302 over heating

I don't mean to insult your intelligence here or anything, but are you certain you have the thermostat installed the right way? I question this because you sounded confused in an earlier post about which way the water flows through the engine. (by the way, it comes out of the engine through the t-stat housing, and into the radiator)

I don't want to see you tear this thing all apart if it is something silly. I would also be sure to make sure there are no air pockets in the system before the thermostat. However, since the guage is reading I'm thinking this is not the issue.

Hey.... not insulting at all.... I have checked with a couple of my old school buddies when they were here..... unfortunatley they are all Chevy guys.... spring/ coil side towards the motor right???

Originally Posted by Neverunning67

I don't mean to insult your intelligence here or anything, but are you certain you have the thermostat installed the right way? I question this because you sounded confused in an earlier post about which way the water flows through the engine. (by the way, it comes out of the engine through the t-stat housing, and into the radiator)

I don't want to see you tear this thing all apart if it is something silly. I would also be sure to make sure there are no air pockets in the system before the thermostat. However, since the guage is reading I'm thinking this is not the issue.

Yes, spring towards the engine

You're going to need this---> AutoZone.com | Vehicle Selection | Year



$71 bucks, and it don't matter that it say's Maverick, a 302 is a 302...

you people are awesome....
thanks so much.... clicked on the link and it took me to year and vehicle selection? what was it??

Originally Posted by FEandGoingBroke

Yes, spring towards the engine

You're going to need this---> AutoZone.com | Vehicle Selection | Year



$71 bucks, and it don't matter that it say's Maverick, a 302 is a 302...

I click it and it takes me to a head gasket set for your 302....

You're going to need it.

FE:
AutoZone’s site relies on cookies to know what vehicle you select. It will load the category and part for whatever engine was last picked on your computer. In my case my V6 in my Windstar. If no vehicle has been picked before than it starts with the vehicle selection. If you give a P/N than that would be the best reference from them.

waterjunky98:
What he's getting at is that it will be good to have a whole head set of gaskets handy for when your tear into it. The gasket head set will come with every gasket you should need to swap head gaskets without worrying about buying them individually.

FE:
Isn't that picture of a set for EFI?

.

Did you try what FE suggested, leave the thermostat housing off and start her up?

An alternative, if you want to leave the thermostat in the housing, is to cut the heater hose that comes from the intake and put in a tee ($.99 plus $1.50 for two clamps from auto zone). Start the car then go around and hold the tee as high as it will go and open the cap. If water starts gushing out of the tee you will know the water pump is working.

Originally Posted by frdnut

If the head gaskets are on correctly there will be a little tab on the lower front corner of the gasket that will be visible sticking out from underneath the head...I tried to find a picture but didn't have any luck..

Nice piece of information. The 352s have those tabs also.

I would remove the thermostat and put the housing back on..Fill it up with water and watch for flow in the rad after you start it up..The headgaskets appear to be on correctly so I would not be too anxious to tear the heads off just yet...

Buy ANY head set for a 1970-1974 Maverick or Mustang with a 302.

That's all you need...