Thread: Cooling System Projects - Any Opinions?

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I'm fixing to do some work with the cooling system in a 402 BBC powered 68 firebird strip/street car before some top end work to wake up the motor. Currently it will run pretty hot during the summer in traffic (~220F). Part of this is from not using vac advance (I'm aware this is a problem and don't need the lecture )

I'm planning to go aluminum rad with series flat trans cooler. I'm leaning towards dual electric fans and electric water pump all wired with relays.

Anyone have experience with Moroso street/strip electric wp? Are they reliable?

I'm hoping to have reliable cooling for the street without leaving too much hp on the table with mechanical fan / pump.

Anyone have similar setups in street-driven ~400-600hp cars.... how good does all electric work and any other pointers or gotchas to look out for? Also any manufacturer recommendations or un-recommendations?

Thanks,

Chris

I guess I should've searched the forums earlier. We've covered this ground many times and seems the consensus has usually been electric fans are no good and electric water pumps are no good.

I would still like to hear if anyone has used Moroso electric pump. Also bear in mind this is basically a race car I drive to the strip so the benefit of running fan and pump between rounds is appealing and thermal fan clutches would be a nightmare for consistent performance.

I may have to break down and get a vac adv distributor....

I'm not sure your concensus on electric fans is correct..........everything I've seen is that a good fan, such as a SPAL, is the way to go. I put a SPAL on my 5.0 Jeep, and it dropped temps trememdously. I will run one on my T and my '39 has dual fans built into the shroud.

I think a shroud is key to getting good performance out of one, as are the relays you mentioned.

I would agree on the electric pump, though.

Don

This is the radiator and fan my kid had built by Performance Radiator Co for his '29, and they are building me the same one for my T. They use this setup on an 800 hp blown big block car, with no cooling problems.

Don

Don how many cfm is that fan and who makes it? I am needing to have one built for my 1930 Model A roadster which is running a 600 hp BBC. I am not sure if I want a Walker, Griffin, PRC, or something else. How tall & wide is this radiator and is the shroud aluminum also? It sure look nice not to mention expensive, but aren't they all!

I disagree about electric fans being no good. Most modern cars use them exclusivley. There are many aftermarket fans, and quite a few good OEM fans you can get at the wrecking yard. I thnk Ford Taurus fans are quite popular. Most of the wrecking yard fans will come with a plastic shroud that can be adapted to many applications. Take your measurments and head out to the yard with your tape measure and see what you can find.

Personally I have 2 electric fans on my Studebaker. 1 16" puller for primary cooling and a 14" pusher that comes on with the AC. My LS1 runs pretty cool anyway, but this set up has worked great for me.

Pat

Originally Posted by stylingZ

Don how many cfm is that fan and who makes it? I am needing to have one built for my 1930 Model A roadster which is running a 600 hp BBC. I am not sure if I want a Walker, Griffin, PRC, or something else. How tall & wide is this radiator and is the shroud aluminum also? It sure look nice not to mention expensive, but aren't they all!

I think 2700 cfm's, but don't hold me to that. Yeah, the radiators these guys build are a work of art. Plus, they will custom make them as far as outlet positions, cap necks, etc. Base radiator is about $ 450, fan and shroud add a couple of hundred to it, but in todays market that is about average.

Mine should be here in a week or so, and I'll post some pictures when it shows up.

Don

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

I'm not sure your concensus on electric fans is correct..........everything I've seen is that a good fan, such as a SPAL, is the way to go. I put a SPAL on my 5.0 Jeep, and it dropped temps trememdously. I will run one on my T and my '39 has dual fans built into the shroud.

I think a shroud is key to getting good performance out of one, as are the relays you mentioned.

I would agree on the electric pump, though.

Don

same story with my spall dual 11" fans and housing cools wonderful with the aluminum rad with 1.5 tubes. 63 327 vette motor

Thanks everyone for the feedback. Don, your shroud looks great, you fab that yourself? So I'm not too crazy going with electric fans but the pump may be another story.... I guess I can cross that bridge when I get there. I'll plan radiator and fan for now and reconsider the pump later...

This is the pump I was thinking about and is rated at 19gpm....

Thanks again for all your inputs...