cooling the engine down

[ShelbyDogg]

Everyone here knows I drive my car. 440, 4-sp, headers. 4000 miles last month. I had heat problems 20 years ago. Here's what I got.  I had my 26" radiator recored to a 3-core, I put in a fan shroud with a brand new clutch (thermostat type), factory 6 to 8 bladed stock fan.
Never had anymore cooling problems. I run a 195 degree thermostat (required for fuel injection), and sit idling in hot ,humid 100 plus degree heat all the time at car shows and cruises.  The beauty of a clutch fan is that when the temp rises,  I hear it kick into high gear and the air flow increases till the temp goes down, then it quiets down again. An electric fan could NEVER pull the air that a Chrysler 8 bladed fan pulls.  The Factory had the BEST setup.

Rob

[MEK-Dangerfield]

Rob,

  An 8-blade fan? I have only seen 5,6, and 7 blades. Is this a later year fan?

  Mike

[ShelbyDogg]

Rob,

  An 8-blade fan? I have only seen 5,6, and 7 blades. Is this a later year fan?

  Mike

Okay maybe 7, My car isn't here right now and I can't go out to look. I think it's 7 rigid blades not the flexible type.  My car came with the A36 cooling package (hemi radiator, clutch fan, 3:55. etc)

[miketyler]

is thermal better than spring clutch fans?

[ShelbyDogg]

Yes Mike,
The type I mean has the bi-metal spring type coil exposed on the end of the clutch fan that varies the fluid clutch inside the unit.   

There is a second type that doesn't have a spring. I don't use that type.

[Fast Finch]

Well, this thread has all sorts of advice and all good.

Here in Fresno we are currently dealing with 110*+ heat.  I have a 440, 60 over bore and less than 1000 miles on it, so it is suppose to run hot but the weather truly doesn't help.  Dual  fans and an Aluminum radiator has helped a lot.  I am using a 180* thermostat and we drilled two small holes in it to make it a fail safe.

Even in our heat I am running at 210*.  This is very acceptable!

I have a new 4 core standard radiator that didn't cut it and my factory thermal fan didn't either.

I also went with a higher volume pump.

It is possible to live here in Fresno and still drive my car although sweating is part of the experience, I have no A/C.

Michael

[miketyler]

Well I got a 180 t-stat and drilled a 5/32" hole in the flange and installed it. I then took my shroud and installed vents in the low pressure areas. Drove it around a bit and she still runs at the higher end of the temp guage. Is it correct to assume that operation within the inside scale on a factory guage is acceptable? The car never went above the inside scale, I'm just not sure just how hot that actually is. 

I think before I junk my setup and go back to clutch fan and stock shroud, I'll put a real guage on it.

 

[ShelbyDogg]

Mine never goes above halfway up on the factory guage. it usually stays between  the lower line in the operating range and halfway.   I run a 195 degree thermostat.  Does yours stay cool on the highway? On the highway the fans aren't needed and that'll tell you if the radiator is big enough.

Rob

[miketyler]

I havent had it out on the highway yet but have had some long stretches to get it up to 50mph+.  Its a 26" radiaitor so I would assume it should be ok

[moparnut]

I think before I junk my setup and go back to clutch fan and stock shroud, I'll put a real guage on it.

 

Good idea

[MEK-Dangerfield]

I havent had it out on the highway yet but have had some long stretches to get it up to 50mph+.  Its a 26" radiaitor so I would assume it should be ok

Mike,

  Do you know how many cores this radiator has? The newer ones should be more efficient, but what about your old one? I have an original 26" radiator in my car(440), and even in 90 degree weather, the temp gauge only goes 1/4 of the way up. Of course, I have no A.C., or anything that would put a strain on it. I do use water-wetter though.

  Mike

[Oldschool]

The Beast will usually sit right on the 180* t-stat most of the time.  On real hot days--90*+ it will slowly climb to a few degrees over 200* when on the highway running 60 or so.  This very acceptable.  I am running the 26" Be-Cool dual electric fan set-up.  I am also running an electric water pump.  So far, it has never overheated.  Stays between 180*-195* when sitting in traffic on a hot day.  I always place the tranny in neutral when sitting still in traffic.  I believe that the open hood scoop helps cool the engine down when on the highway because it catches a lot of fresh air and bathes the engine in it.

[MEK-Dangerfield]

The Beast will usually sit right on the 180* t-stat most of the time.  On real hot days--90*+ it will slowly climb to a few degrees over 200* when on the highway running 60 or so.  This very acceptable.  I am running the 26" Be-Cool dual electric fan set-up.  I am also running an electric water pump.  So far, it has never overheated.  Stays between 180*-195* when sitting in traffic on a hot day.  I always place the tranny in neutral when sitting still in traffic.  I believe that the open hood scoop helps cool the engine down when on the highway because it catches a lot of fresh air and bathes the engine in it.

Ken,

  I didn't think about the hood scoop thing. I'm sure that helps me. I get plenty of bugs in the air-filter.   

  Mike

[miketyler]

well screw it. All the mechanical guages I saw have a large diameter sense bulb. I couldn't find one that was small enough or had an adapter to fit on this Mopar Performance manifold. The sender hole is very small, around 1/2" fine thread. Where else would you put a mechanical sender??

I went ahead and pulled my dual fans and shroud setup and slapped in the stock shroud with a FIXED OEM fan. I test drove the car for 20 mins w/OAT of 97 degrees. For most of the drive needle stayed horizontal or just above. The last five mins in stop and go traffic saw the needle creeping up towards the high end of the operating scale.

I think I am on the right track going back with the stock fan and shroud. I assume a clutch fan will give me better air flow at low RPM? Any substantial benefit to getting a third core added to the radiator?

[ShelbyDogg]

Mike,
The 3rd Row is what my cooling problems plus my stock 2 core was half plugged.  The clutch fan came standard when the heavy duty cooling package was ordered which my car had (A36), with the 7-bladed fan. Plus mine is a big block 440. It's worth a try.

Did you check your timing to make sure that you have enough?