shelbymustangdan

Has anyone here switched from a stock (or repro) radiator with a belt driven fan, to an Aluminum Radiator with an electric fan? If so, what has your experience been? Does an electric fan with a "built in" shroud work better than one without a full shroud around fan? Have your temps reduced? Is one style fan quieter than another? Etc.

I have a rather new 4 core (or 3, can't remember at the moment) reproduction radiator, with a Flex-a-lite fan. There haven't been any overheating issues YET, but the temps last summer made my temp gauge (digital) reach 200 in stop and go traffic. Not bad....but always one of those nervous thoughts of overheating.

I've been thinking about switching out to an Aluminum Radiator/Electric Fan combo such as this one on eBay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Alumi...Q5fAccessories

Any feedback or thoughts on the subject would be appreciated!

Thanks!!

pass1over

I have a Fluidyne aluminum radiator and some 16" electric fan I bought off ebay on my '66, keeps it cool just fine. If yours isnt overheating, then why waste the money? Could just swap an electric fan over to your "rather new" radiator thats in there currently.

As a side note, I thought they went to cross flow tanks on the radiators in 68?

TexasAxMan

200 degrees is not a problem, if thats as high as the temp gets, and you're reasonably sure the gauge is accurate, then leave well enough alone.

sixt5

best investment of the car IMO, check out northern radiator. they have a rad. and a fan/shroud combo to fit their radiators.

dodgestang

200 degrees in stop and go traffic....spend your money on another project.

chris66dad

I had a 4 row brass/copper radiator with a 16 inch electric fan. The seam started leaking and 1800 Radiator would not honor the radiator (another story). I decided to bite the bullet and go with an aluminum 2 row.
The 66 had a 17 inch wide one but I followed Mustang Steves write up and converted it to a 20 inch. No the gauge never gets more than 1/3 up scale even idling in stop and go traffic in 90 degree heat.
The Mustang Steve radiator is really nice quality with excellent welds for $199.



Radiators: http://www.mustangsteve.com/aluminumradiators.html
Conversion to 20 inch: http://www.mustangsteve.com/radiators.html

shelbymustangdan

Thanks for all the feedback guys! It's good to get different opinions rather than just my own, and it helps to make sure I don't get "tunnel vision" while considering a change.

Thanks again!

Dan

cmanf

I have a huge becool alu. rad in my 66 with twin spall fans.
It stays between 185 -200 sitting. I have had it idle for over an hour and stayed @ 200.

66FB06GT

Sounds like your car is cooling pretty well. I much prefer an electric fan because it takes away the fan drag on the motor, and they cool really well. I would recommend going with the SPAL, because I have heard only good things about it. I picked mine up for right at $100, but you will also need a relay and some type of thermostatic switch to hook it up right.

Here are some details of what I did for my car:
http://www.fastbackmustang.com/Proje...emUpgrade.aspx

67mustang302

200 is nothing. You're fine all the way up to 230ish. After than you start to worry.

And you don't need an aluminum if you have a good copper/brass. If it has 3 or 4 rows and the cooling fins are packed tightly, it will cool your engine as well as any aluminum will.

I'm running a 3 core copper(GDI core) and even in summer around here where it routinely gets over 110 F I've never had it get over about 205-210. With my 195 thermostat it needs to be at least 90 outside before it opens up all the way.

Besides, most cars are going to make more power when they're hotter, you get better combustion. As long as it doesn't detonate anyway.