OK, so I have an excellent heater core, some extra heater hose, and some new clamps. I was thinking of setting it up as an auxiliary engine cooling device, but I wanted your input first.

First, would it really make much difference in the temp, like if I was pulling hard uphill in the summer? (I live on the outside edge of the Blue Ridge mountains and travel up there frequently)

Second, where would be the best place to put it so it cooled most efficiently, but would be protected from flying rocks, mud, etc?

Third, would I be better off using a small, bladed fan or building a housing for a small turbine fan? I have both in the shed.

Finally, is there any way it could be used as an auxiliary cooler for the transmission? (Putting it in line with the input to the radiator and using a fan)

Thanks in advance!

 

More lines, more problems..lol...have you considered switching to a high cfm electric fan mounted over the radiator?? The 93-98 Lincoln Mark VIII fan flows around 4500cfm and is a good alternative to the auxiliary cooling you have in mind. They are readily available at most junkyards if they haven't been nabbed by the drag guys. Just my .02

 

I have no doubt the Mark VIII fan pulls more than 4000 CFM on LOW! And pulls over 5500 CFM on HIGH.

I have noted in previous posts that my truck for the last 16 years has always ran hot no matter what I did.

Now, with it idling for an hour in 95+ degree heat I could, IF I WANTED TO, easily keep the coolant below 160 degrees. I can hardly believe it myself.

In times past my truck would possibly make it 20 minutes before overheating on that hot of a day.



Josh

 

Did you notice my Mark VIII in the background of my profile pic yet? LOL I just gave it the 4500 cfm rating due to the amp draw at 5500, plus there is no need for that unless you are really laying into that FE. I plan on doing the conversion to my 79 after I get my newly bought offy intake and new pushrods in. I think the guy who put the Harland Sharp roller rockers on bent one of the pushrods slightly, has a low ticking noise on the passenger side.

 

I considered that, and it may be a possibility...which would lead to my trying to use the heater core as a supplemental cooling device for the tranny...

I neglected to mention that all the heat and A/C stuff has been taken out. I took out everything, including the ducts and the control panel (replaced by the stereo).


My theory is- I will just be partially replacing something that used to be there.

 

I bet that car never overheats huh?

I can't fathom what use the high speed setting of that fan is for. It cools WAY too much on high. The rumor is the fan is actually speed controlled to vary the speed.

Low speed runs constant with A/C on?

Josh

 

Actually it did overheat til the other week, some dumb%#$ welded the fill bung on in the coolant crossover tubes between the heads. What an idiot, the motor sits higher than the radiator in the Mark VIII's and you cant bleed the cooling system without that plug removed. Plus the DOHC modular runs hot anyways due to the peephole of a grille that is in these. This is why Lincoln designed these high flow fans to keep the sleek look. Now it will idle with the fan on low in 100+ degree weather blowing ice cold A/C and never going over the R on Normal. LOL sorry for the rant it just peeved me that someone would do that crap.

 

A heater core won't do much for cooling.

As for transmission cooling, I run dual thinline coolers in front of the radiator.

I bypass the radiator hook-ups. Always have. The temperature differs between 165 (city) and 180 (highway)



Josh

 

I just know cops around here if they park their patrol cars for an excessive time (traffic direction or parades) they have to lift the hoods for the car to cool.

Josh

 

My old 97 cobra had the same problem, had to shut it off if it sat idling for extended periods of time. But i was running 5 gallons of 114 and topping of the tank with premium..LOL

 

What does the octane of fuel have to do with it? Octane is just a number to determine it's anti-preignition quality.

Josh

 

I meant the cost of the fuel...haha plus the running warm shoulda explained that better.

 

i got a 460 Heavy cooling cooling radiator in my 78 with 300-6. All it's got is a 4 blade NON-flex fan and it'll idle all day in temps over 90 and never get hot.

Although IF i get that built 440 put in, I'll likely go to the lincoln setup. Mostly to save HP's though. Turning a fan uses up lots of ponies!

 

Hey bullitt390 that is the kind of stuff that should be in the "tips and tricks section", my truck has run hot for years, I gotta find me one of those fans. Thanks man.

 

Like I have said, my truck has always ran hot, and I have had some mild 390 engines to a full race 427. It didn't matter, what t-stat I used, what style of fan, whether it was OEM or a crappy flax fan. No matter what timing, etc.

Snagged that Mark VIII fan a few months ago for dirt cheap, wired it up and I will never look back.

The most amazing thing I have experienced is my truck has always ran slightly hot down the highway. Now I can go down the highway with the fan turned OFF and the coolant stays a consistent 185. I think an OEM "fixed" fan creates a wall of air at those speeds and doesn't allow the inrush of cool air.

A clutch fan may help this, but I still experienced the same temperatures whether I had a clutch or fixed fan on the highway.

Josh