Old school cooling
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Senior User
Joined: Oct 2006
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From: The Casa
Old school cooling
Its probably like this everywhere,but today on the texas border it was 110 degrees.Today at the ranch my ol'trucks temp gauge hit 200 degrees,because i had left the truck on when i was hitching up.
Is there anything that you can do to keep these trucks cool when they're idling?
Is there anything that you can do to keep these trucks cool when they're idling?
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 597
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From: San Antonio, TX
What condition is your radiator in? Mine was pretty nasty and when I got a new one in there, just a 3 core aluminum stock replacement, it made a huge difference. I even put in a larger motor and it still cools extremely well.
I probably have a different setup than you, but the other day I switched my dizzy from ported to manifold vacuum and it seems to be running cooler at idle. Before if I was idling at a long stop light in 100 degree weather, the temp gauge started creeping up. Now the temp always stay low. Engine idles better too.
Maybe put another fan on there, in a push/pull setup?
I probably have a different setup than you, but the other day I switched my dizzy from ported to manifold vacuum and it seems to be running cooler at idle. Before if I was idling at a long stop light in 100 degree weather, the temp gauge started creeping up. Now the temp always stay low. Engine idles better too.
Maybe put another fan on there, in a push/pull setup?
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Joined: Nov 2003
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From: East Flat Rock NC
mudslingur
A few years back when I was running a built 351w in my 77 I added a additive
to the rad, it was called " KOOL AID " it droped the temp 10-15 degrees!
P.S. most people I have told about it would say" I don't beleive in snake oil!
Wally Womack
A few years back when I was running a built 351w in my 77 I added a additive
to the rad, it was called " KOOL AID " it droped the temp 10-15 degrees!
P.S. most people I have told about it would say" I don't beleive in snake oil!
Wally Womack
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Senior User
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Red Line oil makes an additive also. It is called "Water Wetter". It is designed to increase the heat transfer in and out of the coolant. It works good!
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jun 2005
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You know 200 isn’t really that high and it isn’t surprising that it would hit that at an extended idle in 110 weather. Most modern Ford engines run 205 degree thermostats. My old Mustang ran in the 205-215 range all the time. I drove it daily for years, including a couple Texas summers, and it never gave me any trouble. If it isn’t popping it’s top in traffic and maintaining a good temp when it’s under a heavy load (towing, hauling), I wouldn’t worry too much about it.
But…it has been said you can never have too much cooling capacity, especially on a work truck. Like mention before the first thing I would do is get a fan shroud. After that, think about swapping back to a mechanical fan. Electric fans are great for freeing up some horses but they rarely move as much air as an engine driven fan and I have never had any luck with them. You might want to get an external oil cooler and if you’re running an auto a supplemental trans cooler. Stick with the 185 T-stat, a 25/75% mixture of antifreeze and distilled (always distilled!) water, and the highest PSI radiator cap your system can take and you should be fine. And of course there is always a larger radiator but that isn’t always the final solution.
But…it has been said you can never have too much cooling capacity, especially on a work truck. Like mention before the first thing I would do is get a fan shroud. After that, think about swapping back to a mechanical fan. Electric fans are great for freeing up some horses but they rarely move as much air as an engine driven fan and I have never had any luck with them. You might want to get an external oil cooler and if you’re running an auto a supplemental trans cooler. Stick with the 185 T-stat, a 25/75% mixture of antifreeze and distilled (always distilled!) water, and the highest PSI radiator cap your system can take and you should be fine. And of course there is always a larger radiator but that isn’t always the final solution.
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Joined: Sep 2007
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Stick with the 185 T-stat, a 25/75% mixture of antifreeze and distilled (always distilled!) water, and the highest PSI radiator cap your system can take and you should be fine. And of course there is always a larger radiator but that isn’t always the final solution.
Why distilled Water?
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2005
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From: San Antonio, TX
What the heck kind of tap water do you have that you are afraid to drink it?!
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jun 2005
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Those minerals and other impurities will also cause ionization and lead to corrosion. Antifreeze is chemical made to prevent that but it doesn’t transfer heat as well as water (relatively speaking). Another way to prevent this is the use of a sacrificial anode. Tap water should only be used in an emergencies and then flushed out as soon as possible.
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Senior User
Joined: Oct 2006
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From: The Casa
I went ahead a put new antifreze in it
I'm going to go ahead and put the mechanical fan back on,but I have to wait til next week because me and my cosin have to make one outof fiber glass because we broke the original one.
I'm going to go ahead and put the mechanical fan back on,but I have to wait til next week because me and my cosin have to make one outof fiber glass because we broke the original one.