Cooling Issues

snoboardcore

New Member
Mar 30, 2005
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New Hampshire
Hey guys when my car just sits and idles with the hood closed it the temp guage will go into the red zone. If i let it sit there and idle with the hood open it wont go into the red zone. What would help me to stop this from happening?
 
A real tamp gauge is needed to do diagnostics on the system.

How old is the fan clutch?

Good luck.
 
the fan clutch is still the factory fan clutch. But why would that affect anything? Because wont the fan still only spin at the same speed at an idle because its based off engine rpms? I was thinking that maybe i need a new fan(electric) would that help?:shrug: Also would some kind of cowl hood work as well or no?
 
the water pump im going to be replacing this winter. It looks pretty warn my buddy said i should replace it him being a mechanic so i am. But why would it cause it to heat up while the hood is closed but not open if it was the water pump? Also the coolant is a 50/50 mix
 
That was my point before. The fan is unburdened when the hood it up. NOrmally the air being pulled through the coil really has no where to go (the hood is down, the motor is sitting right there, etc). With the hood up, heat can escape upward on its own, and the air the fan displaces has a place to go.

Good luck.
 
The cowl hood would not help as much as simply renewing the fan clutch. Being original, it has seen a few revolutions in the last 16 years.

That dynamic with the hood up is true on most cars - my SN95 fan cools better with the hood up too. It is just that your fan is not up to par with the hood down from the sound of it. Do make sure your fan is not cracked either.

Good luck.
 
My take:
If you have a 3G alt and want to add an elec fan, go for it. You can grab a J/Y unit for not much money and control it however fits your budget (Dc Controller being the best).

Or grab a new fan clutch. If the old clutch was doing ok for you until recently, you might not even need a HD clutch, which can save some money.

It is really your call. It sounds like the E-fan might be the route to go for you, since it will be an upgrade for your money, rather than simply a renewal of old parts.

My two cents. Good luck.
 
JT's right on. You really can't go wrong either way. If you try replacing the fan clutch, and it doesn't work, then just return the fan clutch, and begin to look elsewhere for a solution.

Taurus fans are cheap on ebay right now (saw one go for under 35 bucks a few days ago,) or you can get one from a junkyard for probably less than 20 if you're lucky. The DCC costs just over $100. After all is said and done, it's practically cheaper to do that then it is to buy even the Proform electric fan jegs sells, which moves way less air than the Taurus.

You could buy the Hayden/Imperial controller from Pep Boys, Auto Zone, etc, but the required wiring, Bosch relays, etc, would put you at nearly what the DCC costs anyway.

Heck, even if you DON'T have the 3g upgrade, you can still run the DCC unit.. I did for several weeks before I did the 3g, and Mr. Baskin over at DCC mentioned he runs a DCC on a 60 something (IIRC) Camaro, with a stock alt.

Here's a writeup of the Taurus fan install (minus the DC controller.) http://www.fordmuscle.com/archives/2003/02/electricfan/index.php