Thanks @Jive-Bomber that was a good read. Makes me think of the hotrods back in the 50's who didn't run fans due to space constraints. Following the info listed in the article would probably help to offset the lack of a fan and still allow good performance.
Ironic how the advice back then is still correct today. I think the best fix for many older engines and cooling systems, ***uming that the basic parts are good shape and not leaking, is to give a good cleaning using a mild acid solution. Oxalic acid is a good one to use, comes in powder form and dissolves in water. The acid helps with the scale and rust, it works by dissolving each of those. Oxalic is not too harsh, and is pretty safe for handling. Pretty amazing what comes out after a good flush, the water/acid mix turns from clear water to an ugly brown.
Excellent reading .... I love our history, what's new has already been done years ago. Every car guy and gal should read this. Thank You.
I've used distilled water since I was a teen.In the decade that I lived in Arizona,it hit me how stupid some people are in regards to what fluids that they put in their motors.I never used city water.If you saw what it did to paint,you can only imagine what it does once it's super heated in your engine.And combing the fins of your radiator is a help,too.Summers in the Valley of the Sun will separate the men from the boys real quick.
No clue how long this car had been sitting or it's history, but after playing around with it, the 394 in my 98 actually ran OK. But SO glad I yanked it out and did a thorough inspection of everything. Back of the block was JAM PACKED with rust. Removed all the "freeze plugs" Had to use a hammer and chisel to loosen it. Well worth all the time invested. If I would have tried to just flush it and drive it, she would have overheated for sure!! Florida temps are brutal, to begin with. Cooling systems MUST be in top condition. Been installing these new aluminum radiators in most everything I build. Seem to really do the trick and half the cost. Wound up running the original style br*** one in this car, cause it checked out OK. Did 2 '54 Chevy's for a guy, they both got aluminum rads. (stock 6 cylinder) Run cool as a cu***ber. JT p.s.have become a fan of drilling 1/8" hole in thermostat, to help with air pockets.
Evans coolant today. Jay Leno's Garage intro. is where I came across Evans with Jay's promotion of small businesses for automotive uses. It will not freeze and withstands higher temps. than what we develop when our current fluids give up and leave us by the side of the road. Evans is best used when one has built a new motor and has zero water in it and their radiator. By filling both up with Evans their product works best as it will not have any water in it. Perhaps I never drained my blocks properly because I could never seem to get it all out so that's why I believe it would be best in the application of a new motor. Take a look at one of Jay's videos on U-Tube that features Evans as I believe you may find it interesting. Just one persons thoughts. Hope it may be of ***istance in the future. It's not the least expensive product, but one only has to use it once and it will not go bad even if a vehicle is stored for a number years as others will. The reason that Leno uses it for his collection.
Yep. Going to flush and fill in the next few days, then we'll be ready for cruising. Remember to check, change and keep your oil levels correct as well. Excessive friction = heat.
My wife and I witnessed first hand some Valley of the Sun heat recently when we headed toward Yuma in our air conditioned roadster going to LARS. It was 115 approaching and leaving Yuma. I love your state, but was glad to see San Diego come into view.
I can't speak enough about how much flushing out an entire system helps. I've had several flatheads on my run stand that everything looks good and after flushing them several times the water comes out like mud. It's the stuff on the inside that you can't see that leads to many cooling issues. A new radiator isn't going to fix years of crud floating around the block.
Nothing can ruin your day more than your hot rod running hotter than a 4 balled tom cat in the middle of bumper to bumper traffic. HRP
Good advice, Mechanical Fan or Electric? I had a electric fan failed at the worst possible time in Florida, maybe should have run 2 electrics if one failed at least had a auxiliary for back up
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