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Getting hot at highway speeds -Solved?

AZ79K5Project said:
Today, I removed the electric fans and went back to the mechanical. On the surface streets, temp stayed at 185. At an extended idle, it crept up to 205, but cooled right down when I increased the RPM. The Flex-a-light 295 seems to work great at idle and great for the AC, but seems to restrict airflow at higher speeds.

I was going to hit the freeway but another gremlin jumped up. My entire AC system shut off and I don’t know why, but it came back on a couple minutes later, and then the engine shut off at two red lights as I came to a stop. It wouldn’t restart for about 3 minutes but then fires back up. I’m wondering if the K&N filter oil seeped or got in the throttle body after I cleaned and re-oiled it today. It idled in the driveway for 15 minutes with neither issue coming back.

I need a blend of the mechanical fans efficiency at highway speeds with that of the electric fans for AC and idle temperature control at super low speed when it’s over 105.
Click to expand...

if your shroud with the mechanical fan doesn’t have some flaps to let air flow through at highway speeds, that might help out.
 
Being lazy and not reviewing, was it already discussed here how later on GM used an electric pusher on these trucks?

If airflow is suspect due to shrouding, an electric fan with just the circular guard around the blades serving as a pusher would probably do well for AC.

Did you ever get a good run with the edelbrock water pump? I know you melted a plug wire on the first run, but curious if it made any appreciable difference.
 
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dyeager535 said:
Being lazy and not reviewing, was it already discussed here how later on GM used an electric pusher on these trucks?

If airflow is suspect due to shrouding, an electric fan with just the circular guard around the blades serving as a pusher would probably do well for AC.

Did you ever get a good run with the edelbrock water pump? I know you melted a plug wire on the first run, but curious if it made any appreciable difference.
Click to expand...

Update:
Four core aluminum radiator - dropped temperature
Edelbrock high flow water pump - little performance difference - solved noisy pump issue
Rebuilt grill - better airflow and cooling
Flex-a-lite 295 - kept it cool on the surface streets / above 105 and 3000 rpm - slight heat creep to about 215 - lowest temperature running on the freeway with the combination above.
Stock mechanical fan and shroud - 186 - 195 at 3000 Rpm on the freeway and maintained about 200 at 3400 RPM (around 75) - outside temp 106 - solved the high freeway temp issue .... but ....
Stock fan - heats up to about 200 at extended idle - today (106 ambient temp) and AC sucks in stop and go traffic now.

I want to either run electric fans mainly for idle temp and AC or have a good combination of a pusher on the condenser with the stock fan

This is the fan I swapped out for the mechanical fan.

63F1FE94-C496-4B6A-BDA9-0BB375F94FBD.jpeg
 
So in my research the only electric fans that really work, and they work well are Windstars Ford van fans. They pull like 5000 cfm at idle they flow air great. A number and I mean alot of guys on here are running them, me included, running a big block.
When mine was full bodied I drove to Idaho in January fans never turned on the whole way. They cool great at idle and they flow great at speed.
 
I grabbed a set of Windstar fans and ran them all fall and winter. I still have the mounts under the hood. I’m thinking I’ll throw them back in and see how they work with the other work I’ve done.
 
Where did that 5000CFM number for windstars come from? Only reason I question that is the flex-a-lite 295 is supposedly 4600CFM. If those two setups are that close in number it would seem someone is wrong on CFMs.

We would definitely be closer to the truth in this case as the OP has documented the numbers well, so the swap would be definitive.
 
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CFM numbers can be misleading. It depends on if the fan is pushing (or pulling) against an obstacle such as a radiator, or if it's just pushing air into an open space. Obviously, a fan is going to move more air into into the engine compartment if it doesn't have to suck that air through a bunch of obstacles...back to turbulence again. You need to look at CFM numbers along with the static pressure it's fighting. Just to show how much of a difference it makes:

snip.PNG
 
This is the write up on a couple of different forums:

Test Results:
2000 Ford Windstar Fan Assembly
left fan: 340ml= 13.3inches
right fan: 390ml=15.3inches
left fan: 60.3cmm=2129.193cfm
right fan: 64.4cmm=2273.964cfm
this was rated at 1935 RPMS
4403.157 cfm total......
ml= milliters cmm= cubic meters per minute cfm= cubic feet per minute conversion from cmm to cfm done by cmm x 35.31= cfm Only $106..... dorman 99-03 ford windstar fan 6 blades but bigger fan blades.
The 94-98 dorman fans has 8 blades but smaller blades. I don t know if the having more blades are better or if its the design of the blade thats better.
 
Replaced the fan clutch today. Freeway speed with an outside temp of 108 today and the temp stayed at 185. Success there. Now my idle temp is being difficult. I think the new thermostat stuck open today because the temp dropped to 182 while on the surface streets and that's never happened.

Now the new BS - The idle temp after about 5-10 minutes crept up to 217. I put a Flex-a-lite 16" pusher on last night just for kicks and I turned that on. It dropped the temp right back down today and it stayed and the AC worked great while idling. My goal is to have the factory sh!t work without a pusher fan or special stuff.

So this engine is a tbi swap top (performer intake and GM throttle body). The idle is steady at 525. I idle up and the temp comes down and is fine with no pusher fan. Is there a different style fan for TBI engines for low RPM cooling?
 
I haven’t read through just skimmed. I’m running a camaro ss electric fan. 2018 I believe. @Fastereddie might remember more. It is a large single fan and moves a ton of air. Might be an option.
 
AZ79K5Project said:
Replaced the fan clutch today. Freeway speed with an outside temp of 108 today and the temp stayed at 185. Success there. Now my idle temp is being difficult. I think the new thermostat stuck open today because the temp dropped to 182 while on the surface streets and that's never happened.

Now the new BS - The idle temp after about 5-10 minutes crept up to 217. I put a Flex-a-lite 16" pusher on last night just for kicks and I turned that on. It dropped the temp right back down today and it stayed and the AC worked great while idling. My goal is to have the factory sh!t work without a pusher fan or special stuff.

So this engine is a tbi swap top (performer intake and GM throttle body). The idle is steady at 525. I idle up and the temp comes down and is fine with no pusher fan. Is there a different style fan for TBI engines for low RPM cooling?
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Idle is a little low.
It would like 650-700
 
FWIW.....I have the same flex a lite fans and shroud in my buggy... with a big block.
I never had an issue keeping it cool.

I also run water wetter in my vehicles....I saw a solid 15 deg. drop in overall temp in my Dodge CTD dually..... no b/s. I couldn't believe it works that good. principal being that it won't allow micro bubbles to form on the cylinder walls and internal surfaces of the cast metals.

I am a firm believer in it. Won't hurt to try some in your truck and report back.. I would really like to see if it has any effect in your situation.
 
Don't use water wetter if you go to freeze areas. We had 3 race KTMs running the stuff. Worked great. Until we drove over vail pass with the bikes in a truck. Broke all 3 cylinders.
 
??? works with antifreeze....

Some people do run just water wetter and distilled water, which gives the best results.

But I am not suggesting that...
 
wasted wages said:
FWIW.....I have the same flex a lite fans and shroud in my buggy... with a big block.
I never had an issue keeping it cool.

I also run water wetter in my vehicles....I saw a solid 15 deg. drop in overall temp in my Dodge CTD dually..... no b/s. I couldn't believe it works that good. principal being that it won't allow micro bubbles to form on the cylinder walls and internal surfaces of the cast metals.

I am a firm believer in it. Won't hurt to try some in your truck and report back.. I would really like to see if it has any effect in your situation.
Click to expand...
You can also run the diesel style coolant it does the same thing.
 
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