68 Dodge Dart with 440 Cooling recommendation

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cudabud

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I have a 1968 Dodge Dart street car with a 440/ Auto/ 3.23 Gears that is close to 500 HP and It has been running really warm 210F-220F ( Southern Texas) .

I have have been running the original 22" radiator that I had re-cored to a 3 core (Now using an Aluminum Champion 3 core) , I am also using a flex fan with shroud / Edelbrock High volume Waterpump, Distilled water, Royal Purple Ice coolant adder, timing adjusted , Fiberglass 6 pack hood and all with no luck.

My next option would be to go with ELECTRIC FANS . I really didn`t want to go this direction but I cannot find a solution.

Now, while searching for Electric fans, the problem I am having is the distance between the radiator core and the Waterpump nose is 2.5" and most of the electric fans that produce 3,000 CFM or great that I have found are 3.5".

Has anyone ran across this issue running a BB in a A-body ? Or if you have any other recommendations I would really appreciate the help.
 
Sure, most everyone who has a BB a-body car has to deal with the issue. First thing I'd look at is if you have vacuum advance or not. If you don't have vacuum advance then you're probably cooking the engine driving down the freeway since the timing is retarded from where it needs to be. If the timing is correct you shouldn't have a cooling problem during normal street driving.
 
I was having cooling issues with my 408 ci Dart with an aluminum radiator (22 inch), a 7 blade clutch fan, and a Flowkooler high volume billet water pump and a 180* thermostat. I ended up getting a Milodon balanced high flow thermostat and that took care of all my issues.

What can happen if you don't have a thermostat specifically for a high volume water pump is it actually won't allow the thermostat to open like it should all the time because the volume/pressure of water from the high volume water pump. I put a 160* in mine and let my Dart run for an hour idling in the driveway and it never got over 160* so it was the best 28 dollars I could have spent vs the cheapie 10 dollar "high flow" pos that I originally had in there.
 
I was having a problem with my 470. I kina shotguned the issue . I went with a high flow impeller for my water pump . it needed to be changed anyway. Second a high flow thermostat and probably the biggest cooling difference I went with a Ford Torus electric fan . Their cheap and put out a butt load of air and I use a little water wetter. Now Ii come up to 185 the fan kicks in and it will stay between just below 180 to 185. Our summers are 100* plus. So far so good. My fan sets just a little below the water pump nose . I can post pics if you like. Torus radiators run under $100. on Ebay but you need to know right year and engine. You can also do a search , there is a good article about using them.
 
There was a thread on here where they had cooling problems and blocking off the hood scoop lowered the water temperature.
Is your scoop sealed to the carburetor or open to the engine compartment?
 
First, I want to thank everyone for the guidance and time.

Currently I have a 180f thermostat it`s not a high flow thermostat (so i will change that out ).

The car does have a vacuum advance on it and I have messed with it but did not see much better results ( The high temps are mainly when cruising around town).

The six pack scoop is opened to the engine area as I was thinking it would help desipate the heat or would this be issue?

Zigs can you post picture of your Ford Torus electric fan setup. Is the article in the A-bodies only forum?

I am going to revisit all the points made and change to the Milodon high flow Thermostat and see what happens and
 
First, I want to thank everyone for the guidance and time.

Currently I have a 180f thermostat it`s not a high flow thermostat (so i will change that out ).

The car does have a vacuum advance on it and I have messed with it but did not see much better results ( The high temps are mainly when cruising around town).

The six pack scoop is opened to the engine area as I was thinking it would help desipate the heat or would this be issue?

Zigs can you post picture of your Ford Torus electric fan setup. Is the article in the A-bodies only forum?

I am going to revisit all the points made and change to the Milodon high flow Thermostat and see what happens and
Online. Look up " Using AFord Taurus fan ". Several articles you can read. You have to be careful because they used two different fans. You want years 87 to 93 in the big V6 or 8's. You can also do a search on here.
 
IMG_20190530_143332108.jpg
IMG_20190530_143347486.jpg
 
First, I want to thank everyone for the guidance and time.

Currently I have a 180f thermostat it`s not a high flow thermostat (so i will change that out ).

The car does have a vacuum advance on it and I have messed with it but did not see much better results ( The high temps are mainly when cruising around town).

The six pack scoop is opened to the engine area as I was thinking it would help desipate the heat or would this be issue?

