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Projects New Radiator

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by OLDSMAN, Jul 15, 2019.

  1. woodiewagon46
    Joined: Mar 14, 2013
    Posts: 2,269

    woodiewagon46
    Member
    from New York

    Restricter? You aren't dealing with a race car, you vehicle is a street car, I would remove the restricter and install a thermostat.
     
  2. Petejoe
    Joined: Nov 27, 2002
    Posts: 12,264

    Petejoe
    Member
    from Zoar, Ohio

    Thermostats definitely have a benefit with faster warm up time. Removing it totally will give you an idea if you experience any improvement.
    The next step would be to find a replacement that has full flow when open.
    Or just leave it out all together.
     
  3. OLDSMAN
    Joined: Jul 20, 2006
    Posts: 2,422

    OLDSMAN
    BANNED

    I kind of left this decision to the Oldsmobile gurus Mondello. This is what they recommended.
     
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  4. OLDSMAN
    Joined: Jul 20, 2006
    Posts: 2,422

    OLDSMAN
    BANNED

    I may have to install electric fans. I have always believed you can stop over heating problems with mechanical fans, but I may be wrong in this case. I have most of my problems with the AC on. If I shut it off the temperature drops 10 degrees within a couple of miles
     
  5. What type of mechanical fan are you using? HRP
     
  6. Me thinks, bottom line, the radiator is overloaded. Total surface area, perhaps.

    Ben
     
  7. OLDSMAN
    Joined: Jul 20, 2006
    Posts: 2,422

    OLDSMAN
    BANNED

    Solid fan
     
  8. OLDSMAN
    Joined: Jul 20, 2006
    Posts: 2,422

    OLDSMAN
    BANNED

    That’s why I went to the tri flow radiator but it doesn’t do any better. With a front steer subframe there isn’t room for a radiator bigger than 26 inches
     
  9. Gman0046
    Joined: Jul 24, 2005
    Posts: 6,256

    Gman0046
    Member

    Petejoe has it right on the old wives tale of coolant moving too fast to be adequately cooled. I cringe every time I read that BS. What do people who spread this shit think high flow water pumps are made for?
    If your running 210 at highway speed with the A/C on what does in run in stop and go traffic? Hearing about a Tri Flow is a new one on me. Who makes it? Is it aluminum? How many blades on that steel fan?
     
    Petejoe likes this.
  10. OLDSMAN
    Joined: Jul 20, 2006
    Posts: 2,422

    OLDSMAN
    BANNED

    In town in never runs hot. It’s a 7 blade fan, I don’t know who made this one but I bought it from Eastwood. They basically block off the tanks to send the coolant back through the core and back again the other tank
     
  11. alchemy
    Joined: Sep 27, 2002
    Posts: 20,408

    alchemy
    Member

    Removing the restrictor will only cost you the price of a gasket. Try it.
     
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  12. Bandit Billy
    Joined: Sep 16, 2014
    Posts: 12,287

    Bandit Billy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Uh oh, hot at an idle and around town = fan issue
    Hot at speed? I guess I missed that part earlier. No wonder @Moriarity went after that lower hose spring. hmmm
     
    Moriarity likes this.
  13. saltflats
    Joined: Aug 14, 2007
    Posts: 12,594

    saltflats
    Member
    from Missouri

    How close is the condenser to the radiator?
     
  14. Moriarity
    Joined: Apr 11, 2001
    Posts: 30,780

    Moriarity
    SUPER MODERATOR
    Staff Member


    yup, at highway speed you don't even need a fan... needs a bigger radiator in my opinion
     
    Bandit Billy likes this.
  15. Moriarity
    Joined: Apr 11, 2001
    Posts: 30,780

    Moriarity
    SUPER MODERATOR
    Staff Member

    I just realized something... we are talking about a convertible with air conditioning??? remove the AC and put the damned top down....
     
  16. OLDSMAN
    Joined: Jul 20, 2006
    Posts: 2,422

    OLDSMAN
    BANNED

    Can’t do that I’m an old fart and my wife and I both need AC
     
  17. Gman0046
    Joined: Jul 24, 2005
    Posts: 6,256

    Gman0046
    Member

    Looked on the Eastwood web site and saw the aluminum radiators they are selling for $149. Now I too suspect the radiator. How much quality do you think your getting for a $149 Chinese radiator? I'd throw it in the trash and buy the biggest, baddest US made copper/brass radiator I could find. Besides copper/brass radiators have a greater cooling coeffiient then aluminum.

    I learned a long time ago that when it comes to Brakes, Steering and Cooling is to buy the best and you'll never be disappointed.

    To me its ludicrous to have ten of thousands of dollars on building a car and then spend $149 on a radiator. Its no fun driving our cars with one eye on the water temperature gauge. The nature of attending car shows, its a given your going to be stuck in traffic and there will be cooling issues with a poorly designed cooling systems. Takes the fun right out of the whole experience.

