My saga of keeping the car running cool

hoopty5.0

mechanicus terribilis
15 Year Member
Dec 14, 2010
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SW Houston
I figured I'd start another thread on this since my searches seem to dig up old threads with no real follow up or results. My car has been running hot and I tracked my results as I tried different things. Hopefully, this thread will come up and not all the garbage I came up with instead. Sheesh!



Setup: Home cooked turbo system, similar to an On3. Promaxx 180s, TFS 1 cam, explorer intake, SBE.
Has a 3" FMIC, A/C condenser, and SVE radiator, contour fans run continuously. 180 degree T-stat, 50/50 coolant mix

Location: SE Texas, it's been mid-90's and 80+% humidity this week
Sunday - Freeway temps: 210 degrees, street temps 205 degrees

Tuesday -
  • Added air deflector under core support and 160 degree stat
  • Freeway temps 195, street temps 200
dam.jpg

Wednesday -
  • Added sheet metal at passenger side core support to keep air from going around radiator
  • Opened front bumper under Ford emblem to allow more air in
  • Freeway temps - 191, Street temps 195
opening.jpg
shroud.jpg


beaver damage.jpg


Wed. Afternoon -
  • Drained 50/50 mix mostly
  • Added 2 gallons distilled water
  • Added 1 bottle of Water Wetter
  • Freeway temps: 178-180, street temps 170-180
  • Made a few freeway and street pulls and never crossed 190

I still need to move the fans down an inch to cover the bottom of the radiator and seal them to the radiator as well, but overall I made a pretty significant change for ~$100. I'm going to buy the Cobra bumper insert from LMR to cover up my hack job, but Ill add more photos in the comments of what I did.
 
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Good write up, I saw it on fb this morning too.

Fwiw, I had a sve radiator on the car, and changes to a cold case lmm570 radiator and it drops temp when moving QUICK. Oddly It doesn’t seem as good at idle, but that might be due to the new fans or water pump.
 
In my 93 coupe I have an On3 turbo, Mishimito radiator, contour fans and a derale fan controller. I have AC and run it ALL the time. In traffic I never get over 200 degrees. No matter what. Cruising it's at 185 ish. This is in Hawaii. I also run stock crank and water pump pullies.
 
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