Hello all,
thanks for your suggestions, all of them very helpful, but I'd like to point out that after I did fit a new set of electric fans behind the newly recored radiator and an electronically controlled thermostat, I never had any problem with the engine temperature. It remained well under control anytime, even during last week's hot queues. My problem is the engine bay heat that makes the carburettor boil and, as a consequence, the engine stalls.
The opening of some louvres on the hood would surely help lower the engine bay temperature, as no obvious exit was provided for this heat. The fact is that all the heat produced in the combustion chambers of the iron-block 318 is enclosed in a nearly completely sealed 'box' that is the 409's engine bay and this heat cannot escape at all.
I'm sure that Roger is right in suggesting to remove those heavy cast-iron manifolds to put in some tubular manifolds would make a significant improvement, but the cost and modifications would be a bit too much for my taste; apart from that, I think that as the manifolds do not produce that heat, they just transmit it, it would not probably cure my problem completely.
My idea of buying a spare 409 hood would be to make some experiments; I'm sure that I could solve the problem with some judiciously studied louvres but I need to try.
Thanks again for your help,
Stefano
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