I've finally got my little '64 Comet on the road. It runs well, but gets a little on the hot side after buzzing around a bit. It generally sits right around 185 degrees when it's idling, but works its way up to about 210 after some driving. It's a 200 CID six with the stock four blade fan and no shroud. There's no heater as I've plugged the ports at the head and water pump. I've flushed the radiator out several times and I believe the thermostat is a 180 degree unit. I'm thinking of switching to a better mechanical fan, but am not sure which one to buy. I thought I read that some of the flex fans can self destruct after awhile. Anyone got any ideas on brand of fan or anything else I can check. Anyone make a shroud for a six cyl radiator?
I always use the 16" fan sold by ARA made for air conditioned cars. It's reasonably priced and does a great job. They are not a flex fan so pull air all the time. Add some Redline Water Wetter with your 50/50 mix of antifreeze.
sounds like your engine is mostly stock with a stock rad and fan, something must have changed, can you see into the rad and does it look like there is build up on the cores, maybe your waterpump is not pumping like it should, timing off maybe, global warming?
You must have the original radiator, as Budd suspects, but a shroud would be the first improvement if it were mine.
Thanks for the response so far. I saved this car from a s**** yard, so I'm not sure how it ran before I bought it. My guess is that the cores in the radiator have deposits in them. I cleaned it out really well, but you can still see some scale in there. Has anyone used one of those aluminum radiators that you see on Ebay? I'll have to look in my shop manual and see what temp range it's designed to run at.
From what you have said, it's not an air flow problem....185 at idle when the fan is required... the current fan must be up to the task. If it heats up on the road when the fan is not needed it probably is a partially clogged radiator. I had it happen to me once and to my buddy another time. Replaced the radiator both times with a stock replacement to solve the problem. If you know someone with a laser thermometer, check to make sure that the whole surface area of the radiator is up to temp.
Repro Mustang radiators are cheap...check out dimensions. Fan probably not the problem, as pointed out above, but on fans the BEST would be a thermostatic cluch fan, a common and dirt cheap junkyard part from most '70's-80's RWD cars. No drag until needed. If you ever need more fan than a car one, go look at dead taxis and police cars, which are often equipped with huge multi blade agressive angle fans for long idling. I think you will find blade bolt pattern and clutch bolt pattern the same on almost any Ford.
Go with a flexolite nylon flex fan they really pull the air,can take the rpms,and are easy on your waterpump.I have them on every car i own cause they work.Speedways carries them in 15",17",18".
Double check timing and carb, a stockish motor well tuned shouldnt overheat, even without a fan while moving
There is an off chance that you might have an air flow problem, but different from what's described above. I'm not familiar with the behind grill area of the comet, but at highway speeds air will go the path of least resistance. If it can go around your radiator, then it will. I'd check to make sure that air is forced thru your radiator...ie there are no huge gaps above hood, where the radiator mounts to the radiator support, etc. that would allow the air to byp*** the radiator.
Your stock equipment should cool it. I'd suspect the radiator needs rodded out or replaced. Seeing how you live in Florida people tend not to use anti-freeze and rust scale clogs 'em up. Same problem in all the sunbelt states. Get the fan close to the radiator, use spacers if needed. Buy or make a shroud. There's a thread here where a guy made a shroud out of fibergl***. Oh, and flex fans ****, unless you like the sound of a space heater under your hood.
Consider this. You say you took out the heater and blocked the lines. How much extra water capacity did you just take out of the cooling system? If your rad is beginning to plug up you are on the edge of not having enough capacity to begin with. Now, one of the two radiators you had, ( radiator and heater) is gone. Look for a V8 radiator for your Comet. And a shroud. The shroud directs air into the radiator instead of around it. Good luck. My wife had a couple of those 200" sixes,both in Mustangs, great little motors!
vote number 2 for looking onto the Mustang radiators. I bet they have one that would fit, and they are reasonably cheap since they sell so many to the Mustang guys
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=380196&highlight=fan+shroud check this post to make a fan shroud to help with cooling. probably is a clogged up radiator though
The Comets and Mustangs shared the same radiator in 64-65. # 443251 from Autozone is only $153.99. Industry standard number is 251 for you radiator.
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