Thread: Cooling Big Blk Chev

Tweet

I have a 462 bb chev in my 57 chev. Horse power stands about
600 without the nitrous on. I have a B cool aluminum radiator. I haven"t
driven this car enough to know if this radiator will suffice, or do you think
i also need an electric fan. Presently have a aluminum after market fan.
rd

Instead of guessing, just pick a warm sunny day and go for a cruise. IMO, I would roll down the highway, if that goes well, hit some stop and go traffic around town. Or just fire it up and let it run in your driveway. Worst case, it gets too hot and you shut it down for a while until it cools enough to drive again.
There are many other factors to consider though when looking at your engine temps. Others here will be more able to correctly advise you on that.

Like 65cayne said, drive it to find out. All the theory in the world won't be as good as actually running the car and observing the temp gauge.

At speeds over 35, the incoming air will eliminate the need for a fan. In other words, if it cools well at 35mph+, then you have enough radiator and the hot air has a way out of the engine bay. If it doesn't cool at 35+, then the radiator is too small or the hot air is gettin' dammed up in the engine bay or both. To determine if it is a radiator or air stagnation problem at 35+, make a couple of 1 1/2" thick spacers to go between the hood and the hood mounting brackets to space the hood up at the back so air can escape and try it again. If it cools, you have found the problem. If it doesn't, you need more radiator.

Once you have established that you have enough radiator and vent, run the car in stop and go traffic. If it heats, then you have too little air moving through the radiator. In my opinion, a well-engineered shroud is gonna be a necessity on this car, so if you don't have one, that may solve the overheating in traffic problem. If a shroud doesn't solve it, then toss the electric fan and use an engine-driven, OEM 7-blade 18" steel fan blade with viscous drive coupler. I've never been a fan of electric fans anyway.

i agree with tech on the 7 blade, 18" fan, and the shroud.

well like i told the boys at be cool when they tell guys there rad will cool 800 +hp that a 800+hp engine will not make that at 2500. what i trying to say is i have runned 750+ hp just engine with no be cool just copper brass and they still the guys at be cool do not know how i do it so water speed is has to be tuned in and like said a good fan or fans

I'm on the other side of the fence from some of you regarding electric fans vs mechanical. I like electric better, especially a high quality fan like a SPAL that will move 2400-2700 CFMs when you need it, like at a traffic light. A mechanical fan naturally slows down when your are idling, but the electric just keeps on running at full speed.

I do agree on the shroud issue though, be it electric or mechanical. I also don't like mechanical fans spinning in an engine room with no hood on it. Even with a hood, a friend has a nice lil '50 Ford that got an unintentional louver cut into it when a fanblade tip came off.

But, like everything else, we all have our preferences........that is just mine.


Don

have two spals on my 50 from the boys at Be cool;did i ever tell you about the time i work for them them damn things are very noisy

Try all the test mentioned above thay are all good proven test tried a few my self now and again,But if the car still runs hot IT's like 65CAYNE said their are a lot of things to consider.How many core's in radiater,wrong Torque Converter,Jets to Leen,Block Bored out to much/ water jaket to thin to run on street,that would't make it a boat anker just fill the block with some thing like MOROSO or Hard-Block filler,just run water through Heads.Don't no if it would be steetable never tried it.running NO'S you probably all ready have timing retarded that will help,post your test result.

RD, are you running a manual transmission in your 57 or an automatic? If you are running an automatic I hope you are using an external cooler as opposed to running the cooler lines through the radiator. I'm installing a 454 roller motor in a 30 Model A roadster...no tranny cooler in my PRC aluminum radiator, fan shroud, 2700 cfm electric fan, and a 35 gpm electric water pump. I also have open side vents on the hood panels and I'm construction flow through ventilation from under my radiator 1 1/2" extra usuable space to assist cooling when moving. Hopefully both of us will NOT have cooling issues.

Just switched to electric on my 454 (fought it for a while) and I've got to say
it's probably one of the best things I've done. Used to have a problem in traffic with my engine driven fan with shroud . The electric is quiet, efficient, and keeps the temp down no matter how bad traffic is...
I felt like a traitor when I installed it, but you can't argue with results!

Originally Posted by Jag454

Just switched to electric on my 454 (fought it for a while) and I've got to say
it's probably one of the best things I've done. Used to have a problem in traffic with my engine driven fan with shroud . The electric is quiet, efficient, and keeps the temp down no matter how bad traffic is...
I felt like a traitor when I installed it, but you can't argue with results!

do you mean the the rat block in the jag them jag engines do not even make good boat anchors

Be sure the gap above the rad is filled when the hood is closed. Hot air from behind the rad can circulate over the top and go back through the rad, causing overheating. In traffic at low speeds, the same thing can happen with air coming out under the front bumper and recirculating.

Originally Posted by pat mccarthy

do you mean the the rat block in the jag them jag engines do not even make good boat anchors

pure chevy 454 with a turbo 400 Trans.. makes this baby a JTR (Jaguar that Runs)

Originally Posted by Jag454

pure chevy 454 with a turbo 400 Trans.. makes this baby a JTR (Jaguar that Runs)

YES THAT IS COOL i think the big block chevy engine is one of the best engine ever built have seen them go thru hell it is amazing what they can take i have fixed and built many of them rats

If you are running an automatic I hope you are using an external cooler as opposed to running the cooler lines through the radiator.

Almost none of the specialty trans companies recommend that. They generally recommend a radiator plus an external cooler.