Cooling System - STREET DRIVEN

I would like to know what guys with big inch big horsepower are running for cooling systems for STREET DRIVING... including in traffic (and for my fellow michigan residents) woodward dream cruise... with constant STOP and GO...

I see alot of people on here talking about electric water pumps (meiziere etc)... but not sure if they flow enough GPM to cool a BBF in daily stop and go traffic.

my current set up for my basic garage built 466 is: Be Cool 2 row alum radiator. dual puller electric fans, stewart mechanical water pump, driven by electric motor (moroso).

my current set up keeps my water temp in the 185-195 area depending on outside temp. and this is in standstill traffic. (during things such as woodward cruise)

my system works good for my aplication, but I just want to see if there is anything better going out there? and wondering if this system will be enough for a big inch big HP stroker in the future?

thanks!

Shane

Shane,

I'm cooling my 545 in my '71 GT with a 31x19 el-cheapo circle track radiator (2 x 1" tubes), Edelbrock mechanical water pump, and an F-350 fan and clutch with the blades trimmed to fit in the Torino radiator shroud.

This keeps the car cool at all times with a 180 t-stat....never has seen north of about 195 in the worst Texas heat with the A/C on high.

I do not trust the electric stuff for street duty.

Greg

Im running a flowcooler mechanical water pump with a factory 79 F350 clutch fan and a factory 4 core radiator out a 79 F350 super camper special with a 460 and AC (big MFer) in my 79 F250 with a nothing special hyd cam TFS street head 521. Im running a 180* t-stat and have zero issues with it cooling. My temp stays below 200* even with the radiator clogged with mud. It was so low infact, I was worried my temp gauge was reading incorrectly so I bought a new one with the same results.

My Thunderbird has a Moroso hig volume iron w/p, 7 blade flex-a-lite fan, stock 5.0 shroud on a Summit aluminum rad (made by BeCool). I run a 180 thermostat and it holds right there no matter what. I am only a couple of hours from Detroit so we are dealing with the same weather.

Bill

Running a 871 blown 460 on the street with a 1970 Lincoln cont. 3 row copper/brass radiator, edelbrock waterpump , 180 degree highflow thermostat (Mr Gasket brand) and 2 14 in. elect fans pushing thru the radiator. Max temp in 105 degree Sacramento summers is 205, generally most of the year it stays right at 180 degrees. In winter I turn on just one of the elect. fans. I also run a external oil cooler and once the engine has warmed up its about 170-180 it mirrors the water temp. This 55 F100 is 100 percent street driven has been on the road 5 years and runs great. Only issue I ever had was waterpump sucking lower hose flat, thats cured by having a spring in the hose. good luck!

Looks like many guys are running fully mechanical setups (both pump and fan)... and none of you experience overheating in traffic jam driving? my reason for going to electric driven mechanical pump and electric fans was due to the water temp rising so quickly when im stuck at idle for extended periods of time during stop and go (and more stop) of cruises (especially during the Woodward cruise)...

Im curious which of the mechanical water pumps flows the best?

Shane

I guess you could always bolt on an electric puller fan to help at low speeds.

The more GPM will not stop over heating always.If you move the coolant to fast it does not have time to cool in the rad.because it is moving to fast through it.Just something to think about.

Failure to cool at idle is almost always related to airflow through the radiator, not water flow....

A good shroud, a good fan, and a stock pump should work most of the time.

Greg

My 572 with 12.5 -1 stays under 200 i have a meziere 55 gpm elect. pump a jegs dual pass rad. and a flexalite extreme fan and no thermos stat it was to restrictive. I run straight water with that redline water wetter. I dont think the water wetter works but it protects the aluminium.

jason wrote:My 572 with 12.5 -1 stays under 200 i have a meziere 55 gpm elect. pump a jegs dual pass rad. and a flexalite extreme fan and no thermos stat it was to restrictive. I run straight water with that redline water wetter. I dont think the water wetter works but it protects the aluminium.

Im guessing you drain your cooling system during the winter?

so the Meziere 55gpm pump works well for street duty? ill keep that in mind

thanks everyone for the replies... give me a few options to consider next summer!

Shane

Shane, I run into the same problem on Woodward. I run a 16" pusher electric fan with a schrod and steel bladed fan.I think the air flow part is important, the only time I have a real problem is the stop and go mostly stop. I ran only water during this summer and noticed only a slight drop in temp. I also put on aluminum heads in the spring thinking they would help disapate the heat and add horsepower, runs great but still runs hot.
If you come up with any new idea's let me know.
John F.

john f. wrote:Shane, I run into the same problem on Woodward.
If you come up with any new idea's let me know.
John F.

I think that we are probably pushing the limits of a cooling system during the Woodward cruise... since there is no other cruise in the world thats as big, or conjested... there is ALOT of idle and stop time... which seems to heat the car up quickly..

as for new ideas... thats kinda what im fishing for here... just seeing what other guys are doing... hoping a few other guys from metro detroit will chime in!

Shane

when you say it runs " hot " , does it actually push coolant out the overflow ??

if not then you are OK,

what psi cap do you run ? for every 1 lb of pressure, you raise boiling point roughly 1 degree

During the summer, with the outside temps in the upper 80s to low 90s here in mich, my water temps will hover around 185ish most of the time, if im driving under normal conditions... but when your in HEAVY stop, go, long stops it will quickly creer up to the 200s... around 210 degrees I start to get nervous and quickly find a place to park and let it cool down...

I also run an oil cooler, but naturally it doesnt do alot of good when your moving 5mph less...

Shane

I run a remote Meziere electric 55gpm pump, a 2 row aluminum radiator (the biggest I could fit) and a 16" SPAL puller. Mine actually starts getting hot when driving as the rpm goes up, especially up hills (4500 converter). My fan stays on all the time, except if I am cruising home on a very cool night with low humidity (like 55 degrees or less). I will shut the fan off while cruising at about 35 mph when it is cold out and turn it back on if stopped at a light. Summer in VA is brutal...the humidity is horrible! Not good for cooling big hp motors...
Nick