a/c condenser and grill in place, 1in space between the A/C condenser and radiator

temps with just the big fan (and (un)restrictor), hold at 193-195,
with the second fan, temps hold at 185-188.

both cases well below the creep up to 205-210 I had before the restrictor.

in both cases the temp starts higher (fans kick on at 195) and is pulled down to these levels.

delta temps.. radiator top at 190, output is 160.. so approx 30 degree drop.

Sam

 

Sam,

Thanks for keeping us updated on the changes you have made and their effects on your overheating problem. I'm still curious on what type of core that Jay used for your radiator.

And, not to throw rocks on your parade, I have serious reservations about the restriction-instead-of-a-stat situation in the long run. This device has no way to compensate for load and ambient temperature, two things that a quality stat is engineered to do.

Now, we can await what difference, if any, the A.C. will make...

 

gotcha on the stat vs restrictor.. I can always put in a stat. Its not a general driver vehicle. Restrictors are used all over, altho not much in normal street cars..

I'll ask on the rad design..

Sam

 

finally got a decent day to take it for a drive.. 20 miles. (10 out, 10 back). at 65.. temp holds about 170. I let it idle a little after the 10 miles out, temp came up, fans turned on. then drove back.. temps came down, fans turned off

very nice..

fans turn back on when the temp comes back up at idle. idle temp holds at 188-190. Spikes after the drive at 201, then comes down again.

No A/C yet.

Sam

 

Sam,
On my truck, when I am running on the hwy with the AC on, the temp does not stabilize at its max until I have gone 30-40 miles. After I have gone that far, whatever the temp is, it will stay there until I slow down in town. Seems to take quite a while to finally get to the max it is going to run at.

 

another update..

had a tough test day on Monday. Movie filming, and we had to sit in traffic, go around the block slowly (while camera mule truck led), slow where fans make a difference..
over and over all day.. temps held at about 195. (outside temp was 95)

I think I should reconnect the tranny cooler lines.

did have another failure.. with about 2 hours to go, the alternator shutdown completely.
(and the fans were sucking the battery dry of course!)
I had seen this in Detroit as well, when we REALLY overheated..

Took the alt in for repair this AM to the Alternator shop..
they pulled it apart and voila, the connector from the armature wiring to the brush plate was broken..
typical of this 3G model they said.. (cop car alternators break in the 1st 100 miles they say)..

They replaced the armature and regulator to be sure..
did cut out at about 2000 rpm before, centrifugal force on that connection.
it is ROCK solid now. fans come on and the needle doesn't even move..

Sam

 

Sam,

Good report, my friend, as far as the overheating goes. So, tell us about the movie...

 

sometime last year I was approached by a local company looking for 56 ford trucks for a Stallone movie.. I posted that info here.. well he contacted me again as I had sent pics of the finished green truck. they rented a bunch of lowriders and hydraulics too.

the script called for 2 yellow trucks, but he could only find green.. and this was acceptable.. this is Robert Rodriquez move Machete. my little storyline, they steal an old ford truck, send it to Machete's Chop Shop, and out comes a hotrod..

here is a pic of the truck and Danny Trejo, aka Machete, in front of the Chop Shop (text removed from sign til movie release)


have 6-10 scenes where the truck is visible, driving, parked..

Sam

 

Sam, I wonder if you have an overheating problem at all, or are trying to run the engine too cold. I haven't read the whole thread, but you do have a pressurized radiator cap (15# with your radiator)? If so it should not boil over until 265* with a 50-50 antifreeze solution. Normal operating temp should be 200 - 220*. it is not good to force an engine to run too cold (< 195*), the water vapor will not be boiled out of the oil causing sludging, and too cool combustion chamber temps will reduce efficiency resulting in carbon buildup and low power.

 

I DID have an overheat problem, boil over and all. and now I don't.. I may decide to put a high flow tstat in in place of the regulator, once I get thru these other car shows. I agree.. too cold is bad as well.

sam

 

I put a 180 degree thermostat in last week (may change to a 195), and put back the radiator shroud with the twin 12in swept blade fans. (didn't like the fans right on the radiator look)..

Also put the tranny cooler lines back on the radiator instead of the external cooler

now the temp is rock solid at 195ish. drove it yesterday down to a local show, and the temp sits there where before it dropped before..(while driving)

New A/C compressor coming (chrome), I can finally get the A/C working reliably..

Sam

 

I think you'll also find it to be much more stable in holding temperature after you get about 4000-5000 miles on it.

After I got mine broken in, any temp climbs at idle after long runs stopped!

 

Just curious Sam, …………………….why?

 

Because now he's not concerned about the heat of the transmission fluid up in the radiator adding to the overheat and wants to remove the remote cooler (which he probably had mounted outside the engine compartment) to clean things up?????????? That's my guess! Do I win a Cookie?

 

Bingo!... yes. and the external cooler without a separate fan can cause tranny overheat in stop & go traffic. that was the worst case scenario I had last summer.. Detroit Woodward Cruise.. 14 miles of stop & go.. had many problems all at once

1. bad thermostat
2. bad brush retainer in the alternator, that stopped working when overheated
3. turned out to be a battery with a bad cell.

Sam