Have a quesiton about Temperatures.....I have a built 460. I have the stock radiator with elec fan. Radiator has been rodded out and pressure tested. What temps do you fellas run? My runs questionable. It is around 185-195 then shoots up to around 220-230(I know this high of a temp cant be good) then termistat opens up and it goes back around 190...It shoots up around every 5 mins(or unless I put my foot into it ) . Could this be my radiator. What temp do you guys run around and also what type of radiator(Stock,new,dessert cooler).Or maybe I high flow Water Pump...Any help is appreciated..

Thanks
Patrick

 

Patrick -

I run a 351C with a stock radiator and puller electric fan. The fan is temp switched on at 200 and off at 170. Unless I'm idling in traffic for a while, my fan never comes on. My running temp is controlled by the (170 degree) thermostat almost entirely. I run between 140-170 even in 100 degree temps, as long as I'm moving. The fan is only 1600 cfm, but sucks the temp down pretty quick. I can't imagine that a built 460 is so different from my setup, unless you're racing.

I would be suspect of your thermostat. What temp thermostat are you running? They are so cheap, I would swap out a new one even just to rule that out. The temp spikes are what would be troubling me. Running around 200-210 is fine, even running as high as 230 shouldn't hurt anything, but the spikes up and down are wierd.

 

Sounds Like you have a air bubble in your system..

 

Eng is in a 55 Ford....

 

I will get another therm n morn....What kind a Radiator do you have Randy?

 

The Temp spikes are most likly due to Air in the cooling system.. If you have access to a Laser temp senser it will halp tell if its air or a truly hot engine

 

Patrick -

My radiator is a stock one, just like yours.

 

I'm running a 160 degree thermostat. My radiator is not the stock original, but a radiator out of a later model F100. My truck runs about 170-190 at the most. I did have a problem with my mustang when I changed to a flex fan. It ran great on the freeway, but at a red light, the guage went straight up to hot. I switched fans and the engine ran cool. I might suggest checking the fan, it might be defective or replace it with a newer one. Some fans look cool, but they don't cool worth a you know what.

 

The fan is new and I can feel it pushing alot of air if I put my hand behind it....

 

I appreciate all the good feedback...thanks

 

I know this may sound bass ackwards but sometimes these temp spikes can be caused by water circulating too fast. I have cured these by putting a restrictor in the LOWER rad hose to keep water in the radiator a little longer which gives it time to cool. If you can get a laser thermometer look at the difference between the upper and lower hoses, that will tell you a lot. Good luck FF56

 

Do you have a shroud? Also, I'm with Randy. I bet you fix the prob with a new thermo. Good luck, Jag

 

No Shroud....I bolted my elec fan up to the radiator....never did get a shroud

 

Super -

My electric fan is mounted directly on the radiator also. I originally mounted it with a custom shroud. It actually works better without the shroud.

 

It's my understanding for the shroud to work efficiently, the fan (not talking electric fans here) has to be 1/3 of the way into the shroud. Anymore or less and the pull of air goes elsewhere and not on the engine. This is suppose to be maximum cooling efficiency for a flex fan. I'm not running a shroud, mainly because I hate the looks of them. Really kills the hot rod look of an engine. I have tried putting a shroud on but I'm not running hot so why bother. I do want to replace my brass radiator with an aluminum radiator.