- This topic has 4 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated May 28, 2024 at 11:51 pm by
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306ci aluminum heads 350hp ish, cooling system is a Griffin aluminum radiator, edelbrock victor mechanical water pump, 180 thermostat, Lat old style 5 blade mechanical fan. Car runs 180-190 at cruise. Stopped for even a few minutes it’s creeping 200-210. Obviously it’s an airflow/fan cooling issue. I don’t have my horn holes blocked and running a stock flat hood which i figure an Lat hood with scoop would help a tad too. Anyone have any fan or other recommendations ? Thanks George
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Install a 160 thermostat. that’s what Rootes specified. I’d ditch the alloy radiator and hot dog water pump. The alloy radiator are impossible to service, and copper is actually a better conductor of heat. I’m running a OE radiator with a dimpled tube core. this keeps the water in the radiator longer so it can actually cool. standard water pumps work better than a high-volume unit for the same reason. Horn block off plates are a good idea as they keep the hot air from simply be cycled back through the radiator core. Having the fan shroud in place is absolutely required.
Electric fan(s) might help at idle, but at anything over 15mph are completely ineffective… in any event, it’s not the fan that’s the issue. it’s the ability of the air to escape from the engine bay.
Other things to consider are idle speed, should be about 900 rpm. Ignition timing, no more than 12 BTDC and for idle mixture, I err slightly on the rich side. All of these will help with cooling.
I am running standard exhaust manifolds with magna flow, low restriction, mufflers and 2″ pipes. I also have an “H” pipe behind the cruciform. Headers look nice, but generate a lot more heat and have the near constant annoyance of gasket issues… If you have headers and an “Econoline” 90 degree filter adapter you are basically superheating your oil. Keeping the filter in the stock place is better for cooling, even if it’s a messy bitch to change the oil!
You are correct in that the major issue is the lack of air flow, or more correctly, the inability to get air out from under the hood. The factory ran the comps cars with the hood open and on the safety catch to achieve airflow out of the engine bay. On one of the AF cars that Rootes took to Moracco, you can see they louvered the hood in anticipation it might help… unfortunately, it was abnormally cool and they couldn’t evaluate the effect. In any event, it looked horrible!
I had a steel hood with just an air intake scoop, which actually made the problem even worse. I fabricated the exhaust vents, copying them from a friend’s LAT hood. Under-hood temps dropped by a little more than 20 degrees. As I have a Mk2, I also have the oil cooler and increased oil capacity which also helps.
There is a long study on the CAT forum website that explains how to reduce temps.
I am running a 302, about 300 HP. The needle on my gauge NEVER gets close to the center of the gauge. We have 6-8 weeks every summer of triple digit temps. Engine temps do not rise in heavy traffic, or stop lights. I get a minimal increase in high-speed climbs over mountain passes over 4K feet, but even then, the recorded temp on the gauge is below the center line (85 C). I have verified the water temp with both a candy thermometer and a laser temp reader. The gauge is accurate.
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Speaking of speculation…. Does that include non first hand non owners theories? I run a 180 but I see the idea that for some it may take longer to cool than heat up. It’s been rare to be in 115 degree weather but I have been and survived . But like other inclement weather probably better to avoid it. The car can handle 180 to 200 but probably not the ol guy driving it. Mike M. is the author of the thread mentioned by Sean, he’s the former and probably current Tiger Tales editor. I’ve had a few black interior black convertible tops and it’s a bad choice in the baking sun. The 64 Falcon had an annoying metal insert on the seat back. Probably still have a burn scar ….
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