What type of fan are you running?

 

yes
a fan clutch
160* stat
make sure the hoses dont collapse
and water pump is good working condition
might have to go with a block cleaning
a high volume pump or a electric pump if available more volume doe not mean more cooling
more volume = less time in the rad = less cooling

sr66 :thumbup:

 

I miss spoke earlier, the fan is a 16 inch Haden. I believe it is 1,500 CFM. BTW the water pump is new and it looks like I have good flow.

 

I miss spoke earlier, the fan is a 16 inch Haden. I believe it is 1,500 CFM. BTW the water pump is new and it looks like I have good flow.

Any 16" fan should have much more flow than that. Mine is rated at 3650 by Zirgo. Are you sure? That wouln't even cool a smallblock!

 

Their web site says 1,500, but it's called a 3,700 so it probably is a 3,700 flow.

 

One thing that will help cool it down is to run more initial timing. Try 12-14 deg. Also, if you are running an automatic trans, switch to full time vacuum instead of ported if you can. More bottom end and mid-range torque.

 

You may need to put a pusher on as you stated.What type of a car are you working with? On my Malibu,it has a plastic air dam underneath the front bumper that also diverts cool air up,therfore not soley depending on what comes through the grille,it is not unsightly either.It kind of looks decent.. Another place to check,is the thermostat fully opening?

 

Did you ensure all the air was out of the system?
Too much air will overheat you.

 

Your problem is air flow. You have way to weak of a fan on it. The thick radiator is just making it worse because that small fan can't pull the air through.

What are the dimensions of your radiator?

Can you run an engine driven fan? If you can that would be the best solution. Engine driven fans (clutch fans) can pull more than 3 X what your fan is pulling (maybe even more than 4 X). If you put in a clutch fan and shroud your problem would be solved right away!

If you can't (or won't?) put in a clutch fan you are going to have to find a fan that fits that will pull much more air. One of the fans that pulls A LOT of air is the old Taurus 3.8L fans. They are said to pull 4000-4500 CFM on high speed (it is a 2 speed fan). They can be had in a j/y for around $30. The problem with them is that they pull A LOT of current to move that much air. I have heard that they pull over 40A constant when on high and 130A when they are getting up to speed. The factory alternator you have most likely doesn't put out 40A at idle so you will need to get a more powerful alt. You will also need to get a high current (50A) relay or you could use 2 of the normal 30A relays. While the fan might be cheep everything else that you will need for it adds up quick. I'm sure if you do a search here you will find more info on the Taurus fan. I think the fan itself is about 17-18" in diameter and it comes mounted to a plastic shroud that is about 16" X 22"

 

i agree with rick458, make sure the filler neck on the radiator is higher than the water neck on the engine

 

fan adjustment

If you have a fan shroud the fan should sit inside the shroud 3/4 of an inch. If there is no fan shroud. The fan should sit 3 inches away from the rad. Fan spacers can be purchased from Mr Gasket in 1/4 inch increments to get the fan in the correct location.

 

To answer a few of the questions. The car is a 37 Cadillac Coupe with a Buick 455 engine. There is absolutely no way to run a mechanical fan. It has to be an electric. The radiator core is 18 X 22 with tanks above and below. There is a shroud on it and it is well built with no gaps. The fan sits about about 2-3 inches away from the radiator.

I do like the idea of adding a pusher or the Taurus fan. I am currently running a relay so changing that to a larger one should not be too difficult. The alternator is ony 60 amps but fortunatly the wiring harness came with provisions for a larger alternator.

The filler neck is well above the engine, thus the reason I can not run a mechanical fan.

Which do you guy's think would be better, the added pusher, or the Taurus fan. Will I get an added CFM air flow by adding the pusher in front of the radiator.

 

Because you can't run a shroud with a pusher it will be less efficient then the puller is. I think it would also add yet another restriction to airflow when you are on the hwy (when the fans don't need to be running).

I think the Taurus fan is a good choice because it won't be any more of a restriction then what you have now and because it has 2 speeds you could use it just like turning on the extra pusher (you could use 2 controllers and have it turn on low at say 190 and high at 200 for example). Or you could just drive around with it on low and switch it to high when you see the temp going up at a stoplight. It also sounds like the shroud that it comes with will work without much modification.

