COMET CENTRAL

As I posted in the lounge had some engine problems but found the problem and hopefully fixed. still have a cooling problem and looking for an opinion. I have an alum 2 row rad (downflow)with 2 -12" elec fans pullers. the core is 16 x24w. at this point I don't know whether I have a too small rad or not enough air flow. after 1 or 2 stop lights starts heating up to over 210. on the hwy will pull down to 190- 200. running 50/50 anti and 160 thermostat. took for test run after finishing putting the motor back together. got a couple of miles down the road and started towards 200°. fans running all the time. by the time turned around and got back home was sitting at 220° and climbing. ran a large fan in front of rad w/engine off,cooled down, started, cooled down and started. got to 160. when it's hot over 200 I start having a miss. guessing the heat from the fans are affecting the dizzy and coil which are in the air flow.

I don't have enough room for a shroud with the elecric. they are only about 1/2" from the water pump pulley. wondering if a shroud w/ a stock 6 or 7 blade steel fan would be more efficient. I did have to open up the core support some to get the alum rad in the air flow. if went larger guess I could open more but stuck on height. overall height is setting on crossmember and the top is right at the upper bar. haven't tried any of the "water wetter" additives since most all I'm heard is that they are snake oil. I don't have a controller on the fans, just a relay and off/on sw. turn them on about 140 and leave on.

have the timing backed off to 12°initial. come back off some more but just not sure. asked my machine shop if having the cam advanced 3° could affect it but they thought not.

any suggestions/thoughts pro or con?

alan

I run a 2 row,double pass,crossflow that is as large as I could fit between the framerails,with an engine driven 14" flex fan,distilled water and an additive made by Valvoline that stops electralisis and lubes the water pump,no T-stat or shroud.I have cruised at Hot August Nights[Reno,NV]for hours and never had a cooling issue,180-190 degrees. ROY.

I used an old X flow out of a BBF Galaxie wagon, 3 row copper on my 351C
no stat but 3/4 in hole restrictor in the stat housing.
It barely fit between the rails and is as high as the engine bay.
also made the rad opening as big as possible, no shroud
Used OEM 5 blade flex fan, did the job easily


Even when the snow was gone,,,,,LOL

I build my car in the mid nineties before all these specialty aluminum radiators were available so I used a 3 core radiator from a 67 big block Mustang. Fits Comet core support perfect, modified big block Mustang radiator mounts to fit. For a thermostat I took an old thermostat, cut out opening mechanism and put the outer section in the thermostat housing for a slight restriction. Used a 16" pusher electric fan because the Cleveland did not leave alot of room for a puller electric fan. Had to take out hood latch release to fit fan. Thing warms to 180 degrees or so and just stays there.

along the same lines as the heating problem, when it gets above 200 I start to get a miss, especially at low speeds. thinking that since I have the teardrop hood that is causing more heat to go up and out and pass right over the dizzy and coil and maybe causing the miss. I have the petronix flamethrower II billet electronic dizzy and a msd 40k coil.

anyone think this might be the cause?

alan

I think it may be boiling the fuel in the carbs and pulling some fuel vapors out through the bubble openings. JMO,ROY.