been where you are today in being worried about how hot is too hot? A lot of good ideas put out and some may help. My question to you is: what does the factory gauge show? Does it have actual temp numbers or just lines like my 66? You are concerned about a number on an aftermarket gauge but does the factory gauge actually show you are in the overheat range? My experience is that actual design operating temps may be quite high under heat load times but that the engine is designed to handle them under normal conditions. You have said that your car still runs great when hot, it is not puking coolant, and you don't have vapor lock problems, so---

Fuselage Chryslers had temperature lights that only tell you the engine is cold or too hot. Given that their cooling systems were under designed and the crappy heater control valves that cracked and leaked coolant, they probably felt it would be best to not worry their more upscale customer who were only likely to keep their cars a few years at most before buying something new and only bother them if things got too bad.

Fortunately, at least the Imperials got 28" wide radiators, not the 26" radiators in other C body models and better cooling so they got temperature gauges plus a sentry warning light.

Bean counters at their best!!

 

[413]

The gauge/idiot light scenario is just like the gubment, don’t give out too much information!

just smart enough to keep driving, and just stupid enough to bring it back to the dealer for service.

 

[Northcoast300h]

OK, I'm not as lazy as I thought. I removed and cleaned out the rear 2. There was just a little crap in both, so I didn't do the other ones. Coolant went everywhere and it was a pain to put them back in, but I was pleasantly surprised that they didn't leak. I figured it was a good time to try out a 180F thermostat. So I removed the 195F and tested it in water on my oven range. It started to open at 195F, but didn't fully open until around 202F. I tested it with infrared and my oven meat thermo. Seems like my cheap aftermarket temp gauge on the 300 is pretty accurate, no more than 5 degrees deviation.

Anyhow, I took it out today 85F. Its running at a max of 195F on the highway. 200F at long stoplights, and 215F if I park it for 10 minutes, but it goes down to 195F after a couple minutes. My electric fan auto kicks on at 210F, so I didn't hear it driving around.

It's fixed!, thanks to you guys! This forum is great filled with knowledgeable, helpful people.

Onwards and upwards to my next problem.....see my post on power steering.

 

[Northcoast300h]

Oh yeah, the new 180F Tstat I put in there is a "high performance" one from Summit racing. The opening is a little larger than standard ones, so maybe that helped too? Runs great now, Thanks

 

[george glover]

pull a freeze out plug n
scrape the crap out