Cooling issues

The Pantera normally operates with coolant temps in the 230 to 240 range like new cars do now. It uses a 15 or 16 (I recommend the 16) psi cap.

Use at least a 50/50 antifreeze.

Your oil temps SHOULD reach 215 to 220 F. This is all normal operating temperatures and you want to boil out the moisture in the engine.

If your temperature gauge is getting close to pegged high, then you probably have the early 230 gauge. Later cars were changed to a 250 or 260 gauge so they are LESS scary? My car has the 230 gauge too.

Pressure test the entire system to make sure it holds 16 psi, INCLUDING testing the cap.

There can be an issue with replacement caps not sealing on the Panteras "European" neck on the pressure tank.

If this all checks out, you are good to go.

With a 16 psi cap and 50/50 anti-freeze you aren't in danger of "boiling over" until 252 F.

The Pantera is one of the first cars I know of using a high pressure cooling system and certainly the 230 gauge continues to "freak out" a lot of people. (I understand. I don't blame them).

A high pressure system enables you to run normal temps in the 230 to 240 range with very little issue. You just need to maintain that system.

Before you spend money on parts (you may not need) there is a basic check list:

• Coolant less than 2 years old
  
• Proper thermostat installed and working properly
  
• Cooling pump drive belt is in good condition and tight
  
• Air purged from cooling system
  
• Pressure cap in good condition (heeding the warnings you'll find regarding using a North American pressure cap on the OEM Italian radiator neck)
  
• Carburetor and ignition working properly and tuned properly
  
• Radiator fans operating when they should, blowing air in the proper direction

My car too was over heating changed fluid .Same problem / turned out to be thermostat only couple years old no good .

quote:

Originally posted by pantera74Bills6976:
My car too was over heating changed fluid .Same problem / turned out to be thermostat only couple years old no good .

I learned the hard way so I alway check my thermostats before I install them. Make sure it is pre-formed with a bleed or drill a small hole to help get all the air out of the system.

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I'm not sure, but I believe Gabriel is running a Windsor; is that correct Gabriel?

Gabriel, there should be hundreds of pages in the archives on 'overheating'. Along with George's suggestions, find and remove the 10 or so feet of extra wire & connectors folded up in the front loom, between the fan motors and the switches. Making sure there really is 12VDC available to the motors can triple the air flow in some cases. Also verify that BOTH fans are running in the same direction, at the same speeds. My checks 20 yrs ago showed that good stock 4-blade fan motors will blow about 350 cubic feet per minute of air in the general direction of the radiator core.

A quick fix found in the '80s was to use sucker fans built into a shroud that fits on the back of the stock radiator. Typical flat-motor sucker fans pull around 1200 cfm -each- thru the whole radiator, not just two circles in the middle. Flex-I-Lite and others make assemblies that fit. And yes- shrouded sucker fans fit with the radiator positioned straight up; it's just much easier to do the required connections of wire & water hoses if the radiator top is permanently leaned forward at 45 degrees. Makes zero difference in cooling set either way.