Cooling a big block in the desert

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big high quality radiator, shroud and mechanical clutch fan. high flow pump with matching 180 high flow stat.

the most important thing is to have a system that works together and not a hodge-podge of parts thrown at it with hopes and dreams.

[let the disputation of alum. v brass, oval tube, staggered tube, down flow v cross flow and dual electric fans commence]
 
I think your coolant temps will be fine using aluminum radiator, big clutch fan, effective shroud, and a 160 thermostat or a gutted thermostat, but your carburetor and fuel temps will likely be another problem. Fuel boiling and vapor lock is a pretty big deal in the desert.
I had a velcro heat shield on my fuel line along the "framerail" next to the header. I also had heat wrap on the rubber line going to the carb. I assume your heads don't have an exhaust crossover, but if they do, block it off.
a wooden spacer helps insulate the carb as well. Never had any problems with fuel boiling.

Also, I would do a radiator and block flush a couple times before going. I have had dirty cooling systems bite me a lot. my cummins took three flushes before it stopped getting hot randomly. It was wild how much **** came out of that thing.
 
Call US Radiator and tell them all about your build. They'll build you one that'll cool a Sherman tank engine if that's what you want.
 
dukeboy440 said:
I’m making a Route 66 run in June. 440, aluminum headed with headers.

Suggestions on how to keep this sucker cool in the desert heat of June ? And in likely heavy traffic
Click to expand...
lots of breaks
an extra fan that runs during the break
(2nd bat/switch overide, use maybe...like a 12/7a ups gel battery)
moisture fogging the rad
 
Overdrive and lots of cruise timing. 45-50 degrees with mechanical and vacuum advance and she’ll run for hours and not touch the middle of the gauge.
 
Be sure your pulley sizing and water pump match.

Traditionally non AC had .95:1 with 8 vane water pump.

Traditionally AC had 1.4:1 to one with 6 vane water pump.

Put the wrong pump with the wrong pulley was a recipe for problems.

Your engine might be significantly different than stock, but our parents drove through the Mohave in C bodies, the wife and 3 kids in the back. And a super majority of them got through just fine.
 

Two things that make the biggest improvement:
- overdrive the water pump 10-20%
- the front AND back of the impeller needs to be closed off. When it is closed off, ALL of the water is captured & pumped through the engine. A pump that has an open back, or open front, does not capture all thw water.
 
Bewy said:
Two things that make the biggest improvement:
- overdrive the water pump 10-20%
- the front AND back of the impeller needs to be closed off. When it is closed off, ALL of the water is captured & pumped through the engine. A pump that has an open back, or open front, does not capture all thw water.
Click to expand...
not sure what you mean, have an example by chance?
 
dukeboy440 said:
not sure what you mean, have an example by chance?
Click to expand...
flow kooler implements this feature in their pumps:

flowkoolerwaterpumps.com

FlowKooler Hi Flow Water Pumps

FlowKooler pumps patented impeller designs help stop engines from overheating and reduces engine temperature up to 30 degrees by doubling the flow of coolant and building system pressure.
flowkoolerwaterpumps.com flowkoolerwaterpumps.com

fwiw, i've run one of their pumps in damn near everything i've owned over the last 30 years. the product is quality and the results are tangible. key part is getting a *good* high flow t-stat and making sure your pulleys are sized appropriately.

been running their pump on my 69 cuda with a small block since 98 or 99. stock radiator with a 4th core added, stock shroud and a MP viscous fan package, stock AC lower pulley and a 80's diplomat pump pulley. it'll sit and idle in LA traffic in july or run I-10 thru arizona in august at 90 and stay cool as a cucumber.
 
junkyardhero said:
flow kooler implements this feature in their pumps:

flowkoolerwaterpumps.com

FlowKooler Hi Flow Water Pumps

FlowKooler pumps patented impeller designs help stop engines from overheating and reduces engine temperature up to 30 degrees by doubling the flow of coolant and building system pressure.
flowkoolerwaterpumps.com flowkoolerwaterpumps.com

fwiw, i've run one of their pumps in damn near everything i've owned over the last 30 years. the product is quality and the results are tangible. key part is getting a *good* high flow t-stat and making sure your pulleys are sized appropriately.

been running their pump on my 69 cuda with a small block since 98 or 99. stock radiator with a 4th core added, stock shroud and a MP viscous fan package, stock AC lower pulley and a 80's diplomat pump pulley. it'll sit and idle in LA traffic in july or run I-10 thru arizona in august at 90 and stay cool as a cucumber.
Click to expand...
works for me! Thanks! Ordered!
 
