Miguel,
A few things to consider or, here's what I'd do:
Unless you know for sure your current radiator is in "like-new" condition, I would replace it with one made by Desert Cooler. They make stock sized and stock appearing replacement radiators with a higher cooling capacity than the factory unit, just the ticket for handling the hot Miami weather.
Your electric fan setup may not be able to provide enough airflow through the radiator especially if you have removed the factory, engine-driven fan.
If you have removed the factory fan I would reinstall it. Definitly restore the fan shroud and, if your car has a fan clutch (you can tell it has if you can spin the fan when the engine is shut down) replace it also. The clutch allows the fan to "freewheel" when the air temp through the radiator is below a certain point (during normal driving) and engages the fan when the temp rises above that point (during "stop and go" driving); if this is not happening then it doesn't much matter what kind of fancy radiator you have you'll overheat in the slow stuff.
I would have to disagree with my comrads on the use of a hotter thermostat. Stick with as low a tempurature thermostat as you can. The purpose of the thermostat is to allow the engine to reach normal operating tempurature fairly quickly. The thermostat opens based on the tempurature of the coolant in the engine block. Once the coolant tempurature exceeds the opening point of the thermostat, it then flows through the radiator. Why wait for most of your coolant to reach 180 or 190 degrees before allowing it to circulate through the radiator? The physical dimensions of the thermostat itself provide the "resistance" needed to slow the coolant flow through the radiator sufficiently to allow it to transfer its heat.
I hope this helps a bit and good luck with your car.
Mike
__________________
Mike
|