cooling down the beast

stroked 6t5 · Sep 25, 2005

Hi all,

You've been very helpful so far. I have a question regarding cooling down my 408 stroker. It tends to run a bit hot so I've decided to switch to an electric waterpump, fan and aluminum radiator. Does anyone have any recommendations as to which one works best and is the easiest to install without any modifications? Many thanx.

Regards,
Andy

4MuscleMachines · Sep 25, 2005

For the best cooling, I would use Ron Davis radiators. They are oversized so you will have to cut the protruding area of the radiator core panel. For bolt in convenience, the Fluidyne since it has 3 one inch rows, not two like 95% of other aluminum radiators. I had the Ron Davis one but sold the car, it was perfection at its best but pricey at $860 with fans. This time, I am trying the Fluidyne to save a few bucks. Summit has them for $440 but I found them on eBay for about $80 less. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Flui...002534488QQcategoryZ33602QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

The one pictured below is the Ron Davis rad.

65ShelbyClone · Sep 25, 2005

Fo ease of installation, I would recommend a direct-fit radiator as large as you can fit in the radiator support w/o cutting. Just any brand will do, but dont spend a bankroll if you dont need to(like on Be Cool products....WAY overpriced). If you're not worried about cutting, you can use a bit larger of a radiator.

iskwezm · Sep 25, 2005

i might have to try that Ron Davis one,my Be Cool I paid $375 (industry discount) aint cutting it.

Kriek · Sep 25, 2005

I highly recommend Hot Rod Air.
1-877-693-3200
http://www.hotrodair.com/

I have a complete detailed walkthrough on the installation if you need it.

Three-row radiator with automatic transmission cooler, molded shroud with high volume electric cooling fan, adjustable thermostat ( Allows you to set the exact temperature desired to engage electric fan. Probe mounts in petcock of radiator.) and wiring harness. All brackets to fit existing holes with no drilling required. Wiring connects into starter solenoid on inner fender panel.

4MuscleMachines · Sep 25, 2005

iskwezm said:
i might have to try that Ron Davis one,my Be Cool I paid $375 (industry discount) aint cutting it.

Yep, I put the Ron Davis unit on a 65 with a 427W stroker that was going to get supercharged. IMO, its the only unit that will handle that amount of heat and HP.

The Fluidyne is going on a 427W stroker too but NA, should be OK but we will see. The temp down here today was 110*F. Thats sixteen straight days of temps over 100* for this month!

Sicarius428 · Sep 26, 2005

When looking for a radiator more rows isn't better. A two row 3 inch thick radiator will outperform a three row 3 inch radiator. Also look for a high fin per square inch ratio and finally no epoxy joints.
Kevin

glastang · Oct 23, 2005

Sicarius428 said:
When looking for a radiator more rows isn't better. A two row 3 inch thick radiator will outperform a three row 3 inch radiator. Also look for a high fin per square inch ratio and finally no epoxy joints.
Kevin

Get a crossflow too

grego37 · Oct 25, 2005

biggest cross flow alum. radiator you can fit, or make fit.

16-18lbs radiator cap

Good electric fan

Stewart Components blueprinted waterpumps &
Blueprinted (balanced) thermostat

you may want to look into your pulley set up too.
on most performance street cars, you'd want to overdrive the waterpump, not underdrive it, like you read everywhere especially from March Perf.

5.0ina66 · Oct 25, 2005

AFCO or Northern or Summit brand. $350 or less for a bolt in big one (no cutting required). IMHO, Fluidyne and especially Be-Cool are a royal screwing!
HTH
--Kyle

4MuscleMachines · Oct 25, 2005

Sicarius428 said:
When looking for a radiator more rows isn't better. A two row 3 inch thick radiator will outperform a three row 3 inch radiator. Also look for a high fin per square inch ratio and finally no epoxy joints.
Kevin

Agreed, but the test is in real world driving in hot dry weather and stop-n-go traffic. I live in Laredo TX, the second hottest city in the nation and I have restored about 9 Mustangs. Fluidyne has yet to let me down, IMHO, just trying to help a fellow Mustanger.

