CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

1973 C10 "The Purple Truck"

Basic build
Not yet. House closes on the 6th. Headed out on the 8th
 
Little bit of a longer term update on the Derale PWM fan controller.

16795.jpg

You can turn the calibration by as much as 25 turns counter clockwise when you first install it. This is the direction to make it run cooler. I wanted to err on the cooler side, so I turned 20 turns. This summer the coolant hasn't hardly gotten above 170. I decided to try turning the screw 4 turns clockwise to warm things up.

I'm very surprised how much of a difference it made. Now the engine is running right at the 180F where I would expect it to. I didn't think I would see much difference on the highway running at the higher speeds with natural air flow, but it does. I guess the fans help more at speed than I realize.

Another thing I noticed is last summer I would run the AC on "max cool". It's not labeled on the controls, but if you put the temperature slider all the way to cold it kicks in the max cooling. This summer I haven't felt the need to use it. I realized this is the difference from having the windows tinted.
 
Not sure on this but usually the difference between "max cool" and regular a/c is whether it is sucking in outside air vs inside air.
Yes, I would say that's true. It sounds like it goes into recirculate. It also kicks the fan up to high no matter which setting the fan switch is in.
 
I've noticed with this truck when driving in rain, snow, or like today the automatic car wash; steam rolls out over the front of the hood like the radiator is boiling over. I figure it has to be just the way the water/air flows over the front of the truck. The precipitation is hitting the radiator and flashing off to steam. Anyone else see something like that?
 
I always figure people will think I'm driving around overheating.
 
There should not be anything under your hood, except the exhaust manifolds, that would flash water to steam.
 
But I don't know what else could be happening. It's done it for as long as I remember. 2 different radiators, mechanical fan, then electric fans. Then engine temp was around 210 because I was sitting in the wash bay idling with the AC going. Water here boils at 203.
 
Try warming it up on a good drive, pop the hood, and spray stuff with a mist using your garden hose.
 
The junkyard AC compressor crapped out. Updated to a newer compressor thats supposed to rob less HP.

20201001_180158.jpg
Also replaced the accumulator and orifice tube.

Can't get a good test today since it's only about 70.

Something the mechanic told me I hadn't heard before. He said I need to be sure to run the radiator fans when the AC is on for air flow across the condenser, or I could damage the new compressor. @6872xtc knows more about AC than anyone I know so maybe he can chime in if no one else knows if this is true.
 
I am disappointed. Expected to see burnouts. And just get to see a static engine.

Yes, you should run the fans with the AC.
 
Top Bottom