Adding an AC on our 66. It has a straight 6/250ci swap that but we need to upgrade the radiator. Any suggestions?
Engine Radiator for AC conversion
- Thread starter COramprat
- Start date
-
Sponsors (?)
With a stock replacement that would limit me to a 15 inch fan. I'd like to get a 17 inch in there. What would be an alternative to get a 17 inch fan to fit?
I recently purchased a new radiator for my 66. I'm replacing the 2 core with a 3 core so of course it is a bit wider and lacks clearance for the fan as it sits. The fan has a spacer (not sure what size) but my question is can I remove the spacer and mount the fan to the pulley or does it have to mount to a spacer?
Iamdiffrnt
Member
As long as the fan clears the belts, I don't see a problem bolting it directly to the water pump pulley. However, IIRC you only want 1 to 1.5 inch between the fan and the radiator, unless you are using a shroud. If you are using a shroud, then you want the fan approximately half in half out of it.
It couldn't be that simple. 
The fan won't clear the pulleys/belts mounted directly to the pump. So have to find a fan/spacer that clears the pulleys while still having enough room to mount the radiator. The old fan had a 1 1/4" spacer riveted to it and put the blades about an inch from the radiator so that is too much for the new 3 core. I cant go with anything bigger than 15 inch on the fan due to the lack of clearance with the outlet on the radiator. I need to come off the water pump about an inch to clear the belts but I only have about 2 1/4 inch to work with between the fan and the radiator. It's turned into a geometry/trigonometry problem.
I ordered a 1 inch spacer and a low profile 5 blade fan from Speedway Motors. I'll let you know how it turns out.
The fan won't clear the pulleys/belts mounted directly to the pump. So have to find a fan/spacer that clears the pulleys while still having enough room to mount the radiator. The old fan had a 1 1/4" spacer riveted to it and put the blades about an inch from the radiator so that is too much for the new 3 core. I cant go with anything bigger than 15 inch on the fan due to the lack of clearance with the outlet on the radiator. I need to come off the water pump about an inch to clear the belts but I only have about 2 1/4 inch to work with between the fan and the radiator. It's turned into a geometry/trigonometry problem.
I ordered a 1 inch spacer and a low profile 5 blade fan from Speedway Motors. I'll let you know how it turns out.
Well the one inch spacer would have been find had I realized the pilot shaft on the water pump was 3/4". The spacer I ordered has 5/8". Luckily there is a performance shop about 40 minutes away that had what I needed and it worked great. The temps have come down quite a bit while driving but it still heats up at idle. I forgot to make sure the system was full so I filled it this morning. I have to take another drive to see if that took care of it. It's raining right now so it'll have to wait.
Still over heating at idle but...only on the gauge. I guess I need to get the actual temp to see how hot it is getting. It hasn't coughed up any coolant yet but I hope when I get a shroud on there it will cool it off.
Walter Sparks
Member
Yea, I come to muscle car forums to escape the naked girl world we live in.. LOL you dragging the devil in here.
You should get a shroud or switch to an electric fan.
I would also recommend to try removing the t-stat during the summer months and going with a high flow 160 degree stat the rest of the year. I was having problems with heat at idle and removed my tstat..problem solved. get an avatar of your car and stop the lust.
You should get a shroud or switch to an electric fan.
I would also recommend to try removing the t-stat during the summer months and going with a high flow 160 degree stat the rest of the year. I was having problems with heat at idle and removed my tstat..problem solved. get an avatar of your car and stop the lust.
