New Cooling/fan question

-
superdart

superdart

Shade Tree Tinker Gnome.....
Joined
Aug 26, 2004
Messages
1,146
Reaction score
28
Location
DFW, Texas
I am still trying to figure out what is up with my cooling system:

26" 3 core factory type downflow radiator
180 degree T-stat
50/50 mix coolant
Mopar high volume water pump.
Factory clutch fan, but it is absent a shroud because I planned to install an electric.

It obviously heats up in traffic w/o a shroud, but once I get out on the highway it continues to run hot (210+). Once it gets hot, it never really cools down. I am starting to think the water pump was a bad idea, and is pushing the water through the radiator TOO fast to transfer the heat.

It is only a 9:1 360 w/ 2.45 gears. I barely turn 2000rpms out on the highway, so I don't see why I have the cooling problems on the highway. It gets really ugly in traffic during our standard 100+ Texas summer days.

The car is already wired for a 30amp fan circuit with temp switch, and I tested a 14" Mr. Gasket fan just to make sure everything worked. The electrical is good but the fan wasn't even remotely big enough. The car overheated just sitting in the driveway on a 90 degree day.

I wanted to use a Viper fan/shroud (P5007266) but they changed from an offset fan to a center mount. With the center mount it doesn't clear the water pump pulley. Now I need to go another route, but I really wanted a shrouded system.

Does anyone know where I can acquire the old type Viper fan? Or, what type of fans are you running? I'm leaning toward a dual 12"" fan system of some type. After reading the other thread, I may also try using water wetter also.
 
had close to the same prob, ditched the mp pump for a milodon high volume, high flow thermastst, water wetter, and a dual fan set up with a built on shroud, for streetb use if it was mine i would put a factory fan shroud on , a good aftermarket manual fan and than a electric on the front of the rad for added insurance, that works to i tried it but i wanted those few extra hp so i found the dual fan setup with a shroud from northern radiators, with the setup at top of the page mine runs 190-195 on a hot day on the highway and around195 in traffic not hit 200 yet but may do it in real heavy traffic, either way its a whole lot better than the 205-210 and higher if you don't cut it off or coast prob i used to have, good luck, oh yeah check the cooling info out about the two lines from the blocked off back head ports, i haven't tried that yet but soon8)
 
Have you had the radiator checked? Mine was overheating on the highway didn't have any flow through the radiator. Has it cored and now it never gets over 160 in traffic, idling, with the a/c on, 98+ degrees. 160 t-stat, clutch fan, no shroud
Bruce
 
what brand t stat are you running? shroud is definitely necessary. i have a gmb hiflo w/p and a milodon t-stat and a 3 row hi efficiency rad and have no problem over heating.
 
You got a few other things to check my friend. Even if it's a Mr Gasket high flow thermostat (which it should be) replace it, I had a new one crap out only 2 days old. Second make sure that the coiled up spring is in the lower rad hose, keeps the hose from collapsing during high flow (highway). If everything else is good pull the rad and take it to a good rad shop and have it checked to make sure it ain't plugged. As a side note a shroud will only help when you're tooling around town not on the highway, the air that you're travelling through is pushed through the rad quicker than it get's sucked through, at least that's my opinion.

Terry
 
My Duster runs a serious temperature too. I can't wait to "Cool down" myself. Let me know what you find out.
 
Wow. Nothing sounds like a Mopar! I love the way the engine just wants to twist the K-frame 180 degrees just goosing the throttle off idle. Cool.

No shroud though..any cooling problems? I can make Smores under my hood!

I must view the video again!!
 
important for highway cooling is the rubber seal that mounts to the underside of the hood and seals to the top of the core support. It makes sure the air through the grille goes through the rad not over the top of it.
 
Most likely a borked radiator. It doesn't take long for them to get pretty crusty inside without regular maintenance. How old are most of these OEM rads now? 30-40yrs. old?
 
I say buy a radiater. about 150.00 through Autozone. Ever noticed the stock electric fans hardly ever start unless the car is sitting still. Alot of those cars dont even have a grille to pull air though. A good flowing radiater alone should just about protect the engine. Then coolant, fan, and shroud compliment the radiater. The best compliments money can buy wont help a clogged radiater.
 
dusterdon said:
important for highway cooling is the rubber seal that mounts to the underside of the hood and seals to the top of the core support. It makes sure the air through the grille goes through the rad not over the top of it.
Click to expand...


This isnt the first time ive heard this, But mine doesnt have it. Not saying it never had it , just doesnt now. I cant remember ever seeing one on an A body.:read2:
 
That missing shroud will iad overheating even on the highway....been there, done that.....you need a shroud......and aside from your stat, which could definitely be causing you grief (along with a high volume pump), it sounds like you're just plain crudded up in there.

If you had NO problems before the high volume pump, look there.......but you need to eliminate some possibilities...........You didn't say when it started, or even if it was normal at one time specifically............

I had a brand new stat make my car overheat like that........I said it couldn't be the stat.......finally changed it, and it was cool. BUT, I also had a tired radiator cause the same thing.......just too coated inside to be efficient anymore.........check the connections for your coolant system.......look clean? Feel clean?.........Really slimy?..........Could just be time for a radiator............BUT, change out the stat FIRST to be sure............

Though I'm not a fan of the high volume scene, I'm not sure about the water pump.........All I can add is that I've used high volume oil pumps with devastating results.........some of these "high volume" tricks are just too much for efficient cooling and lube.

