My little Bantam is undergoing some front end surgery (as if having the trans and rear out of it weren't enough). The radiator is a nicely done cut down Cad 3 core with electric fan and it looks pretty clean inside but it did get a bit hot last time I drove it. I'm wondering if going to a 4 core, or a different material (like aluminum), or fin size, or modern technology, or whatever might improve cooling. Is the dual inlet, dual outlet necessary or can I join the hoses into single bungs? How about the fan, if I keep electric I need to put it on the front of the radiator instead of the back. Any diff?
Airflow is paramount, especially on a flathead. Is the grille area restricting airflow? The electric fan is on the correct side of the radiator however there are those that argue that a mechanical fan pulls more air and therefore does a better job of keeping that flattie cool. The hose set-up is correct as is. I would not try to run two pumps through one hose.what thermostats are you running? I run 160's in mine and it seldom gets over 180 degrees.
Remove the radiator plug the holes fill it with water and a can of drain o . lay it flat for a couple of hours shake it around every 30 min. drain it and flush, you will suprized at the funk that runs out..
Thanks guys. The grill is pretty small, but then so is the engine, it's a 60. It has a full hood and fenders, three slats on each side as in the photo. Maybe I'll consider hood louvers. I have not seen any thermostats, if it has any they are in the bottom hoses which are still on the engine. The radiator is not pressurized and it has not boiled over, maybe my gauge is off, was reading about 220F with straight water. I'm not sure how or where a mechanical fan would fit. Is it wrong to put the electric fan in front of the radiator and have it blow through? I'l try the draino.
I can't tell from your engine compartment photo but it looks like you are not running the early style hood side panels that have full-length louvers. If yours are the later, non-louvered panels that have been modified with shorter louvers you might try a set of early side panels like the ones in the photo here. They flow a lot more air. If you don't have a set I have an extra. Aside from that cleaning out the radiator well is a good recommendation - 60s are not usually as prone to running hot as the big flatheads are.
The picture above is just how your setup looks now? If so, I think there are a few problems: 1.) No radiator shroud. There should be no way for air to sneak around the radiator. If the air goes through the grill, it needs to be forced to p*** through the radiator. Make panels that seal off the entire area around the radiator. 2.) No fan shroud. If it pulls any air through the radiator, it will only be in one small portion of the radiator. The entire surface of the radiator should be covered with a shroud that necks down to meet your fan. 3.) Small fan. It may be hard to pull much air through a 3-row with that. Also, if you decide to move the fan to the other side of the radiator, it will probably be a less effective. Much easier to pull air through the radiator, not push it.
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