Over heating - Radiator Fan issues???

im fighting the same problem with mine too.... outside temps under 90.. my car runs at 190 all day long like a champ... soon as the outside temp goes above 90... my temp climbs when driving at high speeds on the freeway... no ac! new 350, 3 row aluminum radiator, fan and shroud... tested my gauge, tested my thermostat, timing right on etc... frustrating!! let me know what you find out...

 

bro check out becool radiators! i got one for my caprice, 110 outside and it never gets over 210 in traffic! look at the desert cooler, copper br*** one, not the aluminum one. i like the stock look better!

 

Forget "Be Cool" go here, http://www.entropyrad.com/index.php?_a=viewCat&catId=25 I did and haven't looked back great product and goosd support.

 

the nice thing about be cool is that its local!

 

thanks buddy! i was thinking about the one from the Car Shop in Orange... its a 4 core desert cooler one too.. looks stock... ill check out the becool ones real quick...

 

either will work!

 

Presuming the engine, cooling system, and engine timing are all in good condition and properly functioning, over heating at high speeds usually have one of 2 probable causes. If the engine does not over heat when at idle, or will cool down when the speeds are reduced, the cooling systems are usually functioning correctly. The issue is speed related. Those 2 causes are:
Not enough air flow, or coolant moving too fast through the rad.

For proper cooling, there has to be enough air p***ing through the rad to remove the heat. That air flow can be reduced by poor air flow around bumpers, grills, or having too small of a front opening. It can be reduced by dirt clogged or bent fins in the rad and/or other coolers, too many other coolers, bug screens, or poor sealing of the rad to the front end allowing too much air to byp*** the rad instead of going through the rad. It can also be reduced by fan and fan shroud interfering with the air flow. As the speed increases, the fan and shroud actually slow the air flow down. Another often overlooked area concerning air flow is that once the air enters the engine compartment, it must also be able to leave the engine compartment. Normally, that air exits the engine compartment at the bottom of the firewall. If you have every available open space air can exit from under the hood filled with headers, master cylinder boosters or whatever, the less air can leave. The less air that can leave means less air can enter. The less air that enters, the less the heat can be removed. The faster you go, the more heat you are producing and the more profound the effects of poor air flow become apparent.

The 2nd cause of high speed overheating is usually because the coolant is moving through the engine and rad too fast. I know I'm going to get a bunch of **** over this one, but hear me out. Cooling is a process of heat transfer. The coolant picks up the heat from the engine and transfers it to the rad. The rad spreads the coolant through rows of small tubes and fins designed to allow the heat to be disapated to the air p***ing through the fins and tubes. Coolant speed is determined by the water pump rpm. As the engine rpm increases, the time the coolant can absorb the heat from the engine and the time it can disapate the heat through the rad is reduced at a time more heat is being generated. Every cooling system in the world has a specific range of acceptable conditions it was designed to operate in. Automotive applications are no different. Most vehicles have systems designed for a specific range of engine rpms. The system can be modified to operate in a different rpm range, but few can operate effecently at any rpm range, they either loose effecency at the lower rpm or at the higher rpm. The difference is the speed at which the coolant is moving through the system. Taxis and police cars that spend a lot of time idling usually move the coolant through the engine faster then race cars that operate at high rpm by altering pulley sizing. The heat transfer process take a specific amount of time, you either speed up the coolant speed or slow down the coolant speed to accomadate that required time at any given rpm range. Most cooling systems are designed to operate at lower rpm. If your overheating at high rpm, you need to lower the rpm, or slow the coolant speed down, or you need to have a lot more capacity. Correct spelling optional, its late and I'm tired. Gene

 

Thorkle Rod,

The 1963 - 1966 Chevy Pickup Dual Fan Aluminum Radiator that you recommended looks like a great option. Thanks.

In addition I just got off the phone with Dan at Howe Racing. He can take their racing 342A radiator sold through Jegs.com($205) and weld some brackets for a total of $275.

 

List of possible solutions (select one or all):
Replace water pump with high flo model - Edelbrock or FlowKooler ( I use a FlowKooler on my SBC)
Replace thermostat with 180 degree unit
Install fan clutch and a factory fan (Flex fans have been known to come apart with bad results to surrounding elements)
Put two table s****s of "Cascade" brand granulated dishwasher soap into radiator and drive it up to temp. Dump out coolant and replace. (do this first and it may solve all your problems)
If none of the above solve the problem you can then replace the radiator and go to e-fans along with the new water pump.

Just my opinion.

 

A couple of issues, the water pump pulley seems a little small, you will be spinning it faster and casuing more turbulance. The edges of the fan HAVE to be outside of the shroud or you will be creating MORE turbulance. The fan has to be parallel to the edge of the shroud or you will create even more turbulance. This is not at idle (we need pics of the skirtless women) but at speed where the air flow and fan air intermingle. while your at it check you plugs for running too lean and check you timing and advance (both) for proper operation and settings. One way to check you fan operation is to take it off and see how the temp reacts. Same pulley setup as before?

 

G***er300 suggested eliminating the flex fan and installing a regular steel fan and clutch along with coil reinforced hoses. Can I get an amen???

 

Just be sure the fan ends up being in the proper location in the shroud after you install the clutch steel bladed fan and coil reinforced hoses. Gene

 

great info... thanks for taking the time to post... makes sense... i was thinking along the lines of coolant going thru the radiator too fast too... i have the same engine setup.. as a few of my 49-54 buddies with 350's... so im thinking of changing radiators... im running a Jegs aluminum cross flow, 3 core now... my buddy is running a 4 core ?desert cooled? stock replacement from the Car Shop in Orange... no problems... he doesnt have headers though ??

 

CJ....^^^^That makes alot of sense in what your dealing with...especially having a new rad, you shouldnt be dealing with high speed overheating.

 

bump

 

Here's the update:

The 3 row radiator I had installed in Dec 2010 just so happened to have an internal trans cooler. Sooo I took off the external cooler and this got the temp down during high speed tests. Also I trimmed the shroud to get it 50/50 on the blade. This was brought the temp down significantly during low speed tests! I got rid of the flex fan and saw some improvement at high speeds. I still need to change hoses that might be collapsing. Hopefully this will solve all issues in August.

GUYS -MANY THANKS FOR ALL SUGGESTIONS!!!!!!!!!!! THESE IMPROVEMENTS WOULD HAVE NOT HAPPENED WITHOUT YOUR INPUT!!!!!

 

Thanks for the update. I really apreciate hearing how issues finally get resolved.

 

Thanks for the update, and congrats on the improvement of your overheating issues. Gene

 

Get duct tape and cardboard. Open the hood and duct tape all the areas in the core support where air might slide by or around the radiator core, sides and bottom. Take a drive see if anything changes, if temp is down then go back home. Using the cardboard make up a "shield" from end to end of the core at the base or the tank or the top of the tank to the top of the grille at the bottom of the hood lip. Take another drive and see what happens, if temp is further down, go home.
Now make cardboard shield into aluminum or steel and replace cardboard and use webbing between panels etc to replace tape...or just leave the tape and rock on.

This procedure will work on any early or late model vehicle which has a front opening hood.

 

YTD: I changed the hoses for flex hoses but this didn't stop the 104 degree July heat from causing my engine to reach 230 unfortunately. I got a 4 row used radiator and it seems to keep it under 230. Might consider installing a double electric fan but we will see...