440 6 pack vapor lock

[cudabob496]

My 70 Cuda has a HP 383 with shaker and Eldebrock 600cfm. I've been having a hard time getting it to start once I've driven it a few miles and have been suspecting vapor lock. Ok, so here goes my dumb question.... Where/what does the return fuel line connect too on the separator ? A tee back where the rubber line connects with the steel line ?

If ECU is near headers, it will heat up, and not allow starting. Also, headers bake the brake master cylinder. Mopar sells a heat shield for the master cylinder.

[Topcat]

I'd have to take exception with the statement a 3 or 4 core B/C radiator transfers heat better.  Transfers heat better does not mean it cools an engine better. The metal itself may transfer heat better, on a btu's per square inch basis, but when formed into the shape of a radiator, the aluminum will far out perform in regards to engine heat removal/cooling.  An aluminum radiator will generally keep an engine 20 degrees cooler, given all things else equal.  Thats the temp drop I saw when going from my Mopar 26 inch radiator to an inexpensive 2 core aluminum on my 496. The strength of aluminum allows much bigger cooling tubes in an aluminum radiator. Aluminum allows easier welding and fabrication. Also, a 4 core radiator restricts airflow through it self significantly.So, to imply that a brass/copper radiator will cool better than an aluminum radiator would not be correct. Don't think I've seen one performance car build in a magazine in years where they installed a new copper/brass radiator. Its always an aluminum radiator.

My Modine aftermarket radiator 3 core was the best damn radiator I ever had.

I could've drove thru Death Valley at 125 degrees outside with A/C on and not even see the temp meter flinch. This is what I experienced with a Copper/Brass. It was way superior to OEM albeit because the fins carried more capacity of coolant than OEM.

Certainly it can be duplicated what Modine did to an OEM numbers radiator I would imagine.
Good article: 

I think this guy hit it on the money.


http://www.caparadiator.com/aluminumvscopper.html

[Racer57]

I wrote..........

My 70 Cuda has a HP 383 with shaker and Eldebrock 600cfm. I've been having a hard time getting it to start once I've driven it a few miles and have been suspecting vapor lock. Ok, so here goes my dumb question.... Where/what does the return fuel line connect too on the separator ? A tee back where the rubber line connects with the steel line ?

And cudabobs response was..........

If ECU is near headers, it will heat up, and not allow starting. Also, headers bake the brake master cylinder. Mopar sells a heat shield for the master cylinder.

Cudabob, uhhh, were you responding to someone else by any chance ?     

[cudabob496]

I wrote..........And cudabobs response was..........


Cudabob, uhhh, were you responding to someone else by any chance ?     

no, to your response about not starting after a while.
I had the same problem, and the ECU was getting cooked.

[cudabob496]

My Modine aftermarket radiator 3 core was the best damn radiator I ever had.

I could've drove thru Death Valley at 125 degrees outside with A/C on and not even see the temp meter flinch. This is what I experienced with a Copper/Brass. It was way superior to OEM albeit because the fins carried more capacity of coolant than OEM.

Certainly it can be duplicated what Modine did to an OEM numbers radiator I would imagine.
Good article: 

I think this guy hit it on the money.


http://www.caparadiator.com/aluminumvscopper.html

Well, not a very good article IMO. His conclusion is: Neither is better! Not very helpful. He even said a two
row aluminum has more cooling surface area than a 4 row copper brass.  A 3 row aluminum might
freeze up your engine! (just exaggerating guys!) This seems like a no brainer. An aluminum radiator will out-cool a copper brass virtually all the time.
I had my 26 inch Mopar copper brass rodded out and reconditioned. Still was not cooling well. Put in a 2 row
aluminum Howe radiator, avg temp dropped 20 degrees. Never a problem since, and I use a wimpy electric fan.
And I got rid of the mechanical fan, its weight, and the horsepower it was stealing. Plus, I shed about 25 pounds!
But, to each his own! Go Mopar!

If I had a vapor lock issue, then an aluminum radiator, which might allow me to have an engine that runs 20 degrees cooler,
would seem like a possible solution. Plus, a cooler engine will make more power(ie cooler intake and carb for a colder air charge).

[Topcat]

Well, not a very good article IMO. His conclusion is: Neither is better! Not very helpful. He even said a two
row aluminum has more cooling surface area than a 4 row copper brass.  A 3 row aluminum might
freeze up your engine! (just exaggerating guys!) This seems like a no brainer. An aluminum radiator will out-cool a copper brass virtually all the time.
I had my 26 inch Mopar copper brass rodded out and reconditioned. Still was not cooling well. Put in a 2 row
aluminum Howe radiator, avg temp dropped 20 degrees. Never a problem since, and I use a wimpy electric fan.
And I got rid of the mechanical fan, its weight, and the horsepower it was stealing. Plus, I shed about 25 pounds!
But, to each his own! Go Mopar!

If I had a vapor lock issue, then an aluminum radiator, which might allow me to have an engine that runs 20 degrees cooler,
would seem like a possible solution. Plus, a cooler engine will make more power(ie cooler intake and carb for a colder air charge).

It has more to do with the count and volume than it does the material.

http://www.hotrodhotline.com/md/html/aluminum_vs_copper.php

[cudabob496]

It has more to do with the count and volume than it does the material.

http://www.hotrodhotline.com/md/html/aluminum_vs_copper.php

This article seems to prove an aluminum radiator cools better.  Though copper's heat transfer rate is twice aluminums, the lead solder reduces it to about the same as aluminum. Then, the stronger aluminum allows larger cooling tubes, and larger cooling fins between tubes, for better cooling.

Well, in summary, use whatever you want, but I can report, as I mentioned, about a 20 degree drop in engine temp with the aluminum radiator. In fact, in most of my cruising, the temp is right on 180, which corresponds to the 180 thermostat I use.  And when in the 40's or 50's, my temp would be 160 when using a 160 degree stat. Which was too cold for aluminum heads, I found out!

[Racer57]

no, to your response about not starting after a while.
I had the same problem, and the ECU was getting cooked.

I don't have headers.