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Reply to "Pantera Cooling System"

Ah, new owner cooling questions....deja vu Smiler

In no particular order:

And yes, some of these are real basic, but troubleshooting should always start off with the obvious.

Are both fans turning the correct direction? You need to get that air flowing from front to rear through the radiator.

Has the system been fully burped of all air?

Are both fans actually working? Controlled by relays with temp sensor(s)? AND/OR controlled by switches?

There is often a mismatch of pressure caps to the necks on the stock tanks. Euro neck, USA cap. Any radiator shop can cut off the old neck and braze on the proper one.

Is the cap new? 16 pounds is common rating.

Rearmost tank is surge tank. It should always be full. Should have a pressure cap. SHOULD NOT have the temp sensor still mounted in it, as was stock. Move that sensor to the block, just below the thermostat housing.

Foremost tank is overflow tank. It should be about half full when system is cold. Overflow hose from that tank should be lengthened and moved so it exits behind the rear tire, NOT in front. Antifreeze is not good for traction control. That tank only needs a closure cap, it should NOT have a pressure cap. If overfilled, it will just puke out the extra coolant until it finds its own proper level.

Stock temp gauge is notorious for NOT showing the true temp. If you have an infrared temp gun, use it to seek out system temps at various places. 210 is not a dire temp, but is high.

The true test of a Pantera cooling system is what happens when you turn the engine off. If there is no overflow, no boiling of water in the tanks, no steam escaping from who knows where, then your system really has no major problems.

A recent thread here on this forum discusses the Cleveland specific thermostat. Find that thread. Then pull your thermostat housing and see what you have. The wrong one (That is, what is proper for all the other small block Fords) will not function as needed, and will allow about 25% of the coolant leaving the pump to just immediately return to the block without ever going through the radiator.

Check all these items out and report back to us.

Larry
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