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Will a clutch fan setup work on an open hood hot rod.

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by tfeverfred, Aug 15, 2013.

  1. tfeverfred
    Joined: Nov 11, 2006
    Posts: 15,791

    tfeverfred
    Member Emeritus

    I'm always thinking of ways to make things better for my T Bucket. I experience overheating in stop and go traffic. My cure has been to avoid it, but I'm going to get stuck one day. I don't have a shroud on my present setup due to a lack of room. I've thought about making one, but it would be as wide as my radiator is and probably ugly.

    So, today I was searching on the web and saw how a clutch fan works, but it says the clutch operates when under hood conditions get hot. But would it work without a hood, if the outside temp was hot enough?

    In the end, I'm planning to get a radiator with 3 rows instead of the 2 I have now, but until then, would a clutch fan work?

    Thanks.
     
  2. I'm not a authority but I can relate what has happened to me in the past with my old Model A pickup.

    I ran the truck without a hood and got in traffic and was forced to sit at least 35 minutes and watched the temperatures climb,,traffic started moving the fear and temperatures dropped and every thing was shortly forgotten,,weather cooled off and I just forgot about it.

    The next year I attended the same show and encountered the same traffic problems,but this time the truck didn't run hot,,why you ask?

    The truck now had a full hood so all the air was being pulled through the radiator.

    From what I learned from this is a hood does indeed help with the cooling.HRP
     
  3. HRP,
    Were you using a regular mechanical fan?
     
  4. tfeverfred
    Joined: Nov 11, 2006
    Posts: 15,791

    tfeverfred
    Member Emeritus

    Yea, a hood would almost be like a big shroud, but I don't run a hood and never will. So, I'm looking for a way to improve my fan setup or I'll just get a bigger radiator.

    I'm looking at a flex fan and a clutch for it.
     

  5. MATACONCEPTS
    Joined: Aug 7, 2009
    Posts: 2,069

    MATACONCEPTS
    BANNED

    A fan clutch dosnt add cooling, it lessens restriction on the engine revs.

    You could add another radiator/coil under the car or in the bed & plumb it with some copper tubing from the water pump.
     
  6. hoop98
    Joined: Jan 23, 2013
    Posts: 1,362

    hoop98
    Member
    from Texas

    While a fan clutch doesn't directly aid cooling, it allows you to run much more fan at low speed, high temp, then slow it down when not needed.

    Fred, the temperature sensing coil is in the center of the hub.

    [​IMG]

    It senses the temp of the air passing through the fan.

    Any shrouding will help.

    http://www.speedwaymotors.com/search.html?query=cooling fan shrouds
     
  7. stimpy
    Joined: Apr 16, 2006
    Posts: 3,546

    stimpy

    if your have a locked fan ( full time ) , no it will not help , a shroud would do a better job as it will prevent the air from being sucked in from the sides of the back of the radiator instead of thru it because of the lack of resistance . and also will direct the force of the air to go back away from the radiator and over the engine instead of just hitting the front and recirculating the heat . now if your locked fan is 4 blade and you replace it with a 6 blade with a clutch and shroud it will cool real good as the cfm rate will be higher and it will not kill your milage either , clutch fans were basically developed for milage , so they do not drag on the motor when its not needed at higher rpms . while cruising .
     
  8. Roothawg
    Joined: Mar 14, 2001
    Posts: 24,523

    Roothawg
    Member

    Most cooling issues can be remedied with a proper shroud.
     
  9. MATACONCEPTS
    Joined: Aug 7, 2009
    Posts: 2,069

    MATACONCEPTS
    BANNED

    Have you tried it without a thermostat???
     
  10. Yes,,steel bladed fan.

    Fred,A steel bladed fan can make a huge difference in pulling air through a radiator.

    Correct. HRP
     
  11. tfeverfred
    Joined: Nov 11, 2006
    Posts: 15,791

    tfeverfred
    Member Emeritus

    Thanks guys. Like I said, I'm just trying to delay getting a better radiator. I've looked at shrouds and they all are too big. I could modify one to work, but it would look like crap. I'm just going to have to make one. My problem is the top hose on the left and the size and placement of the 13" flex fan I have now. There's only 1/2" of clearance between them. I'm going to have to make a box, but make it with a cut out to go between the fan and the upper radiator hose.

    Give me a few minutes and I'll have pics. Pics will make it easier to explain.
     
    Last edited: Aug 15, 2013
  12. 1954fordkustom
    Joined: Jun 14, 2010
    Posts: 692

    1954fordkustom
    Member

    Try running a small water pump pulley.


    Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
     
  13. upspirate
    Joined: Apr 15, 2012
    Posts: 2,299

    upspirate
    Member

  14. MATACONCEPTS
    Joined: Aug 7, 2009
    Posts: 2,069

    MATACONCEPTS
    BANNED

    You could use like a Suburban Heater core as another radiator. You could plumb it off the rear water ports on the intake & the water pump heater hose connection.

    You've put the heater on when driving a civilian car, overheats, right? Same deal
     
  15. Without engine pans, hood sides, or a shroud - a fan is basically pointless IMO - it'll only delay overheating (vs. no fan), but not eliminate it.

