More thoughts: If you look at a stock radiator, shroud, and fan setup and compare it to what the newer setups are like, it surprises me that the stock setup was ever good enough. Consider the shroud, these days we cover the entire radiator with one, leaving only a hole large enough to be covered by an electric fan. This is done so that when the fan draws air it will hopefully pull the air through the entire radiator. But a stock shroud has so much open area that this would be impossible to do. So why did the stock stuff work? Or did it? Some stock setups, not 409, don't even use a shroud!
Mechanical fans draw a lot of air, does anyone know how much? We have air flow ratings on electric fans, what is the stock mechanical fan airflow? Probably hard to pin down since it would change with engine speed. The fact that mechanical fans use about 20 HP to drive them made me switch to an electric fan. Not because they cool better, if they do?
So, if we forget about the HP loss and just think about cooling, would a mechanical fan be better? You could put a clutch on it to help a little with the HP loss. Or find a fan with more blades? Use a flex fan? Use a mechanical fan with a more modern shroud that covers the entire radiator?
Then there is the radiator, and all the differences with them. Original is brass, not sure what the row count is on a stock radiator, as I have never had one. But aluminum has now replaced the brass, which should transfer heat better due to the fact the aluminum one can use larger cooling tubes then the brass one. So a 4 row brass may have the same cooling capacity as a 2 row aluminum one as far as the heat transfer goes. The area of the cooling tubes is possibly the same or close.
Lots more variables are involved of course, so things can get complicated quickly. Strive to keep it simple, keep airflow at the top of the list when modifying the cooling system. What would make the air flow better? Is the radiator actually capable of cooling the engine. Is the radiator cap the highest point in the system? This helps prevents air bubbles.
This subject has an endless list of possibilities, which makes it tough to get the right combination of parts. This might be why the aftermarket can sell complete radiator and fan combos at prices well above $1k!
Also, this does not address the engine tune itself. If ignition and fueling are off, temps may climb.
Mechanical fans draw a lot of air, does anyone know how much? We have air flow ratings on electric fans, what is the stock mechanical fan airflow? Probably hard to pin down since it would change with engine speed. The fact that mechanical fans use about 20 HP to drive them made me switch to an electric fan. Not because they cool better, if they do?
So, if we forget about the HP loss and just think about cooling, would a mechanical fan be better? You could put a clutch on it to help a little with the HP loss. Or find a fan with more blades? Use a flex fan? Use a mechanical fan with a more modern shroud that covers the entire radiator?
Then there is the radiator, and all the differences with them. Original is brass, not sure what the row count is on a stock radiator, as I have never had one. But aluminum has now replaced the brass, which should transfer heat better due to the fact the aluminum one can use larger cooling tubes then the brass one. So a 4 row brass may have the same cooling capacity as a 2 row aluminum one as far as the heat transfer goes. The area of the cooling tubes is possibly the same or close.
Lots more variables are involved of course, so things can get complicated quickly. Strive to keep it simple, keep airflow at the top of the list when modifying the cooling system. What would make the air flow better? Is the radiator actually capable of cooling the engine. Is the radiator cap the highest point in the system? This helps prevents air bubbles.
This subject has an endless list of possibilities, which makes it tough to get the right combination of parts. This might be why the aftermarket can sell complete radiator and fan combos at prices well above $1k!
Also, this does not address the engine tune itself. If ignition and fueling are off, temps may climb.
