50 year-old stock cooling system

[Carmine]

I should like to mention that this big-block car, running mostly 50 y/o cooling parts (rad, mechanical fan, w/p, etc) just idled for over two hours moving at the speeds show below. While not a "scorcher" it was hot enough that the General's cell phone shut down from heat stroke.

There were no lights, no boiling sounds, no spark knocking, etc. The car was driven all day without any incident. Keep this in mind before you start "correcting" the original engineering that makes this possible.

 

[rapidtrans]

Maybe they knew what they were doing back in the old days!

 

[polara71]

What? No electric fans? No 10 core Aluminum radiator?

 

[Rustyrodknocker]

My car does not like that. But I put a thermostatic fan on it and its fine. I have no shroud on the mechanical fan

 

[73Coupe]

Original coolant too?

 

[CBODY67]

Just for the record . . . factory a/c or not, width of radiator, shroud, etc.?

Glad to hear stories of things still working well, as designed!
CBODY67

 

[Ccas]

That's always 'cool' to see!

There's 3 chains of thought on this subject.
1. Those that feel the need for the latest technology regardless of the situation.
2. Those that feel the need to avoid technology regardless of the situation.
3. Those that analyze the situation and make a decision based on the information gathered.

It's hard not to argue that #3 is the right way to look at things.

 

[marty koirtyohann]

I should like to mention that this big-block car, running mostly 50 y/o cooling parts (rad, mechanical fan, w/p, etc) just idled for over two hours moving at the speeds show below. While not a "scorcher" it was hot enough that the General's cell phone shut down from heat stroke.

There were no lights, no boiling sounds, no spark knocking, etc. The car was driven all day without any incident. Keep this in mind before you start "correcting" the original engineering that makes this possible.

good working cooling system . what do u have a max cool radiator a 160 or 185 degree thermostat & a thermo clutch on the fan? is it a ac car? if so thoser all standard equipment on a ac car . i have the samething on my 72 new yorker . i had a cooling issue @ first the radaiator was only 25$ working then the max cooling clutch was bad , so i gut a new one it was bad too so i put s heavy duty one on with a 160 degree thermostat all the running hot issues stopped

 

[Andrew Ryan]

Glad to hear it. I live in So Cal and have never been able to get the stock cooling to work on hot days without airflow. Even with airflow it's touch and go. The most recent mod using synthetic coolant seems to be the best without having to replace the radiator with a non stock aluminum which I'd do if I had to but I like to keep the OEM look.

 

[my1966chrysler]

leave well enough alone!

 

[marty koirtyohann]

Glad to hear it. I live in So Cal and have never been able to get the stock cooling to work on hot days without airflow. Even with airflow it's touch and go. The most recent mod using synthetic coolant seems to be the best without having to replace the radiator with a non stock aluminum which I'd do if I had to but I like to keep the OEM look.

get a max cool radiator from summit or jegs , the fan cluth for a ac car &v the right fan . now u may have to go with a 160 degree thermostat a max flow one mister gastic makes a good copy of the mopar oem one with all this listed & it will cool the was it did from the factory whenit was new

 

[70bigblockdodge]

I dunno it looked like it was at 200° (oh no) from the sidewalk.
You better put 18 electric fans with stock alternator and melt the bulkhead connector. Then make another thread for advice.

 

[marty koirtyohann]

I dunno it looked like it was at 200° (oh no) from the sidewalk.
You better put 18 electric fans with stock alternator and melt the bulkhead connector. Then make another thread for advice.

i dont have that on my 72 new yotker , its not a show queen it a trailer puller i have thought about putting a pair oh 12" electric fans but my cousin thinks they r unnecessary now i have a aftermarket temp gauge thet i checked with a non contact thermometer

 

[HWYCRZR]

I have an almost stock cooling system in my '68 Polara. I don't have A/C or a fan shroud and is the 22" radiator. The only upgrade was a recore with the third row. Highway at 97 degree's ambient the gauge is just past the middle mark. Waiting at the drive through for 10 minutes behind another vehicle, it creeps up to the "Almost hot" mark on the gauge. I think I get hotter than the car at that point. At least at HWY speeds I get blast furnace air inside.
This wasn’t the picture. The gauge was a little closer to the third line and stabilized, but didn’t cross it

 

[70bigblockdodge]

i dont have that on my 72 new yotker , its not a show queen it a trailer puller i have thought about putting a pair oh 12" electric fans but my cousin thinks they r unnecessary now i have a aftermarket temp gauge thet i checked with a non contact thermometer

View attachment 465530

Calm down, I'm just messing with Carmine.
How much does that trailer weigh? I'm just asking for future reference.

 

[marty koirtyohann]

I have an almost stock cooling system in my '68 Polara. I don't have A/C or a fan shroud and is the 22" radiator. The only upgrade was a recore with the third row. Highway at 97 degree's ambient the gauge is just past the middle mark. Waiting at the drive through for 10 minutes behind another vehicle, it creeps up to the "Almost hot" mark on the gauge. I think I get hotter than the car at that point. At least at HWY speeds I get blast furnace air inside.
This wasn’t the picture. The gauge was a little closer to the third line and stabilized, but didn’t cross it
View attachment 465544

u need a fan shroud & a thermostatic heavy duty hyadan fan clutch ( like the ones the old direct connection racing book called for then r u sure its running hot? the lights r not accurate get a non contact thermometer & check the block u may need to get s good gauge(some one put a used mechanical on my new yorker with a 71 nigh output 440 in it ) i was fighting the same thing till i did what i listed then no more over heating

 

[HWYCRZR]

u need a fan shroud & a thermostatic heavy duty hyadan fan clutch ( like the ones the old direct connection racing book called for then r u sure its running hot? the lights r not accurate get a non contact thermometer & check the block u may need to get s good gauge(some one put a used mechanical on my new yorker with a 71 nigh output 440 in it ) i was fighting the same thing till i did what i listed then no more over heating

I think you misunderstood me. I do not have a over heat issue with my standard equipment. On that hot day it cooled perfectly. The radiator did not boil or loose fluid nor did it over heat. I don’t get excited until it gets above the third mark. My gauge even though it doesn’t have numbers is pretty accurate as verified checking the resistance.
No over heat issues here, running as designed with no shroud or clutch.

 

[marty koirtyohann]

I think you misunderstood me. I do not have a over heat issue with my standard equipment. On that hot day it cooled perfectly. The radiator did not boil or loose fluid nor did it over heat. I don’t get excited until it gets above the third mark. My gauge even though it doesn’t have numbers is pretty accurate as verified checking the resistance.
No over heat issues here, running as designed with no shroud or clutch.

ok u r lucky the shroud & the clutch was standard equipment o a 3833 or 440 hp most everyone gripes their car is running too hot but they have bored it out or took ogff the shroud & the clutch they either dont like the look with it on or they r ms told what they do . well im glad its working for u . & yes i miss understood

 

[polara71]

ok u r lucky the shroud & the clutch was standard equipment o a 3833 or 440 hp most everyone gripes their car is running too hot but they have bored it out or took ogff the shroud & the clutch they either dont like the look with it on or they r ms told what they do . well im glad its working for u . & yes i miss understood

That's the point here, the engineering of the car as built will keep it cool. Once things are tampered with, changed, modified or not maintained then presume it will need help. It should never need help as built.

 

[marty koirtyohann]