Keeping cool in Miami heat

[Sleepycow]

I have a COMPLETELY stock 1966 mustang with 289 and 3 speed (soon to be T5), but I'm bringing it form NY to Miami, and I'm HORRIBLY worried about it overheating. It's overheated before in NY, but not in the summers, only when I run it for a long trip, since it IS my daily driver. I want to upgrade the cooling system so I don't have to worry about Miami heat killing my ride, but I'm lost in my mess of options.

Should I go 4 core brass / copper, or 2 core aluminum, or 3 core aluminum, and do I NEED to put an electric fan in or wll a deep fan shroud do the job? I know aluminums cool better than brass / coppers, but is it really worth doubling the price from a 4 core brass / copper to get a 3 core aluminum?

If anyone has any other recommendations, I'm taking all the info I can get. - Thanks.

 

[5.0ina66]

Flush the cooling system very well. Very very well! New hoses, heater core too. Summit's bolt in 65-67 aluminum rad is $244, and a SPAL 16" electric straight blade puller is $220 from streetortrack.com with mounting kit, wiring, relays and sensors. A 3g alternator upgrade is about $50 from your local junkyard.

Yeah, I think that's overkill, but I've been to Miami, this would be one situation were I aint takin no chance. Go for the gold, do it once do it right, get it done the first time. Overkill is the best kill, and worth it in this case IMO.
HTH
--Kyle

 

[brianj5600]

If it has to be a direct bolt in the summit # SUM-380461 should do great. Some people trim the core support and use larger cross flow radiators. You would have to change water pump to a driver side intake, lower hose, timing pointer, wich may mean marking you damper in a different spot, and fab brackets to attach it. I am a fan, no pun intended, of thermostatic clutch fans for maximum air flow. They coast along until things get hot. When it locks up it sounds like a jet engine under the hood. No wire to run, no switches or relays, just simple mechanical drive and less than $100. Overkill is good for cooling. I hate watching the temp gauge rising and wondering IF it will stop. That is stress no one needs.

 

[Sleepycow]

Should a 2 core aluminum be OK or is it worth going to the 3 core aluminum? Also, if I put in an electric fan, what do I have to do as far as hookups for it and do I have to remove the stock mechanical fan or should I run both if I have the room?

 

[5.0ina66]

You can't fit a mech and an electric. If you wanted to it wouldnt be the best idea anyway.

I didn't know they made 3 core alum rads. I know people have no problem cooling 550hp motors in CA and NV with the Summit 2-core units.

 

[fastback brian]

I personaly think the copper/brass radiators cool better, they are just very heavy. You can use a five blade fan and fan clutch, similar to some factory a/c cars. You must have a goood fan shroud and it must fit tight aginst the raditator and the fan blade should be spaced so about half the blade is in the shroud. The real good electric fans just wont fit without major mods, and most the cheap fans will not pull enough air across the radiator like a good stock belt drive fan, either electric fan setup would also require an upgraded alt, somthing that can handle the extra current that electric fans draws.

 

[rbohm]

i have never heard of a 3 core aluminum radiator. they usually have 2 cores, each being 3/4" 1" or 1 1/4" thick. they cool very well as long as you remember to get one designed for the street. race rads will let your motor overheat as you will never be going fast enough to get enough airflow through the rad to cool it.

a four core copper/brass rad will also work just fine, but as stated it will be heavier.

make sure the system is clean, and that you have fresh coolant in the system. check the waterpump for proper operation as well. new hoses, including the heater hoses, new belts, and a good electric fan to round out the package, and you should be good to go for florida summers.

 

[ddonaca351]

As above... but since I didnt see it I will add, DO NOT run without a thermostat. It will cause the car to overheat. I still hear people give this ill-fated advice from time to time of "pull out the thermostat, that will fix it..."

On my 70, I got a radiator for a 428/429 (read: great big mutha) and the fan doesn't even come on, unless Im in a traffic jam. (wish my 5.0 cooled that good)

Also you can block off any openings on either side of the radiator, that way all the cool air that gets pulled in the front of the car goes THROUGH the radiator, and not around it.... also the hot air from the engine compartment does not get pulled around the front of the radiator and in by the fan.

fyi.. ceramic coated headers, or thermal wrap can drop under hood temps, as will a cowl induction hood.

Dave-

 

[2nd Mustang]

I live in sunny So Cal (cooler and wet laterly though). My 67 has a mildly warmed over 302, 4 speed top loader, etc. I have a stock water pump, 160 degree thermostat, flex fan with no clutch and a four row radiator. I drive it in stop and go rush hour traffic a few days a week and even in the summer time, it has never rose over 190 degrees, usually runs at 160-185 degrees, of course I don't have power steering or AC.

 

[MustangMatt1966]

I live in sunny So Cal (cooler and wet laterly though). My 67 has a mildly warmed over 302, 4 speed top loader, etc. I have a stock water pump, 160 degree thermostat, flex fan with no clutch and a four row radiator. I drive it in stop and go rush hour traffic a few days a week and even in the summer time, it has never rose over 190 degrees, usually runs at 160-185 degrees, of course I don't have power steering or AC.

isnt 190 degres a normal temp for a car to run???

 

[stangkid88]

I have a basically stock 289 (besides headers and Edelbrock intake and carb) which is cooled by a 4 row copper/brass radiator. I haven't had any problems so far, but I haven't driven it on very hot days yet. I plan on putting in a shroud and new fan, and hope this will be enough. everyone's advice above is very good, just make sure you flush the coolant and all hoses, etc. are properly inspected.

 

[Sleepycow]

So basically what I'm getting from everyone's advice compiled together is that a 2 core aluminum will cool great, and a 4 core brass / copper will cool pretty damn good as well, but it's a lot heavier. I'm thinking I'll run my stock belt-driven 6 blade fan, until I see signs of a problem developing, in which case it's time to buy an electric. I'll plop on a new, thick shroud to make sure the COOL air is going around the engine, and header wraps could help too.

I think this should do it, and of course, new hoses, fittings, thermostat, fluid flush, etc...

As far as aluminum 3 core radiators go, Fluidyne makes them, and I found them on mustangsunlimited.com

 

[Tim65GT]

I've had the 4 core copper/brass radiator for about 5 years now and was very good until I added a Vintage Air system. The copper 4 row can't keep up with the summer heat here in El Paso with the AC on.

By the way I'm running a shroud and a 6 blade flex fan.

I now have a crossflow aluminum radiator on my list of mods.

 

[ddonaca351]

Oh I forgot to mention get a new cap (12lb is probably fine) you gain about 4 degrees of boilover protection for ever pound of pressure, but once you get up around 16-18lbs it seems like water pumps and gaskets start to go out more frequently.

Also that Redline Water Wetter really works. It dropped the temps on my 5.0 like 10 degrees.

Hope this helps,
Dave-

 

[ForceFed70]

Here's what I would do....

1) Invest in a new radiator.. larger than factory, but nothing too fancy.

2) Make sure existing mechanical fan and shroud are in good condition.

3) Invest in a "pusher" electric fan. These fans you can mount on the grill side of the radiator and wire it up with a switch on the dash... then when stuck in traffic or when you notice the temp getting high you can just flick the switch for some added airflow.

You might get away with just doing the 1st 2 options. I just like having an inexpensive electric fan available just in case.

 

[Sleepycow]

Any suggestions about a "pusher" fan? Do I need something heavy duty or just thin enough to fit that I can flick on any time I wish? What should I expect it to be able to pull cfm-wise? I mean, this is an essentially fully stock 289 A/C daily driver - nothing too crazy under the hood, I just don't want it to die.