I am planning on adding a electrical fan to my radiator (54' 235 motor) and run it on a manual switch. Anyone done this and have any pointers on a good fan and size and how you hooked it up? I know the factory belt driven fan is a puller...so should I use a pusher? <!--POLLS--><!--FILES--><!--SIGNATURE-->
Hey Hotrod, I would be using it in addition to my stock 235 fan. Come summer time..it's gonna be hot here in south Tejas!
Don't use an electric. Putting one on as an auxilery type fan generally blocks more radiator core than the fan generates cooling capacity. I have yet to find ANY mnufacturer of electric fan that will make an entire summer in Phoenix. If I were in your shoes, I would find a six or seven bladed fan with a fan clutch from a late model and build a fan shroud. Much more consructive use of your time.
My only worry with an alternate fixed blade fan is room, even having the short water pump, my factory fixed blade is right up on my radiator. I may have a couple centimeters of room if that. A homemade fan shroud does sound like a good idea. My engine only starts to get hot when I am in stop and go traffic, idling a lot. there's just not enough air flow to cool it. This is when I would switch on an external fan to help with air flow.
It may be that your motor has alot of build up in the water jackets. Have your entire cooling system flushed then refill with coolant.
What temperature thermostat do you have? My 216 is a 160 degree thermostat as from the factory. I have never had a overheating problem with a 4 blade steel fan and a 160 degree in 100 degree plus Georgia summers, with no shroud never gets above 180.
I have an aftermarjket 3 core aluminum radiator...brand new...just replaced all the coolant about 3 months ago.
How hot does it get when in traffic?? Try what HRP says. Electric fan in front of the radiator does not work that well. Can you move the radiator forward a small amount if you need clearance? I would not use a flex blade because I have seen more than one of them go into the radiator. 1" between fan and radiator should work well. Not sure why changing thermostat will help. Speedway has those fans for a reasonable price.
Shroud. And remember, with a pressurised system, you have not overheated until at least 220ºF. Running less than a 195ºF thermostat is slowly killing your engine. No, wait, all the OEM factories have just announced that running over 160º will affect your manhood (or something like that), best to listen to the undereducated crowd (this may be satire. Or sarcasm.) Cosmo
Are you sure the gauge is accurate? a friend of mine chased an overheating problem like you described, and it turned out that the gauge was off by like 20 degrees on the high end! I would check the coolant temperature with a good and accurate digital gauge so you know for sure that you are overheating. Run the car with the cap off and check in the radiator with the gauge after the thermostat opens and the temperature is up. KK
i run a mech fan runs cool but in traffic sittin still for more than 15 min with a/c on it go's up to 210 put two electric fans on when in traffic 175 all day long and i did time heat up time before and after installing electric fans not running electric fans no difference at all you might try and see if they have a high volume water pump for your rig or 7 blade hayden fan bigger pulleys? you could also try runnin a restrictor washer instead of a thermostat
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