Just my 2 cents (actually, about 8 cents in todays market.....) :read2:
 
Any type of fan is an impediment to airflow on the highway, and belt-driven fans rob HP. Not much, but still. I run a cheap little plastic fan from Summit on my Duster that is 4 inches too small in diameter (by conventional wisdom). It take very minimal power, blocks less airflow at highway speeds and pulls just enough air at idle to prevent overheating while sitting in traffic on a hot day.

I like to think of it as an optimal unconventional compromise.
 
:supz::supz: I agree with Ace my Dart has never had a shroud and after having the rad done never had a problem since. As I stated earlier 98+ days,idling, a/c on, never overheated.
 
OK, lots to reply to.

1) I bought the car sans-engine and had to build one to get the car moveable...so I have no idea how it did before that. The car was originally an A/C equipped car (which is now totally gone).

2) I bought the radiator new (Autozone) and later had it recored to a 3 core.
3) All hoses and T-stat (180) are new and have all springs and such.
4) Water pump was installed new.
5) The top seal is installed over the core support.
6) Engine and cooling system only have 1500 miles on it. It never got driven much in the summer before last year, so I wasn't aware of the cooling issues until then. Coolant is nice and pretty green.

7) Temp gauge is a new VDO.

I am going to switch from a 50/50 mix to a 25/75. It RARELY gets that cold in Texas..but I'm from New York and just mixed up 50/50 out habit..not thinking that it never GETS that cold down here. I am also going to add Water Wetter. I may have found a suitable dual fan setup at Summit that will draw enough air when sitting still. I still think the hi volume water pump may be a part of the issue, and if I'm going to drain everything down, I may just slap on a standard A/C water pump and leave it at that. At idle you can WATCH the water swirling around in the radiator rather aggresively....can't imagine how fast it's moving at 2K RPMs.....

Also, I have added B&M oil and transmission fluid coolers. The fluid hits the trans cooler BEFORE the radiator, to keep from introducing as much heat into the radiator.
 
i run the original shroud and radiator from my 72 truck,in my 85 truck,it has a 180 degree thermostat,mild cammed 318,it will never get over 190 degrees,even in a 105 degree day,and going down the road,its actually runs too cool,@155 degrees.It has the 72 trucks,4 blade fixed fan,that i know robs a lot of power,and is not optimal for cooling,but its what i had avalible when i stuck the truck together.One thing i did do that helped with cooling on this engine,i think was,to deburr the cooling holes in the block,and front timing cover.My 72 block and cover had a lot of mold slag in the cooling holes,so much that my pinky wouldnt fit in 2 of them,so i gasket matched all the cooling holes in the block,just like i did the heads and intake
 
Well, I have figured out a good way to mount dual 12" fans that will cover a large part of the radiator without a shroud. I should have it built in the next few days and I'll post some pics when I'm done.

I am also putting on a standard A/C water pump and going to a 70/30 coolant mix.
 
superdart said:
Well, I have figured out a good way to mount dual 12" fans that will cover a large part of the radiator without a shroud. I should have it built in the next few days and I'll post some pics when I'm done.

I am also putting on a standard A/C water pump and going to a 70/30 coolant mix.
Click to expand...


if its not that cold there, i hope you mean 70% water/30% coolant.
 
Youa and DusterDon are on the same page. Two Rights can't be wrong.

I have a factory 1970 Duster hood with a 73 Dart Sport single dual Snorkel hood scoop functionally grafted to the hood (as the stock factory steel hood underhood structural support sub-skin's geometry forms a diamond shaped void in the center of the hood.

When I had my car restified at the body shop, the body man, not only installed the ""Go wing" to the trunk as seemslessly if it were factory installed; but he also made sure that that the incorrect year installed scoop was fully finctional as well. My hood lacks the underside insulation blanket which would need to be surgically altered to accommodate the diamond-shaped cut out, but I never even thought of the tandemly missing underhood /to aft radiator support as being as an intgral and functional component until now.

Cool! At least I hope that's how it will turn out.

I just added you both to my buddy list.

Thanks
Kevin
 
Youa and DusterDon are on the same page. Two Rights can't be wrong.

I have a factory 1970 Duster hood with a 73 Dart Sport single dual Snorkel hood scoop functionally grafted to the hood (as the stock factory steel hood underhood structural support sub-skin's geometry forms a diamond shaped void in the center of the hood.

When I had my car restified at the body shop, the body man, not only installed the ""Go wing" to the trunk as seemslessly if it were factory installed; but he also made sure that that the incorrect year installed scoop was fully finctional as well. My hood lacks the underside insulation blanket which would need to be surgically altered to accommodate the diamond-shaped cut out, but I never even thought of the tandemly missing underhood /to aft radiator support as being as an intgral and functional component until now.

Cool! At least I hope that's how it will turn out.

I just added you both to my buddy list.

Thanks
Kevin
 
Check the ignition timing. If it is too far retarded, the motor will run hot. (Or maybe too far advanced? I can't remember)
 
I run about 19 degrees at idle, all in 34 degrees about 3200 RPMS (so says Don at FBO. I have his ignition on there.

Anyway. I have the new fan setup on. Dual Mr. Gasket 12" fans, mounted via two pieces of 26" long angle aluminum. In these pics it's just mocked up with zip ties while I verify my drill points are correct. Currently it IS bolted up and the wiring has be redone with one weatherpack connector to run both fans.

Sunday, I should the new water pump, coolant and waterwetter in. While in there I am also going to replace a header stud (currently using a bolt, but it goes in the water jacket) and installing copper header gaskets.

Fan1.jpg


fan2.jpg


fan3.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top