    I'd look into a radiator with more fins per inch - and/or a copper core rather than aluminum (copper dissipates heat better).

    What temps are you considering "hot", what are you using for coolant, and how many lbs of pressure are you running?
     
  16. tfeverfred
    Joined: Nov 11, 2006
    Posts: 15,791

    tfeverfred
    Member Emeritus

    Okay, here's what I've got. In this pic, you see that the 13" fan comes about 5'8" or 3/4" away from the bottom of the upper radiator hose. Also, note that about 3/4" of the fan extends above the fin area.

    [​IMG]

    Here's a better look at fan placement. I'd have to cut a portion of the shroud away in order to clear the hose or somehow form it in between the fan blades and the lower section of the hose.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Aug 15, 2013
  17. stimpy
    Joined: Apr 16, 2006
    Posts: 3,546

    stimpy

    so you said part of your problem , the flex fan , pitch that POs and get a factory steel bladeed one , besides not having to worry about it coming apart and making your hood look like a porkupine , it will actually pull some air and cool the motor , most of them after about 3-6 months use start to flatten the blades out and are just spinning engine ornaments . if at least get a 4 bladed steel one
     
  18. raidmagic
    Joined: Dec 10, 2007
    Posts: 1,440

    raidmagic
    Member

    Opposed to an electric fan? I had one on my bucket and the the fan and it's mounting case supplies the shroud. Mine never got hot. The first thing that stands out to me in your pics is the fan sits high on the radiator. In an ideal world the fan would cover only the coils of the radiator.
     
  19. stimpy
    Joined: Apr 16, 2006
    Posts: 3,546

    stimpy

    I forgot no hood , but still they do fail . and more often than you think , you should raise the radiator or get a smaller dia fan as the part that doesn't cover the fins . can cause a problem with the blades , as it will unload the blade and reload it stressing it at the hub or rivets
     
  20. tfeverfred
    Joined: Nov 11, 2006
    Posts: 15,791

    tfeverfred
    Member Emeritus

    In my head, I've got an idea what I need to do. The problem is making it look good. I'll figure it out.

    My plan for next year, is a Superior radiator, which is what I used to have back when I first built the car. It's 3 rows and kept my car frigid. It was crushed in my wreck and this radiator was priced right at the time I got it.
     
  21. MATACONCEPTS
    Joined: Aug 7, 2009
    Posts: 2,069

    MATACONCEPTS
    BANNED

    It's free
     
  22. tfeverfred
    Joined: Nov 11, 2006
    Posts: 15,791

    tfeverfred
    Member Emeritus

    An electric fan is NOT an option. I've had nothing but bad luck with them and they look like crap. Nothing can be done about fan and radiator placement without ruining the looks. I'd have to move the radiator higher and that would drastically ruin the lines of the car. Radiator higher than the cowl looks corn ball.
     
  23. tfeverfred
    Joined: Nov 11, 2006
    Posts: 15,791

    tfeverfred
    Member Emeritus

    It didn't help.
     
  24. tfeverfred
    Joined: Nov 11, 2006
    Posts: 15,791

    tfeverfred
    Member Emeritus


    hahah I tried one of those, but had to cut so much away for clearance, that it didn't work. If I built a shroud, which it seems I'll have to, it will cover the entire back side of the radiator.
     
  25. tfeverfred
    Joined: Nov 11, 2006
    Posts: 15,791

    tfeverfred
    Member Emeritus

    That's a 13" fan. I have not found one smaller and I think a smaller one would be useless.
     
  26. tfeverfred
    Joined: Nov 11, 2006
    Posts: 15,791

    tfeverfred
    Member Emeritus

    The fan does pull air, using the old rag in front of the radiator trick. After 30 minutes in slow traffic 220* and rising. The relief valve on the radiator is 15 lbs.


    I need to multi-quote.
     
  27. tfeverfred
    Joined: Nov 11, 2006
    Posts: 15,791

    tfeverfred
    Member Emeritus

    How is a factory steel fan (if I could find a 13") better than the flex fan?
     
  28. tfeverfred
    Joined: Nov 11, 2006
    Posts: 15,791

    tfeverfred
    Member Emeritus

    From what I've understood, heating at slow speeds or sitting is due to lack of sufficient air movement through the radiator or a radiator not large enough. Since the thoughts are that the clutch setup won't help, I'm just going to figure out a way to make an effect shroud and next year get a larger radiator as well.

    I'll try the shroud first, since it's the cheapest route.
     
  29. Comet1964
    Joined: Aug 15, 2013
    Posts: 1

    Comet1964
    Member
    from Utah

    Overheated,

    I had similar problems with my Comet; redundant fans and a larger aluminum radiator didn't keep it from running hot in slow traffic. What I was told and has clearly worked for me is running only water in the cooling system. There is an additive to prevent corrosion; which I use. This change in fluid has netted me a drop of 20 degrees in all situations. The car is in a heated garage in the winter, so antifreeze is not necessary.

    Good luck, Cometdriver
     
  30. tfeverfred
    Joined: Nov 11, 2006
    Posts: 15,791

    tfeverfred
    Member Emeritus

    What additive did you use?
     

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