This one's got me baffled a bit. Overheating. With Cap off no flow of coolant and upper radiator Hose Soft. Heater hoses Cold, and cold air coming out of Defroster When it's at 220+.

Fan Blade's pulling air fine and the car never ran over 200 before this.

It's not the sender as it was boiling over 1st time it happened.

Now, everything's new on this car. New radiator, rebuilt new water pump.
And I replaced the Thermostat to no avail.

A couple ideas.

1. Heater Core's never been replaced but wouldn't that just cause my heater to be out?

2. Air Lock in the block? I ran it low on fluid after changing the Thermostat in error.

3. Replaced with faulty Thermostat? Doubtfull as the one I pulled out opened fine in boiling water.

Any ideas how to proceed in troubleshooting, or do I start replacing the remaining items starting with the easiest?

Could still be a bad stat or you accidentially installed the stat upsidedown which could possibly cause the problems your describing.

Could also be a broken shaft in water pump so then the impeller in the w/pump would not be turing thus no coolent flow.

Scott

John I would try removing the thermostat and slowly filling the block with the upper hose off until it leaks out purging all air. Then attach upper hose and start and check for flow. Might be best to use just plain water for this test and then drain install t-stat and top off with the correct amount of anti freeze. Possibly your rebuilt pump is bad....or maybe they sold you a serpentine pump for reverse rotation....I think I'd try that first.....I believe once you get flow you'll have water to your heater core.....Good Luck

I can be a bone head at times, but I didn't install the stat upsidedown :D

I hope it's not the waterpump, it's a brand new rebuilt unit only a few months old.

Am I correct that it shouldn't be the heater core? That that would only cause heater temp issues?

Stat or waterpump?

What about air lock in the block?

That answered my Air Lock question, thanks.

John let me clarify my previous response a bit.....I would leave the t-stat out for the flow test. If you see no flow with no t-stat it will help verify a pump problem. Your heater core is not causing you any problems yet.....Now when you get flow you might want to keep an eye for leaks inside (wet carpet) and out if its the original core....Good Luck

Excellant, thank you.

Well it appears the impeller blade ripped loose of it's press fit onto the shaft when I was playing a little too hard.

What? stock Water pumps don't like 6500 RPM 454's? :D

I can't lay any more 60 foot 3 gear rubber patches without going through this again?

They should have a key fitting in the impeller blade.

John that explains the no flow for sure. Glad you caught the problem before engine damage was suffered. Maybe you can find a pump with a cast iron impeller. I don't believe I would be buying another one from wherever that one came from. I just gave away a new GM one that came on my crate engine to a friend as I needed a short pump. If your not in a hurry I'm sure other folks put them on eBay if they need a short pump as well. Maybe try one from Napa if your ready to leave 60ft. patches in 3rd today........:D

john what brand was that ?and did it make any noise ?was the car getting hot to make you look for this i have read the other post on the flow just wondering by the way nice chevelle love the red on red nice ed:yes:

No warning. I was at a Buddies house, left and lay'ed a 60 footer. By the time I made the 3 mile trip home I was steaming over.

The impeller was just spinning freely on the shaft so no noices, nothing.

I bought one earlier off ebay. Totally rebuilt with correct casting numbers and date code for $150. It was in fact rebuilt, but leaked out of the weep hole so the bushing was bad.

Bought a rebuilt at Kentucky Motors (like a napa) correct casting number, but wrong date for $46. That one let go.

Bought another correct casting $46 from them. We'll see.

I shouldn't be reving this car up to 6500 anyway. I'm lucky that's all that let go.

She just keeps pulling though :D

I believe the company that remanufactures them is "Federated auto parts" Where else are you going to get a rebuild correct casting 3969811 pump for $46?

Hopefully I just got one with a weak press fitting. It happens.

Hopefully I just got one with a weak press fitting. It happens.
Larger diameter water pump pulley?

Smaller diameter crank pulley?

Tack weld the impeller to the shaft? (recognize that this will make it very difficult to rebuild that pump again!)

I had an Oldsmobile do that very same thing--except--the impeller came loose because of corrosion, not a loose press-fit.

Dont chince out,while your at it replace that checp pump that had the crappy stamped steel impeller with a better quality hi perf milodon hi flow water pump with the better flowing/pumping cast iron impeller and hi 180 stat.

Scott

Good thing you caught that one John.
When I sent out my original WP I had them rebuild it with a hi-flow impeller:yes:

Where did you have it sent to Brad? I have two 70 castings that are only worth $4 core charge.

Where and how much?

Here are some w/pump rebuilders,this one pasted directly below some t/c's have used .

This a guy in NY does nice work and rebuilds to factory spec if that's what you want.

$70 a pump...everthing is done to factory spec.
water
Arthur Gould Rebuilders
5 R Main Street
Kings Park , N.Y.
631-269-0093
===========================================
This is a responce i got from an ebay seller that has a w/pump rebuild buisness pasted below.

hiteparts( 386)

Positive feedback:
100%
Member since:
Jul-07-05

Location:
OH, United States

Registered on:
www.ebay.com

Item: Custom Remanufactured Water Pump 1969 Chevelle SS 396 (8064946965)
This message was sent while the listing was active.
hiteparts is the seller.

Just add $ 10.00. Yes we will do that as long as the impeller and shaft are good. If not we will call you. Just put all of your contact info in the box with your cores and instructions on what you want done. A copy of this e mail would be great. Send it to my attn David Hunter Hite Parts Exchange 2235 McKinley Ave Columbus, Ohio 43204 You can use the buy it now for the purchase and add $ 10.00 to the payment Thanks david.hunter@hiteparts.com. I will need your e mail address and name

So please Email me the Year, Make, Model, Engine and Transmission info and I can show you which auction is the correct part. David.Hunter@HiteParts.com. Phone 614-206-2830

Is the impeller thing common?

I just drove my ant’s car home from the garage (17 miles mixed city + HWY)
And the temp stood at 195-205 the whole trip.
The car is a 1966 chevelle 396, PG and OE rear end.
It has a clutch LESS DIRECT drive fan, and yes it has a fan shroud
I just put in (2 days ago) a new 160 stat.
the radiator is about 5 years old and so is the water pump.
BTW
What is the normal temp for this car at 50 MPH and slower and in traffic?

Is the impeller thing common?
Yes, somewhat common.

I just drove my ant’s car
Must be a very small car.

The car is a 1966 chevelle 396, PG and OE rear end.
It has a clutch LESS DIRECT drive fan, and yes it has a fan shroud
I just put in (2 days ago) a new 160 stat.
the radiator is about 5 years old and so is the water pump.
BTW
What is the normal temp for this car at 50 MPH and slower and in traffic?
Within about ten degrees of whatever the thermostat is rated for--and preferably five degrees. I have no use for 160 thermostats; nobody needs one, they're just a crutch for people who won't fix the REAL problem--whatever that might be in their case.

Dave this is impeller thing is not the problem your car is having,he had absolutely no coolent flow and your motor has coolent flow beacause your motor runs a little hot but nothing crazy like it would with a broken impeller with no collent flow,the motor would overheat in a horribly with no flow in a short period of time and wouldnever had made the 17 mile trip you took.

Go back and check out your toher post asking about heating issues and i gave you some things to chk out /do that will get the temps down a few deg.

Scott