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fan spacer..how much clearance
- Thread starter freshayr
- Start date
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GoodysGotaCuda
Mr. Goody
Are you running a shroud? Blades should stick out about half way out of the shroud. I ran a clutch fan at one point with no shroud and i had mine spaced about 1/2" from the clutch/radiator and didn't have any issues. (running a solid motor mount, so movement was minimal)
K
krabysniper
Guest
The fan is not doing anything at highway speeds anyway, fans are for the low speed city driving with lotsa stop and go traffic. if your having that type of issue at speed I would start looking eslewhere. First place I would look is the lower radiator hose. Is this a new install (engine, or cooling system components), if so, did you remember to put the spring back in the lower hose? There is supposed to be one in there to prevent the hose from collapsing, at highway speeds. If this is an old installation that is developing a new problem then I would say it may be that the spring has corroded away and is no longer doing it's job. If upon inspection the hose spring is intact and in place then you might consider age of the cooling system (corrosion and deposits plugging radiator, scale on inside of the block reduce's cooling system effeciancy and can cause cooling issues), pulley size (again, new install may have wrong size crank or water pump pulley or both, to fast is as bad as to slow in water flow in the world of cooling systems, although this would be a last place to check as I would feel it would be worse in city driving). Last possibility would be an aero dynamics issue in which the airflow is somehow being disrupted such that it isn't cooling at speed. Just some of the possibilities I could think of at the moment.
GoodysGotaCuda
Mr. Goody
krabysniper said:The fan is not doing anything at highway speeds anyway, fans are for the low speed city driving with lotsa stop and go traffic. if your having that type of issue at speed I would start looking eslewhere. First place I would look is the lower radiator hose. Is this a new install (engine, or cooling system components), if so, did you remember to put the spring back in the lower hose? There is supposed to be one in there to prevent the hose from collapsing, at highway speeds. If this is an old installation that is developing a new problem then I would say it may be that the spring has corroded away and is no longer doing it's job. If upon inspection the hose spring is intact and in place then you might consider age of the cooling system (corrosion and deposits plugging radiator, scale on inside of the block reduce's cooling system effeciancy and can cause cooling issues), pulley size (again, new install may have wrong size crank or water pump pulley or both, to fast is as bad as to slow in water flow in the world of cooling systems, although this would be a last place to check as I would feel it would be worse in city driving). Last possibility would be an aero dynamics issue in which the airflow is somehow being disrupted such that it isn't cooling at speed. Just some of the possibilities I could think of at the moment.
What temps are you running at? Mine creeps up on the highway a good 10* or so. I was told that my 160* t-stat may have to do with it, it was a stock style replacement that is 'unbalanced'. A 'unbalanced' t-stat in a car turning about 3,000+rpm on the highway can actually make enough pressure to press the t-stat closed. Which would of course, increase in temp. Also the 160* stat maybe flowing too much for my electric fan to cool. So i went with a balanced 180* t-stat. The balanced stats will not push closed on the highway. I should get it tomorrow and we'll see how it does :salute: . The lower hose is something to look at, also your plugs, maybe a lean spot in the carb while your cruising at whatever rpm you cruise at on the highway.
so good points there guys. It is a new motor with new cooling system. I ahve a 160 stat. had a 190 and it did the same thing. Never heard of a balance stat before. I put the new lower hose on myself.....without the spring. Where do I get one of those?
btw....It is a new radiator from US Raditator out of CA. Anybody have any experience with them? I want to make sure it is not the raditor. It was supposed to be a 4 core. I bought it through Year one and paid a King's Ransom for it.
Valiant72
Well-Known Member
After my engine swap my fan was 2 1/8 in. away from the radiator and would overheat at idle. With some advice on this site I moved it to 1 in. and it was a big improvement. It also helped keep the temp lowered at 45-65 mph. I'm wondering if the fan being to far away can cause airflow problems at higher speeds. I'm putting a shroud on this weekend, hope that really helps. I feel for you, my wife thought I was going to have medication for fustration. Good luck.
krabysniper said:if so, did you remember to put the spring back in the lower hose? QUOTE]
I don't have a spring. where would I find one? I have looked around , NAPA, Summitt, and can't find one. thanks
340mopar
Sorgermotorsports
As long as your cap is good you will have positive pressure in your cooling system so you will not need a spring. The hose can't collapse with positive pressure in the radiator.
K
krabysniper
Guest
340mopar, you are wrong. The water pump can cause the hose to collapse at highway speeds just from the suction it creates at higher rpms which can easily overcome the 16 psi of positive pressure you think the system is under (if they even have a cap rated that high, I have seen them rated as low as 12 psi), also if it is an older hose it can get soft and collapse even easier yet when the spring isn't there, I have seen it many times and fixed it as many. Just what do you think they put the spring in there for in the first place?
As to where to find one, best I can suggest is trying the stealership (sad to say but I really doubt you'll find them at an auto parts store, you could try but I doubt) or the slavage yards. I used to have a few extra's but fixing other friends vehicles cooling problems thru the years has depleated my supply. If you are unabale to track one down let me know and the next time I am out at a local yard up here I will try to scrounge one up for you. What did you do with your old lower hose, or did you never have one as this was a newer project? There would have been/ should have been a spring in it.
As to where to find one, best I can suggest is trying the stealership (sad to say but I really doubt you'll find them at an auto parts store, you could try but I doubt) or the slavage yards. I used to have a few extra's but fixing other friends vehicles cooling problems thru the years has depleated my supply. If you are unabale to track one down let me know and the next time I am out at a local yard up here I will try to scrounge one up for you. What did you do with your old lower hose, or did you never have one as this was a newer project? There would have been/ should have been a spring in it.
kraby thanks...for info. My hose is new but it feels pretty soft. I can't think of why else it only heats at hioghway speed. I'll try my local junk yard, I've already tried the auto stores. If I can't find one I may take you up on your offer.
Rick 5150 69
Well-Known Member
I have bought hoses using a piece coat hanger for the basic shape, and length in a auto parts store for comparison then sometimes having to shorten one end or both, that way still have a formed hose that does not normally collaspe! Rick
K
krabysniper
Guest
Nope. Even a formed hose dosn't stand much of a chance against a good water pump. You need to realize that when rubber gets hot (200 degrees plus) it gets a little softer, thus a little easier to collapse when the pump is spinning from 3500 to whatever rpm and trying to suck the radiator dry to shove coolant thru the engine. You really need to have that lower anti-collapse spring installed in the lower hose. There is a rubber flex style hose I have seen on some that looks like a spring coated in rubber and looks like it stands up to the "vacuum" that the pump can create in the lower hose. I will see if I can find a picture of one and post it.
If you pull a car apart and you see that spring in that lower hose, keep it, they are hard to come by and very much needed.
If you pull a car apart and you see that spring in that lower hose, keep it, they are hard to come by and very much needed.
i am more convinced than ever that it the lower hose. I took it for a long drive yesterday and it ran in the normal range for 30+ miles in normal country road driving. I then hit a two lane and took it up to 70 mph for a couple miles and then next thing I know the temp is creeping. I came to a stop sign and all of a sudden I watched the temp guage drop like a rock. it was apperant to me that there is something obstructing flow. Other than the termostat sticking or lower hose collasping, I don't know what it would be. Now the good news, I found a spring. I am gonna give that a try and let you know.
K
krabysniper
Guest
Excellent, glad ya found one, and I am pretty sure you'll be glad too.
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