Batass

500hp engine, idling it runs around 170-180*. Once the revs are up, it likes to soar to 250*. Soon putting a vortech sc on it..........

Stock pump
stock single fan (no shrouding)
aluminum radiator
160* thermo
manual fan switch
B&M trans cooler mounted in front of rad, to the left of the license plate.

The guy that built my shortblock says the stock pump is good, and its what he runs on his 500hp camaro.

What should I upgrade, to some better dual fans, better pump, or both? The airdam is in place and good shape. Also have the ac condenser removed.

Any help is appreciated.

cheppibear

You may not have enough cooling capacity / radiator flow to properly cool the engine. You need a radiator, water pump, and thermostat to hold and flow enough coolant. SBC 400's are famous for this.

What kind of aluminum radiator are you running? 1 row, 2 row?

How much area on the radiator does the trans cooler take up on the radiator?

Have you considered a belt driven clutch type fan with a shroud? These are actually very efficient since they do not use AMPs and the clutch disengages at high rpm. Yeah you may loose a couple HP but if you can't drive the car might be worth a try.

When you say "Once the Revs are Up" do you mean you are actually driving the car and just revving it at idle?

Batass

The radiator is from southwest speed. Its a stock car rad. 3 row I think. Pretty wide. The trans cooler is about 11x10 in the lower passenger corner.

Idling low the car is fine, when I idle it high or take it out, it overheats.

Im running just water and a gallon of some type of water wetter.

hgffrank

Fans dont work worth a damn without shrouding. Install or fabricate some shrouding, if thats not enough, install dual electric fans.

I'd never install an old style belt driven clutch fan on a car when its not necesarry. I've always found ways to get rid of them.

Batass

From what I understand, the shrouding actually hinders the cooling potential of your radiator at high speeds. Of course the other way around at low speeds. I dont plan on this car seeing low speeds very often

I also think my gauge may be faulty..its the factory one. And it read 250* once and I could still grab the rad inlet hose.....by buddy's mustangs hose is hot as heck when he reads 220*. New gauge coming, so I'll see what happens then. Wouldn't it be great if I could run this motor (500hp give or take) + vortech supercharger (150+?) with the stock water pump?????!!!! And still be around 200*

cheppibear

For accurate temperature I purchased a digit gauge (Cyberdyne was the brand at the time I believe). Tapped into the cylinder head/thermostat housing for the sensor.

Love it and the digital gauge and in dash gauge are off by about 25 degrees.