Running Hot?

It’s always a big topic of conversation, but when the weather starts heating up its critical to find a solution. I have a 302/C4 that sits in a stock doghouse. The engine has less than 2,000 miles, 160 thermostat, 2-row (1” tubes) Champion aluminum radiator, belly pan, and a Flex-A-Lite electric fan. The temp gauge will stay in the 185-190 range most of the time, but under a load, or sitting in traffic it can get to 210. We all know that it is difficult to keep these things cool mainly because of the restricted airflow caused by the limited space between the engine and the doghouse, but the tighter space just means you need more “push.” Most of the electric fans everyone runs are between 2000-2500 cfm, which just don’t have enough grunt force to get the job done. I found a 16” fan on ebay made by FF Dynamics that has a 3600 cfm output that is built like a tank – it makes the Flex-A-Lite fan look like a toy. I installed it without a shroud because it covers 95% of the core without it. It draws some serious amps, so it must be installed with a relay and a 30-amp inline fuse. Mine is wired up to run with the ignition off so that it continues to cool for a couple of minutes when parked to draw down the heat load. I had it out for an extended run yesterday, and it was hot in So-Cal, but the temp gauge never got beyond 180 no matter how much load I put it under. When the fan kicks in, it will drop the temp by 10 degrees in a few seconds and actually turn off! With the old set up, once the fan kicked in, it would never shut off. It’s not a cure for a fundamentally bad cooling system, but if everything you have is working as it should, but still runs a little hotter than you think it should, give this one a try.
Jim
So-Cal



http://www.ebay.com/itm/16-INCH-FFD-CYCLONE-ULTRA-ELECTRIC-COOLING-FAN-3600-CFM-LOW-AMP-DRAW-SUPER-DUTY-/160746572676?hash=item256d3e0b84&item=160746572676&pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr

Glad to here you have your heat under control. I am running the taurus fan with a brand new 3 core rad and so far it stays around 160 to 165.

just to add to this....

I've been running hot above the 200 mark I guess... Dog house would become very hot and oil pressure light starts to flash.

I put the belly pan back on and it runs a lot lower! The dash temp gauge sits about 30% whatever that is.

I guess they made the belly pan for a reason! ha ha

I cured the engine temp problems and cut down on the doghouse heat inside the cab, but it still was not where I wanted it to be. My goal was zero heat inside, but it took a little bit of sugery to get there. I had to weld together a box that bolts to the rear section of the doghouse and fits tightly against the rear wall of the cab. I drilled ventilation holes in the rear wall, and formed a vent that was welded to the outside wall. It was a major PITA, but it makes a huge difference. The major problem with stuffing a V-8 in that doghouse is not that it won't fit, but after you shoehorn it in there, where is the air you drawn in going to escape. Also, when at a prolonged idle, you might notice that I also added a bilge blower that draws off the superheated air from under the lid and vents it through the floor. It's wired to the raditor fan circuit, and it also stays on after the ignition is shut off until the temp drops.

WOW ! Nice job!

gearheadflicks wrote:WOW ! Nice job!

Thanks - just getting sick of sitting next to a toaster so I had to do something...