Electric fan vs mechanical

CaspersFoxes · Jun 6, 2011

i recently replaced the motor in my 90 5.0 with a 302 bored .040 over. I ran into a cooling issue, my car was running so hot that the plug tips basically disintegrated. So i replaced the plugs and put a cooler thermostat in, 180 degree high flow to be exact. its still running warmer than I'd like though. I'm thinking about getting an electric fan and aluminum radiator conversion kit. any suggestions? or should i just get a high volume water pump? in the future, i plan to supercharge the car, and im currently in south carolina, but plan to be in new york within the next 2 years. any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

HISSIN50 · Jun 6, 2011

What coolant temps are you seeing now?

CaspersFoxes · Jun 6, 2011

it's the stock gauge, but from reading it i'd say roughly 200 still, but at higher speeds, the temp goes down

HISSIN50 · Jun 7, 2011

You'll want a more accurate means of measuring temps.

Rick 91GT · Jun 7, 2011

A more efficent, high flow aluminum radiator is a good choice. A good stock fan assembly works very well, better than most electrics.

Rick 91GT · Jun 7, 2011

200° wont melt plug tips....sounds very lean.

JustA5.0 · Jun 7, 2011

Is your radiator air deflector still intact? Do most of the fins still look good on your rad?

I agree with Rick about the stock setup. I'll add that there's nothing wrong efficiency wise with the stock 3-row copper rad. Used to have supposedly the best electric fan controller you can get 'DCC' with the Taurus swap. Thing would turn on too late, or do the opposite and not shut the fan off. My mechanic verified that I had installed the controller correctly, after telling him all that and asking if I needed to upgrade my cooling system (alum rad, lincoln fan). Finally, the day it didn't turn on at all blowing my lower rad hose off (turning a Saturday morning drive to the car wash into a 6-hour ordeal), I threw the setup in the trash and swapped the stock stuff back.

My car is actually running too cool now in 75+ temps, and I'm putting the stock t-stat in (currently 180*).

4rdnut · Jun 7, 2011

What ignition are you using, it sounds like its putting out too many volts or you are using solid core racing wires thats eating up the spark plugs.

f8tlfiveo · Jun 7, 2011

Yeah .. Sounds lean to me. 200 or even 225 isn't gonna melt your plugs.

CaspersFoxes · Jun 7, 2011

4rdnut said:
What ignition are you using, it sounds like its putting out too many volts or you are using solid core racing wires thats eating up the spark plugs.

i'm using accell super stock wires from autozone. should i retard my timing back?

CaspersFoxes · Jun 7, 2011

Rick 91GT said:
200° wont melt plug tips....sounds very lean.

on efi? i'm using the same setup that was on the stock 302, what would be the difference
also.. before hand it was running nearly 270. i haven't noticed anything that it was doing before hand. also before i'd made the mistake of running platinum plugs, now im running standard ngk coppers

CaspersFoxes · Jun 7, 2011

JustA5.0 said:
Is your radiator air deflector still intact? Do most of the fins still look good on your rad?

I agree with Rick about the stock setup. I'll add that there's nothing wrong efficiency wise with the stock 3-row copper rad. Used to have supposedly the best electric fan controller you can get 'DCC' with the Taurus swap. Thing would turn on too late, or do the opposite and not shut the fan off. My mechanic verified that I had installed the controller correctly, after telling him all that and asking if I needed to upgrade my cooling system (alum rad, lincoln fan). Finally, the day it didn't turn on at all blowing my lower rad hose off (turning a Saturday morning drive to the car wash into a 6-hour ordeal), I threw the setup in the trash and swapped the stock stuff back.

My car is actually running too cool now in 75+ temps, and I'm putting the stock t-stat in (currently 180*).

i'll have to check and i'll reply with the info later

CaspersFoxes · Jun 7, 2011

JustA5.0 said:
Is your radiator air deflector still intact? Do most of the fins still look good on your rad?

I agree with Rick about the stock setup. I'll add that there's nothing wrong efficiency wise with the stock 3-row copper rad. Used to have supposedly the best electric fan controller you can get 'DCC' with the Taurus swap. Thing would turn on too late, or do the opposite and not shut the fan off. My mechanic verified that I had installed the controller correctly, after telling him all that and asking if I needed to upgrade my cooling system (alum rad, lincoln fan). Finally, the day it didn't turn on at all blowing my lower rad hose off (turning a Saturday morning drive to the car wash into a 6-hour ordeal), I threw the setup in the trash and swapped the stock stuff back.

My car is actually running too cool now in 75+ temps, and I'm putting the stock t-stat in (currently 180*).

none of the plastics are there, never noticed until after the rebuild. They weren't there since i got it apparently. where's a good place to get them cheap?

JustA5.0 · Jun 8, 2011

CaspersFoxes said:
none of the plastics are there, never noticed until after the rebuild. They weren't there since i got it apparently. where's a good place to get them cheap?

Probably 50resto is the cheapest.
$45 for the main (OE Ford)
$20 sides
$5 for hardware

You may want to invest in an Autometer temp coolant gauge (mechanical gets my vote) for assurance, but if the rest of your cooling setup is working you won't be overheating with the stock stuff on that build.

CaspersFoxes · Jun 8, 2011

much appreciated, thanks!

Rick 91GT · Jun 8, 2011

The air deflector will do wonders for your cooling, still doesnt explain melting spark plugs...

It it was running 270 in the past you have major issues, 270 degree would warp the heads and cause many other issues. You should run right around the thermostat temp, say within 15 degrees or so. NGK makes a good plug

CaspersFoxes · Jun 8, 2011

it only ran that hot on occasion, like while stuck in traffic. the air guides explain it all i think, along with the .040 overbore. also, i'm thinking i had my timing way too advanced, because it would sputter too and i've since adjusted it

65ShelbyClone · Jun 8, 2011

What do/did you have the timing set at? You didn't say. I would guess at this point that your melted spark plugs were the result of pinging.

CaspersFoxes said:
also before i'd made the mistake of running platinum plugs, now im running standard ngk coppers

There's nothing wrong with platinum plugs in an engine like yours. They certainly weren't causing the problems you have now.

You should also be using a 195° thermostat. Thermostats don't cause overheating unless they fail.

Another thing, if it's overheating at low speed like when stuck in traffic, then that's a problem with airflow through the radiator that the plastic airflow directors aren't going to fix. A failing fan clutch comes to mind.

HISSIN50 · Jun 8, 2011

FWIW, plats can cause a low idle and higher RPM cut-out. The factory specified plug is copper.

65ShelbyClone · Jun 8, 2011

Not in my experience, but everyone's mileage will vary, so go with what works.

Electric fan vs mechanical

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