    Gary
     
    Last edited: Jul 17, 2019
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  18. Bandit Billy
    Joined: Sep 16, 2014
    Posts: 12,287

    Bandit Billy
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I am not one for sssssnake oil but this is the bloody 21st century, after 100+ years of using water to cool a engine maybe there is a better way?
    https://www.evanscoolant.com/products/high-performance-coolant/
    I have no knowledge of this stuff, and it is $50 bucks a gallon so an overheat is going to be costly puking this stuff out. Waterless, boiling point 375 degrees, -40 freeze point, NHRA approved for use on their tracks. They claim less cavitation, less corrosion, lower system pressure.

    Of course it would suck if you need to top off the radiator and you didn't throw a gallon in the trunk on your road trip. Sssssssssss
     
  19. Mike Moreau
    Joined: Sep 16, 2011
    Posts: 291

    Mike Moreau
    Member

    How old are the pulleys? A worn pulley will slip. Incompatible belts will slip. It is easy to check. Use a magic marker or layout dye and coat the sides and bottom of the grooves on the crank and water pump pulleys. Reinstall the belt(s), tighten to spec and run the car for a while. Shut it off and inspect the pulleys. The dye or marker should be on the sides of the groove. If it is worn off the bottom either the pulley in question is worn or the wrong belt is used.
     
  20. OLDSMAN
    Joined: Jul 20, 2006
    Posts: 2,422

    OLDSMAN
    BANNED

    I have been fighting this problem from day one. I’ve had two different Griffin radiators in the car, so I can’t fault the tri-flow I just put in. It’s normal price is comparable to the Griffin. I don’t have the room to put in a bigger radiator
     
  21. saltflats
    Joined: Aug 14, 2007
    Posts: 12,594

    saltflats
    Member
    from Missouri

    Get you a couple large heater cores to mount under the car in some air flow.
     
  22. Gman0046
    Joined: Jul 24, 2005
    Posts: 6,256

    Gman0046
    Member

    Oldsman, I've never been impressed with Griffin radiators after I had one in a 41 Willys. Somewhere along the line some people get the impression aluminum cools better then copper/brass which is not true. I use only copper/brass radiators. Another thing the Eastwood description of the $149 radiators doesn't mention wether the cooling tubes are epoxied or Tig welded. I seriously doubt you'd find a Tig welded aluminum radiator for $149. Epoxied cooling tubes render the radiator a throw away if theres a leak. I've also heard of some cooling tubes on Chinese radiators being clooged by the epoxy.
    I also would not recommend you try using some of the Snake Oil at $50/gallon. A properly designed system doesn't need it.
     
    Last edited: Jul 17, 2019
  23. OLDSMAN
    Joined: Jul 20, 2006
    Posts: 2,422

    OLDSMAN
    BANNED

    That may be an option
     
  24. alchemy
    Joined: Sep 27, 2002
    Posts: 20,408

    alchemy
    Member

    If a guy can figure a way to stuff in a bigger engine, he can find a way to stuff in a bigger radiator. Sometime ya gotta do what ya gotta do. Or, remove the AC condenser currently blocking your radiator.
     
  25. OLDSMAN
    Joined: Jul 20, 2006
    Posts: 2,422

    OLDSMAN
    BANNED

    The space between the frame and the steering gear on the other side is limited. I have a front steer subframe on the car. There is no way to use a larger radiator
     
  26. 2OLD2FAST
    Joined: Feb 3, 2010
    Posts: 5,217

    2OLD2FAST
    Member
    from illinois

    Could you fab a scoop(s) under the frt bumper to feed more air ??
    Maybe try blocking the rear of the hood up to see if modifying the air flow would help ...?
    In the 60's , before I went to a straight axle and a 1-piece glass frt end on my ' 57 Chevy , that's what we did at the strip to cool the engine when running rounds ......
     
    Last edited: Jul 17, 2019
  27. alchemy
    Joined: Sep 27, 2002
    Posts: 20,408

    alchemy
    Member

    Move it up. Make it taller rather than wider. Offset it to the passenger side so it doesn't hit the steering box.

    You might need to cut something up. :rolleyes:
     
    Moriarity likes this.
  28. Gman0046
    Joined: Jul 24, 2005
    Posts: 6,256

    Gman0046
    Member

    Much easier to buy a quality copper/brass radiator and fix it once and for all.
     
  29. EnragedHawk
    Joined: Jun 17, 2009
    Posts: 1,229

    EnragedHawk
    Member
    from Waco, TX

    It sounds really similar to what happened with mine. Great at idle and in town, 220+ on the highway.

    I tried all kinds of crap. Finally decided to go against the common advice and ditched the fan shroud to see what would happen (free and easy). Ran perfect going down the highway, and I’m running a cheap Chinese radiator.

    After that, I ditched the shroud and electric fan, and ran the largest mechanical fan I could fit. Haven’t had a problem since.




    Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
  30. OLDSMAN
    Joined: Jul 20, 2006
    Posts: 2,422

    OLDSMAN
    BANNED

    It’s up against the frame on the right side already
     

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