[Gary D]

I have a 1967 GTO,1971 455, Ram Air IV Comp Cam, SD Performance #96 Iron heads flowing at 270 plus, RPM intake to match, Mezeire Heavy Duty electric water pump, Aluminum X-flow radiator, non A/C core support, 1995 Thunderbird 18.5" electric fan run with a continuous solenoid, 160 deg. high flow Milodon thermostat, 185 degree Spal contoller in a welded coupling at the inlet of radiator, all in front of a TH400.
Here is the problem! In 70 deg. weather it is not cooling with this setup! Down the highway at 2800 to 3000 RPM it will creep to 210 deg.
I removed the thermostat and now I can hold it to 195 on the highway, but it is still only 70 deg. ambient temperature. I have yet to try reducing the flow from the Mezeire at this point.
Anybody else who is running this combo, I would like to know how many fins per inch your aluminum radiator has.
I have Pontiac friends here in the club that are running virtually the same thing and are not fighting what I am, and there cars are 11 second street cars!!
I feel the fans should not even be coming on at cruising speeds due to the air that is already being forced through the front of the car.
This was inspired by an article called "Cool Winds" in one of the Pontiac magazines where they used Floyd Hands 66 Tempest for a test car.

Thanks for your help!!!

[67 Lamnas]

Reducing the flow? Wrong way.....do everything you can to INCREASE the flow....

If you have an internal trans cooler, consider bypassing it and running only an external cooler...helps keep heat out of the cooling system.

Also, make sure the primaries on your carb aren't too lean....check your plugs, measure with an A/F meter or else just step it up a few jet sizes as a test.

Of course, you've already ensured your timing curve is optimal......

[Gary D]

Thanks! I will double check those ideas. I know I was running about 14 on the A/F the last time I checked with #75 primary jets in my 1976 800cfm Q-jet. I will bump them to .078 and see what the A/F does along with temp.
The distributor curve is all in at 2800 RPM's
I am running an external cooler for my TH400 already.
I exit the exhaust with a set Doug's headers into a 2 1/2" 40 Series Flowmaster system

[v869tr6]

Hooking up vacuum advance made a big difference on my car.

[Socrates]

Holding a steady 195deg is not a problem...

What brand alu radiator, how thick and how many rows? Is the radiator sealed up tightly to the core support to direct flow through the radiator rather then around it? Would you consider a more powerful electric fan, such as the Mark VIII or Taurus fan?

[Gary D]

Originally Posted by Socrates

Holding a steady 195deg is not a problem...

What brand alu radiator, how thick and how many rows? Is the radiator sealed up tightly to the core support to direct flow through the radiator rather then around it? Would you consider a more powerful electric fan, such as the Mark VIII or Taurus fan?

I am already running the 1995 Ford Thunderbird 18" fan.
It is a custom radiator that I bought off Ebay about 5 years ago that seemed to work okay with all my mechanical stuff I had before this last build. It would heat up in town type driving but was not to much of an issue on the road.
It is 18 fins per inch which I am finding out might be a little to much for my application.
I found that my Meziere HD electric water pump possibly had a rolled "O" ring during install and I have since improved my water flow and installed my t'stat again and seem to still have the right flow.
I drove it today in 80 degree weather and it cycled between 180 and 195 with the aluminum radiator.
I am going to try my Desert radiator that is 12 fins per inch with a pair of Spal 11" fans and see what it acts like then. Thanks for your reply!