Zigs can you post picture of your Ford Torus electric fan setup. Is the article in the A-bodies only forum?

I am going to revisit all the points made and change to the Milodon high flow Thermostat and see what happens and

My 6 pack scoop has to be sealed to the hood, overheats on the hi way w/o it ------
 
SAME problem here! 1972 dart with 440. Still have the original 22" radiator with shroud and flex fan. its fine if the temp is 85 or below with no humidity, but most of the summer here is 95+ and HIGH humidity and it creeps up past 210, so too am trying to figure something out..
 
Your crank pulley needs to be larger than Your water pump/fan pulley. Sometimes, when changing motors, this gets overlooked.
 
Good pictures , better then mine. The Fan will set below and off to the drivers side a little. I have a 26" radiator and modified the shroud
They are a two speed fan . I was told but have no proof , that low speed pushes around 3000 cfm and high speed 4500. I have only the low speed hooked up.
 
Your crank pulley needs to be larger than Your water pump/fan pulley. Sometimes, when changing motors, this gets overlooked.
Its a ***** tryin to find a smaller single groove water pump pulley on a big block that matches up with a standard lower pulley !
I found one " a guy on here" has, but it aint the same depth as my pully set up .
 
Its a ***** tryin to find a smaller single groove water pump pulley on a big block that matches up with a standard lower pulley !
I found one " a guy on here" has, but it aint the same depth as my pully set up .
I got mine off of ebag. Upper and lower pulley .
 
Zigs, I got the 1993 Ford Tarus electric fan but the Fan is still is to deep and will hit the water pump pulley. It seems from your pictures your Radiator is relocated in front of the core support is that correct? i have attached a couple pictures of the fan spacing issue.

image1-2.jpeg


image2-2.jpeg
 
I put a Cordoba radiator with shroud in my '72 Duster. It also has a clutch fan and a big 7 blade fan. This should run cool but I don't have the wiring all finished up yet so I haven't gotten it out on the road yet.
DSC_3637 (Large).JPG
 
I put a Cordoba radiator with shroud in my '72 Duster. It also has a clutch fan and a big 7 blade fan. This should run cool but I don't have the wiring all finished up yet so I haven't gotten it out on the road yet.
View attachment 1715349662

Andy, how will your hood shut? Looks like the radiator sits too high..??
 
Zigs, I got the 1993 Ford Tarus electric fan but the Fan is still is to deep and will hit the water pump pulley. It seems from your pictures your Radiator is relocated in front of the core support is that correct? i have attached a couple pictures of the fan spacing issue.

View attachment 1715349651

View attachment 1715349652
Well not much core left. I'm using a 26" radiator had to to some trimming. If you notice the fan set to the driver side and down. I'll see if I can get better pictures.
 
IMG_20190615_134304835.jpg
Zigs, I got the 1993 Ford Tarus electric fan but the Fan is still is to deep and will hit the water pump pulley. It seems from your pictures your Radiator is relocated in front of the core support is that correct? i have attached a couple pictures of the fan spacing issue.

View attachment 1715349651

View attachment 1715349652
I should mention I'm running a 26" Northern. I have no original radiator left. Made my own supports. In the pictures you'll see my finger inbetwee
Zigs, I got the 1993 Ford Tarus electric fan but the Fan is still is to deep and will hit the water pump pulley. It seems from your pictures your Radiator is relocated in front of the core support is that correct? i have attached a couple pictures of the fan spacing issue.
IMG_20190615_134246050.jpg
IMG_20190615_134146716.jpg
IMG_20190615_134142257.jpg
IMG_20190615_134126559.jpg
IMG_20190615_134107346.jpg
IMG_20190615_134100176.jpg

View attachment 1715349651

View attachment 1715349652
I should mention. That I have a Northern 26" radiator 27" over all . I have no original rad support , made my own brackets. If you notice picture with my finger in it, that's the space between water pulley and fan. Also you will notice that my fan sets to the left and down from the pulley. You may have to do some tweeking if fan doesn't slide down . If need be remove top hose , if not already done. Also you can trim plastic around motor with drummel
 
Its a ***** tryin to find a smaller single groove water pump pulley on a big block that matches up with a standard lower pulley !
I found one " a guy on here" has, but it aint the same depth as my pully set up .

So did I, 440 source has them for a good price too. But they are the same size , 6 13/16 ?? I think .
 
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