my 401 Matador

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   started my Matador today and i have white foam in the rad i took my temp gun with the motor running went from 179-185 on the heads on driver but the pass was 182 and 210 but after i moved the car around they all are about 179 or so  maybe got an air pocket in it ?

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matty 401 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Jul/06/2007 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 1727	Post Options Post Reply Quote matty 401 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: my 401 Matador Posted: Mar/17/2017 at 9:05am
	started my Matador today and i have white foam in the rad i took my temp gun with the motor running went from 179-185 on the heads on driver but the pass was 182 and 210 but after i moved the car around they all are about 179 or so maybe got an air pocket in it ?
	72 matador 401 the beast 79 concord 2 door 72 matador 304 grasshopper 68 Rogue 406 93 Cherokee 4.0 5 speed

Lyle Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Jul/17/2014 Location: None Status: Offline Points: 772	Post Options Post Reply Quote Lyle Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Mar/17/2017 at 6:15pm
	First take a bristle brush and dip the rad and try to extract the "foam". If it's floating on the top and can be removed it's engine oil. If it cannot be removed this way you have air foaming or contamination. Contamination can be removed with a flush and fill. Air is from poor filling or entrapment and a small 1/8" hole in the thermostat will usually fix this. A little unpleasant history - in the summer of 74 they had a bad casting run on 401's. Just behind #3 cylinder from the oil gallery to the bottom of the water jacket. You can pressure test the coolant side and it will be fine. You will see no coolant in the oil, but when the motor is hot the higher pressure oil will "seep" to the coolant and "foam" will collect at the top of the rad. I have one of these engines and am still running it. After 2 hours of hard running I get half a cup of "foam" out of the rad that in time separates back to gooey oil in a few days. The rad fluid checks out fine and the motor temps are always good. I checked out a place in California that would fix the block for $6,000 - not. I just run it and have fun. It's a little heartbreaking after putting all the work/cost into a rebuild but one day I may just get around to finding a new block.

matty 401 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Jul/06/2007 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 1727	Post Options Post Reply Quote matty 401 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Mar/17/2017 at 6:26pm
	motor has ran for for almost 10 years hit rev limiter and it did not shift into second it pushes anti freeze out of the over flow tank when you wind it up
	72 matador 401 the beast 79 concord 2 door 72 matador 304 grasshopper 68 Rogue 406 93 Cherokee 4.0 5 speed

Boris Badanov Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Dec/14/2013 Location: NH USA Status: Offline Points: 4209	Post Options Post Reply Quote Boris Badanov Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Mar/17/2017 at 6:27pm
	Are there soda like bubbles in the antifreeze when running? I mean in, not floating.
	Gremlin Dreams

Lyle Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Jul/17/2014 Location: None Status: Offline Points: 772	Post Options Post Reply Quote Lyle Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Mar/18/2017 at 8:35am
	If it blows coolant that fast on revving then I would suspect a leaking head gasket. It's likely not foam but combustion gasses as I believe Boris is eluding too.

matty 401 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Jul/06/2007 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 1727	Post Options Post Reply Quote matty 401 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Mar/18/2017 at 9:20am
	just did the coolant test for combustion gasses it passed so head gaskets are good got to looking at at the rad i think i see the problem most of the tubes i see are almost closed anti freeze not being abole to move could be my problem
	72 matador 401 the beast 79 concord 2 door 72 matador 304 grasshopper 68 Rogue 406 93 Cherokee 4.0 5 speed

matty 401 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List AMC Addicted Joined: Jul/06/2007 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 1727	Post Options Post Reply Quote matty 401 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: Mar/20/2017 at 7:22am
	put new radiator in car is running 170 in traffic on a 80 degree day tagged it a few times got to 180 at 5000 but dropped back to 170 after slowing down no more antifreeze out the over flow
	72 matador 401 the beast 79 concord 2 door 72 matador 304 grasshopper 68 Rogue 406 93 Cherokee 4.0 5 speed