 

I had a very similar problem in my Anglia. My engine compartment is very small for the engine. I fabbed up inner fender panels, ran sheet rubber wherever air could get around the grill(to ensure all air went through the grill), fabbed up a fan shroud, and added air scoops on the inside of the fenders with exits in engine compartment pointed down, toward the headers(3" dryer vents). If you have not done so, Jet-Hot your headers, this was worth 12 degrees for me. I also went to a 160 thermostat.
Good Luck,
Bob

 

overheat

you sead the temp was at 210max that is not overheating,with a good pressure capyou can go 220 with no damageto the engine. is your rad clean internally also check temp at top of rad and bottom the must beonly a small diference if the difference is sy15dgrs the water is not flowing threw fast enough indicating internal blockage ornot enough rad for waterpump capasity

 

I had all the same problems on my Pontiac 428. I was getting a lot of pressure in the radiator that was caused by a small head gasket leak. I bit of alumaseal did the trick. I wrestled with the overheating problems for years before I figured it out.

 

Heat

Doc here, imp:

Sounds like your tight engine compartment is contributing to your overheating Issues....

I have had this problem several times on Corvettes, and almost every time it boils (no pun intended) Down to the lack of evacuated hot air from the engine compartment..

The hood seals on an older Vette (if new) are almost airtight..The air dam in front only grabs air and directs it to the induction system..So MOVING air is at a preimun..I have in the past, removed the air dam, and (on some models) the side louvers are non operational, I have made those operational, and in extreme cases, added Vent holes in the fender wells to the rear..So air can flow in...over the engine then OUT..through the fender wells for good circulation.

By this alone I have been able to reduce operating temps as much as 20 degrees..

This may very well be your problem if the rest of the cooling system is up to par..

Doc imp:

 

What are you using to check temp? If its a stock type gauge i would be sure of actual temp first I've got a 2001 gmc dually with 6.0 that runs at 210 on the gauge all the time has since it was new

 

Guy's thanks for the help. Here is a run down of the situation and were it currently stands.

To start out I was doing all my testing at 95 degrees outside and the A/C on full, to try and get a worst case test. It started out running at 240 deg. I then changed the carburetor because it was running lean. This brought it down to 230 deg.

Then I put in Water Wetter, this brought it down to about 220 deg. Next I put in some air blocks to try and get as much air as I could down the radiator. This brought it down to 215 deg while running down the road but would over heat while sitting.

Then I moved the A/C condenser forward from the radiator about 6 inches and added another fan on the condenser. This brought it down to 210 deg both running down the road and sitting.

Now I just finished installing an air scoop which deflects air up from underneath and covered a few more gaps, to ensure all the air goes down the radiator. I just ran it 50 miles at 92 degrees outside air temp and it ran at 195-200 degrees. The A/C was putting out 40 degree air. I don't thing I'm going to get much better.

The question is; is 200 degrees OK to run with?

 

Your situation sounds like normal operating conditions to me, where are you measuring your temps at? If it's the head then I would say move your sender to the intake where the coolant temp is more representative of average coolant temperature. The thermostat opening temp is only that, when it opens. 210F with all accessories operating in 95 F air temp is entirely acceptable from my point of view especially if your temp gauge has not been calibrated, I've seen them 30 F off brand new.

200 F is normal operating conditions to me, heck 220 F is not unheard of either.

 

i had a 406 sbc that overheated and was able to fix it with enough time experimenting and money.it sounds like yours is not overheating but getting hotter than you want it to.the biggest things i did was use a huge alum. rad. but then you have all that extra volume of water to move so you have to get a better water pump.a stewart stage 2 is what i used but an edelbrock rpm is also good.the next thing is to drill 3, 1/4" holes in your stat. to keep from getting an air lock and it will alow you to fill much easier also.if you try these things with what you have now it should make a difference.in the summer you can use the 160 stat. and a good water additive is 40 below but expensive.you may want to check out evans cooling systems.i think you are closer than you think,210 is not hot.good luck.

 

I bit of alumaseal did the trick.

Is the alumaseal you used something you dump in with the coolant and it finds the leak and seals it or do you have to take the heads off and seal it manually?