5.0ina66 said:
AFCO or Northern or Summit brand. $350 or less for a bolt in big one (no cutting required). IMHO, Fluidyne and especially Be-Cool are a royal screwing!
HTH
--Kyle

More if you buy at retail, I bought mine for $340 on ebay. It just arrived.

4MuscleMachines · Oct 25, 2005

Just measured the width, its 3.5 inches wide for three one inch tubes...just in case you need the measurement.

thehueypilot · Oct 26, 2005

4MuscleMachines said:
Agreed, but the test is in real world driving in hot dry weather and stop-n-go traffic. I live in Laredo TX, the second hottest city in the nation and I have restored about 9 Mustangs. Fluidyne has yet to let me down, IMHO, just trying to help a fellow Mustanger.

More if you buy at retail, I bought mine for $340 on ebay. It just arrived.

I'm confused......your pictures show a fluidyne box. Does Ron Davis use fluidyne radiators? Have you ran the radiator yet on your 427W in hot weather? How much cutting are you going to do to get it in there or do you have to cut at all? What type of fan are you going to use and does your car have AC?

4MuscleMachines · Oct 26, 2005

This is going on a 427 stroker, NO AC. I doubt it will cool down a car with AC. You need a bigger rad. Its just enough for that engine. It will be mounted with a Black Magic fan pusher and mech fan on the engine, thats the way my friend wants it. He will use the elec fan when he needs it. I would rather just use the elec puller fan. BTW, this is not the Ron Davis rad, its Fluidyne. The Ron Davis is much larger and is crossflow.

jbuening · Oct 26, 2005

I second the Northern Radiators. If you have a manual transmission, you can get a HUGE radiator for $170. The Summit brand cheap radiators are Northern brand. I have a 26"x19" (actually measures 27.5") Northern in mine with a High Volume FlowCooler aluminum water pump, a high flow 16" electric fan, and a high volume thermostat. I can't even get my temps above 180° on very hot days (100°+) with the A/C on and sitting in traffic for a few hours. These radiators don't have epoxy seams either. It's not so much the brand of aluminum radiator you buy, it's the surface area and whether it is a cross-flow or down-flow design. Be Cool, Fluidyne, etc IMO are no better than the Northerns and you can use the extra $300 you saved on something else for your engine. My $0.02

iskwezm · Oct 26, 2005

jbuening said:
I second the Northern Radiators. If you have a manual transmission, you can get a HUGE radiator for $170. The Summit brand cheap radiators are Northern brand. I have a 26"x19" (actually measures 27.5") Northern in mine with a High Volume FlowCooler aluminum water pump, a high flow 16" electric fan, and a high volume thermostat. I can't even get my temps above 180° on very hot days (100°+) with the A/C on and sitting in traffic for a few hours. These radiators don't have epoxy seams either. It's not so much the brand of aluminum radiator you buy, it's the surface area and whether it is a cross-flow or down-flow design. Be Cool, Fluidyne, etc IMO are no better than the Northerns and you can use the extra $300 you saved on something else for your engine. My $0.02

I think my Summit(northern) fixed my problem or helped a lot at least.I went to a builder that said all the cores are the same,they just add tanks to them.

I have a Be Cool for sale CHEAP

10secgoal · Oct 27, 2005

I ran the Summit radiator in 29 palms. Gets a little hot in the Mojave also. Ran the largest rad I could fit, underdrive pulleys from march, and an electric fan that moved a ton of air, but was a good 1/2 in from the raditator. It idled and cruised fine in 100 + heat. I squezzed the piss outta it kit and it still never went about 160.

jbuening · Oct 27, 2005

One of these may help out too, depending on what kind of clearance you have between the fan and the motor.

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