Aluminum Radiator/ Electric Fan

[My66]

I have been checking into an aluminum radiator/ electric fan set-up for my 200 I6. Some people might not think this is necessary, but I live in Texas and it gets really hot really fast here, especially in the summer. And also it would be cool and different.

What are ya'lls thoughts?

 

[Does10s]

We've got both the aluminum rad, and an electric fan on my Wife's Falcon.
We also use an electric water pump!

Works just fine! And we're in Tucson so we know about the heat issue!

Later,
Will

 

[CobraSix]

While I don't live in Texas, I've been stuck in Boston traffic during 95*+ days. Never overheated, or even came close despite idling going 5MPH for an hour. with a 180* T-stat, my mechanical gauge never read about 176*. My biggest problem now is the car doesn't heat up enough during the winter for the heater to work or for the carb choke to stay warm enough to keep it off.

All I upgraded was to a 3-row, stock form radiator. Stock fan, pump, and a 180* T-stat.

I won't debate the merits of Aluminum/Electric Fan versus stock. That is something everyone needs to decide for themselves.

However, before you go spend the big dough on that kind of set up, make sure you cooling system is in good working order. If you can verify the condition of parts, it might be a good idea to replace them. Waterpump, T-Stat, hoses, etc. Flush the cooling system. You can upgrade the radiator, but it may only be masking the underlying problem (or, like in my case the old radiator was the problem due to massive internal corrosion).

 

[JoeJoe44]

My biggest problem now is the car doesn't heat up enough during the winter for the heater to work or for the carb choke to stay warm enough to keep it off.

An electric fan with a thermostat would probably fix that problem, but that should even happen to begin with. Could it be a faulty T-stat? Maybe its opening up to soon.

We've got both the aluminum rad, and an electric fan on my Wife's Falcon.
We also use an electric water pump!

Where in the world did you find an electric water pump?!?!

I have been looking into buying an electric fan with a thermostat for my mustang i just haven't put together the money to do it yet. Im here is south Georgia so warm summers aren't uncommon.

 

[My66]

When I bought the car it came with an upgraded radiator, and I have replaced the water pump, and replaced the coolant.

 

[Does10s]

Where in the world did you find an electric water pump?!?!

It's from EMT/Stewart. it's an inline style that just goes inline with the lower radiator hose. I just made a plate that covered the normal engine driven pump space in the block and welded on some aluminum pipe to it so I could attach the hose from the pump.

For our application (limited street use, mostly drag racing) it's works great!

Will

 

[JoeJoe44]

You drag your wife's falcon?

 

[JackFish]

You drag your wife's falcon?

She's the driver, dude! :mrgreen:
http://mustangfords.automotive.com/4315 ... index.html

 

[rbohm]

You drag your wife's falcon?

She's the driver, dude! :mrgreen:
http://mustangfords.automotive.com/4315 ... index.html

8) and she runs in the 10's.

 

[Does10s]

You drag your wife's falcon?

It's her car! I'm just the "hired" wrench!

I do get to drive it around town when we take it out to a car show or dinner. Or if I made some tuning change and need to drive it around to test it.
Later,
Will

 

[MustangSix]

If extreme Texas heat is an issue, a good mechanical fan will move more air than an electric fan. If you can fit a clutch, that will cut the hp losses.

 

[CobraSix]

My biggest problem now is the car doesn't heat up enough during the winter for the heater to work or for the carb choke to stay warm enough to keep it off.

An electric fan with a thermostat would probably fix that problem, but that should even happen to begin with. Could it be a faulty T-stat? Maybe its opening up to soon.

The T-stat opens around 170* as best as I've been able to test. But with a new 3-row radiator, along with a completely new cooling system in general, the car doesn't overheat at all. Usually, if I drive in the winter, I just put a piece of cardboard in front of half the radiator. I'm using a 180* T-stat. I did that when I was hunting down overheat problems of my own and just have never gone back to the stock 196* T-stat.

Combined with the jet-hot coated headers, my engine bay stays bearable, even on hot days.

My66,

If you don't know the condition of the water pump, pull it. When I bought my mustang, the impeller on the water pump had more holes in it than swiss cheese.

 

[jamyers]

If a mustang 6 is as tight between the waterpump and the radiator as a roundbody falcon, the only way for an electric is in front of the radiator. Here's my aluminum radiator / engine fan / shroud installation saga:
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=58405

 

[JoeJoe44]

You drag your wife's falcon?

It's her car! I'm just the "hired" wrench!

I do get to drive it around town when we take it out to a car show or dinner. Or if I made some tuning change and need to drive it around to test it.
Later,
Will

hahaha thats awesome.

 

[My66]

My66,

If you don't know the condition of the water pump, pull it. When I bought my mustang, the impeller on the water pump had more holes in it than swiss cheese.

I have replaced the water pump.

 

[CobraSix]

Have you flushed your radiator yet?

I ended up flushing it 3 times with so much gunk getting pulled out each time, I finally decided to just replace the radiator. I cut up the old one and found that it was so plugged with rust that it must have hardly flowed water. Even with a new pump, T-stat, hoses, etc...I was still overheating. I decided to err on the side of safety and went to the 3-row. Haven't had an issue since, but I think that was more due to radiator condition that the 3rd row. But then again, I'm not willing to test the 2 row again...too lazy.

I also tried a flex fan and a fan shroud...still overheated until I replaced the radiator.

I just feel too many people jump on the 'inadequate cooling system' band wagon instead of realizing that a radiator after 20-45 years will have too much gunk in it to work well. But in the end, it's up to you to figure out what you want. A good condition original style system (or with a 3 row) will work. An AL/Electric combo will work. Which do you want?

 

[jlopes]

I am looking at picking up this one on ebay...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... MEWAX%3AIT

 

[Eric Rose]

I'd ask them what kind of radiator is included with that kit. I got a Silla from an e-bay seller and it has been great, even though it was made in China.

That fan in the kit looks axactly like the one I used when I first tried an electric fan conversion. It can be mounted in either configuration (pusher or puller). I'm kinda leary of the whole "run zipties throuh the radiator to mount it" deal, so I made a mount for mine that positioned it in front of the radiator.

I found that the problem I was having at the time was that the original radiator was clogged, so I took the electric fan back and used that $$ to get the aluminum radiator. I have used it with the engine fan ever since. I thought about going back to electric, or getting a fan clutch for the mechanical fan. But I have bigger fish to fry in the drivetrain/suspension now.

Where would be the best location to install the thermostat for the fan controller? I have 2 possible locations, theres a fitting in my thermostat flange, and a fitting in the head (where the factory temp gauge goes). I think theres a fitting in my water pump too.

I am thinking that the location in the thermostat housing would be the best one because it will read the actual temp on the radiator side of the thermostat, correct?

 

[rbohm]

8) the thermostat housing is the best place to put the fan sensor.

 

[jamyers]

That looks like an awesome deal. Hard to find an aluminum radiator that's truly a bolt-in replacement - proper mounting flange, correct sized hose fittings, Cap in the right spot. Why is that so danged hard to do?

I wish I'd have seen that before I bought mine.