cooling problems

67coupe351w · Apr 6, 2007

Alright so I have a 351w in my 67 mustang. I just installed a Mildon Aluminum High Flow Water Pump, a Summit brand 2 core aluminum radiator (cross flow, 19" tall, 30" wide) and a summit brand "high flow" 160 degree thermostat.

With the engine idling in my garage on a 74 degree day and both electric fans running full blast the best it can do is hold the coolant to 230 degrees. What gives? Something is totally wrong here.

The engine is a 351w, 9:1 compression, windsor Sr. heads, performer RPM intake. Timing is set to about 13 degrees initial and I have a pertronix Ignitor II for ignition.

The engine wouldnt cool with the old brass 3 core radiator and stock pump either so I figured this upgrade would set me straight. Guess not.

Any help would be GREATLY apperciated.

67coupe351w · Apr 6, 2007

here's a pic if that helps...

enferno · Apr 6, 2007

what about when you drive it or keep the idle at a higher rpm? still hot?

86bluecobra · Apr 6, 2007

what speed are you idling at? Wouldn't that effect the water pump and how well it flows.

67coupe351w · Apr 6, 2007

enferno said:
what about when you drive it or keep the idle at a higher rpm? still hot?

I havent driven it because my brakes arent completely back together yet but if I idle it up the temperature rises.

bluecobra - Idling at 1000 RPM.

86bluecobra · Apr 6, 2007

Is there anyway the thermstat was installed backwards?

67coupe351w · Apr 6, 2007

86bluecobra said:
Is there anyway the thermstat was installed backwards?

The pointed end is t'wards the radiator, the more squre side is in pointed into the block.

66bluepony · Apr 6, 2007

Cooling

You need a shroud. At the very least a single large fan that moves a lot of cfm. The ford torus fan is a good and cheap one.

HistoricMustang · Apr 6, 2007

I am of the opinion that you simply do not have enough air moving through the radiator.

HistoricMustang

86bluecobra · Apr 6, 2007

66bluepony said:
You need a shroud. At the very least a single large fan that moves a lot of cfm. The ford torus fan is a good and cheap one.

this would help a ton. That being said my 351w doese not have a highflow pump but a oem piece and i have a 3 core aluminum rad and a black magic electric fan. If you override the electric fan while the car idles it will stay at 180 degrees forever. I was wondering if your moroso water pump maybe a reverse flow pump and you are spinning it the wrong way.

mustangman1974 · Apr 6, 2007

you need minimally 3000 cfm on a 3 core radiator those 8 iners are not enough to pull the air flow you need. I agree with 86 bluecobra check the rotation of the pump too. my 68 has the stock radiator and with a/c blowing and in stopp and go traffic, or parker and idling it never gets 2 needles abof C. IT barly reaches 1/4 of temp sweep.

Red5oh · Apr 6, 2007

You need more fan or a shroud. You have at least 50% of you radiator that is not flowing air in an idle condition. Install a shroud with a large single fan, stop all air leaks to force all air through the radiator and you should be good.

Nice setup on the radiator by the way.

D.Hearne · Apr 6, 2007

Those two fans aren't NEARLY enough. I've got twin 10 inchers on the radiator in my V8 Ranger with a mild 5.0 and it'll heat up to 235 sitting and idling with a 160* T-Stat. Only other thing to check is the head gaskets to make sure they're not backwards. At the front, there should be a portion of the lower corner sticking out from the head if they're on correctly.

67coupe351w · Apr 6, 2007

Red5oh said:
You need more fan or a shroud. You have at least 50% of you radiator that is not flowing air in an idle condition. Install a shroud with a large single fan, stop all air leaks to force all air through the radiator and you should be good.

Nice setup on the radiator by the way.

I verified the Waterpump is correct flow direction, It is for a 70 to 78 351w which is the range my block is from. It also externally looked identical to the stock pump. Good idea to check though.

I went out and bit the bullet and got a shrouded electric fan that is supposed to move 3300 CFM.

I looked into the cfm ratings on my other fans and they are only about 800 CFM'ers each. I originally used those fans on the brass radiator because of space but I took some measurements and I think this huge (and expensive) new fan may work. I'll let you all know how it goes. Thanks for the input!

86bluecobra · Apr 6, 2007

I bet it will work fine now. my fan is 2500 cfm i think. I wouldn't mind bumping up to a 3300 cfm fan. Which one did you get?

HistoricMustang · Apr 6, 2007

................also, make sure you do not have the fan(s) wired backwards.

By doing so they would be running in reverse and pushing a certain amount of hot air from the engine compartment through the radiator.

Ask me how I know this could happen.

HistoricMustang
www.historicmustang.com

67coupe351w · Apr 6, 2007

86bluecobra said:
I bet it will work fine now. my fan is 2500 cfm i think. I wouldn't mind bumping up to a 3300 cfm fan. Which one did you get?

I got the Flex-a-lite #180...it was $309..ouch...at least it comes with the thermostat control and a sticker.

I started with the install and it is going to involve surgury on the radiator support...I just dont have enough room between the radiator and water pump pulley. I've began trimming the radiator support and modifying the mounting brackets I had fabed up. The radiator support trimmed quick and easy but my frame notches are a job better left for tommorow (don't worry I have MII).

I had 3.5 inches between the rad and pully, the fan unit takes somewhere between 4 and 4.5 inches. I'm shooting for as much clearance as I can get but I think im only gonna end up with about 3/8ths of an inch between the fan and the waterpump pully....

86bluecobra · Apr 6, 2007

67coupe351w said:
I got the Flex-a-lite #180...it was $309..ouch...at least it comes with the thermostat control and a sticker.

I'll have to look at that one. For 309 bucks they should have given you 2 stickers.

86bluecobra · Apr 6, 2007

wow the flex-a-lite extreme 185 fits my Mustang directly. Looks like I have my next Mod.

STSFCTN67 · Apr 6, 2007

I had the same problem until I realized I needed a relay to ensure my electic fan was getting the true 12 volts. Try hard wiring your fans to the battery if the fans kick in like mad then your current setup needs a relay.

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