Last edited:
i prefer a stock rad recored to a high efficiently staggard core with the proper shroud and 18 or so inch clutch fan. i also run th eflowkooler pump. not sure how much a difference it makes because i have no before/after tests changing just the pump. you will need to run the high flow stat recommended.. is use a 180 degree because i like some heat on th ecool mornings.
 
abodyjoe said:
i prefer a stock rad recored to a high efficiently staggard core with the proper shroud and 18 or so inch clutch fan. i also run th eflowkooler pump. not sure how much a difference it makes because i have no before/after tests changing just the pump. you will need to run the high flow stat recommended.. is use a 180 degree because i like some heat on th ecool mornings.
Click to expand...
ordered the flowkooler pump and t-stat just now! Thanks!
 
abodyjoe said:
i prefer a stock rad recored to a high efficiently staggard core with the proper shroud and 18 or so inch clutch fan. i also run th eflowkooler pump. not sure how much a difference it makes because i have no before/after tests changing just the pump. you will need to run the high flow stat recommended.. is use a 180 degree because i like some heat on th ecool mornings.
Click to expand...

What’s a staggered core radiator? I’ve never heard of that.
 
BTW a 160 deg thermostat will not add to cooling 1 cent. It ONLY sets the low temp of the engine not the running temp of the engine. Once the thermostat is fully open it is doing nothing to help cool the engine. lets say the engine will run at 190 under the worst conditions: High outside air temp, going up a long grade, towing a trailer, timing way off, high compression, lean AF ratio. By the time the engine reached 170 or there abouts the thermostat was fully open and if it was helping the temp would have stayed there but it didn't it kept going up till it reached 190. By 190 the 180 thermostat is fully open and since the engine is staying at 190 that's the temp under those conditions the cooling system can cool to. ONCE the thermostat is fully open it does nothing more.
 
Dana67Dart said:
BTW a 160 deg thermostat will not add to cooling 1 cent. It ONLY sets the low temp of the engine not the running temp of the engine. Once the thermostat is fully open it is doing nothing to help cool the engine. lets say the engine will run at 190 under the worst conditions: High outside air temp, going up a long grade, towing a trailer, timing way off, high compression, lean AF ratio. By the time the engine reached 170 or there abouts the thermostat was fully open and if it was helping the temp would have stayed there but it didn't it kept going up till it reached 190. By 190 the 180 thermostat is fully open and since the engine is staying at 190 that's the temp under those conditions the cooling system can cool to. ONCE the thermostat is fully open it does nothing more.
Click to expand...


The engine will only run at thermostat opening temperature IF the rest of the system is capable of maintaining that temperature.

If not the temperature will climb until the cooling system can keep up.
 
Dana67Dart said:
BTW a 160 deg thermostat will not add to cooling 1 cent. It ONLY sets the low temp of the engine not the running temp of the engine. Once the thermostat is fully open it is doing nothing to help cool the engine. lets say the engine will run at 190 under the worst conditions: High outside air temp, going up a long grade, towing a trailer, timing way off, high compression, lean AF ratio. By the time the engine reached 170 or there abouts the thermostat was fully open and if it was helping the temp would have stayed there but it didn't it kept going up till it reached 190. By 190 the 180 thermostat is fully open and since the engine is staying at 190 that's the temp under those conditions the cooling system can cool to. ONCE the thermostat is fully open it does nothing more.
Click to expand...
thanks!, I chose a 180
 
junkyardhero said:
tubes is offset as to not impede air flow

because science
Click to expand...

Ahh, offset tubes. Got it. I have never seen one with offset tubes

That may be beneficial if you can get bigger tubes in the same core thickness.

Hmmmmm.

I thought maybe he was calling a double or triple bypass radiator offset.

Kids these days have their own language.
 
Newbomb Turk said:
Ahh, offset tubes. Got it. I have never seen one with offset tubes

That may be beneficial if you can get bigger tubes in the same core thickness.

Hmmmmm.

I thought maybe he was calling a double or triple bypass radiator offset.

Kids these days have their own language.
Click to expand...
my dad has a 1943 White made M3 Half track, it has offset tubes in it. I'll have to get pics next time its apart. The engineering of it is actually kind of cool. It uses a cork gasket to seal the core to the tanks. the tanks then bolt on to the core. Our guess is that the removable tanks were done to make it easier to swap out on the battle field.
 
Newbomb Turk said:
Ahh, offset tubes. Got it. I have never seen one with offset tubes

That may be beneficial if you can get bigger tubes in the same core thickness.

Hmmmmm.

I thought maybe he was calling a double or triple bypass radiator offset.

Kids these days have their own language.
Click to expand...

how do you do fellow kids
*picks up another skateboard*

all kidding aside, a lot of the new al-loo-minimum units are starting to go toward offsets and oval tubes-- which, again, another greenbearings-esq topic.

i don't care if the radiator is made of spare ribs as long as it cools the damn thing
 
How much converter are you using, that is how much does it slip because it makes a difference on your ability to cool both motor and transmission.
 
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