How much power will a stock cooling system take?
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Mn
Posts: 64
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 91' camaro rs
Engine: Sbc 327
Transmission: T-5
Axle/Gears: Stock 10 bolt w/posi 3.90 gears
How much power will a stock cooling system take?
Hey everyone. I was wondering how much power will the stock radiator and fan work with?? I've got a 91' camaro rs. that came factory with the 5.0 tbi. I built a sbc 327 up but havnt dynod it yet. I'm aiming to be in the 400-500 horsepower range. I will be purchacing a summit racing cooling system in the future, but was hoping to get by for a little bit with the factory cooling system. The new motor has a high flow water pump with a 160 degree thermo. I will only be street driving the car and occasional drag strip. Thanks! Any advise or info. Will be appreciated. Please comment if you have thoughts.
#2
Supreme Member
iTrader: (4)
Re: How much power will a stock cooling system take?
Hey everyone. I was wondering how much power will the stock radiator and fan work with?? I've got a 91' camaro rs. that came factory with the 5.0 tbi. I built a sbc 327 up but havnt dynod it yet. I'm aiming to be in the 400-500 horsepower range. I will be purchacing a summit racing cooling system in the future, but was hoping to get by for a little bit with the factory cooling system. The new motor has a high flow water pump with a 160 degree thermo. I will only be street driving the car and occasional drag strip. Thanks! Any advise or info. Will be appreciated. Please comment if you have thoughts.
#3
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Mn
Posts: 64
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 91' camaro rs
Engine: Sbc 327
Transmission: T-5
Axle/Gears: Stock 10 bolt w/posi 3.90 gears
Re: How much power will a stock cooling system take?
Thanks a lot for the reply!! My car only came with the single electric fan. So if I got a duel fan setup with a 180 degree therm I'd be ok? Even with the high flow pump? I'm assuming the z28 radiators are the same right? Thanks!
#4
Supreme Member
iTrader: (4)
Re: How much power will a stock cooling system take?
My suggestion,
Pick up a set of 88-92 TPI dual fans and brackets, they'll bolt in (you'll need to remove the entire single fan set up but you'll see that).
Get an aftermarket dual controller since you can only run one fan off of the factory set up, and poof, good to go.
ROM U.M.C here has a good set up. I personally run a dual fan relay made by Formula1LE here on the message boards and love it. It's a voltage drop system that turns both fans on at the same time, but the first one is a lower speed, the second is full speed. Also has provisions to keep the AC and is fully automated. His prices are very comparable to the brand name ones you find from Painless etc. on Summit or Jegs.
They all do the same things. The only thing I suggest you not do, is wire the fans to a toggle switch. One time you "forget" to switch the fans on and you over heat.
I've attached some pictures of it. The third one is where I installed the relay bank. I may move it later. Don't mind the supercooler box in the background, that's another part of my project.
Where in Minnesota are you from?
Last edited by Ozz1967; 02-10-2015 at 09:17 PM.
#6
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Mn
Posts: 64
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 91' camaro rs
Engine: Sbc 327
Transmission: T-5
Axle/Gears: Stock 10 bolt w/posi 3.90 gears
Re: How much power will a stock cooling system take?
Great info! I'll definitely look into all that. I will not ever do the toggle switch thing haha cuz I would forget and I like things done right. I actually tore all my ac stuff out when I did the motor swap... I'm starting to regret it. But I can always put it back in. I built the motor about 6 years ago put it in the car and drove it maybe 10 miles, havnt put any on in 4 years....(kids haha) but now I can't take it anymore! I've gotta finish the car, it's not fair to it!
Anyway, when I did drive it, it would start over heating after 15 min of running.. I'm thinking it had an air pocket somewhere?
This spring I plan on pulling the motor and having it dynod since I couldn't afford it after building it lol. I just want it all done now, but it's just too much money right now ha.
I'm in the Grand Rapids area. Or the iron range. Familiar?
Wow orr89rocz!! That's a lot of power! That's with a stock cooling system?
Anyway, when I did drive it, it would start over heating after 15 min of running.. I'm thinking it had an air pocket somewhere?
This spring I plan on pulling the motor and having it dynod since I couldn't afford it after building it lol. I just want it all done now, but it's just too much money right now ha.
I'm in the Grand Rapids area. Or the iron range. Familiar?
Wow orr89rocz!! That's a lot of power! That's with a stock cooling system?
#7
Supreme Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Northern, CA
Posts: 4,482
Likes: 0
Received 8 Likes
on
8 Posts
Car: 1989 Iroc-Z Camaro
Engine: TBI,5.0
Transmission: Automatic 700R4
Axle/Gears: Eaton Posi,3.42,LPW Ultimate Cover
Re: How much power will a stock cooling system take?
What temperature is the fan starting at ?
I would run the 180* thermostat as suggested with a fan coming on at or near that temperature.
I would run the 180* thermostat as suggested with a fan coming on at or near that temperature.
Last edited by Ron U.S.M.C.; 02-10-2015 at 11:43 PM.
Trending Topics
#8
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Mn
Posts: 64
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 91' camaro rs
Engine: Sbc 327
Transmission: T-5
Axle/Gears: Stock 10 bolt w/posi 3.90 gears
Re: How much power will a stock cooling system take?
Hello. To be honest, I had the fan on all the time while I was testing the new motor. It did have the single electric fan in it also. I'm thinking it was 10-15 min running the car and would start climbing past 200 and still going, so I would shut the car off. I have aluminum heads so I was worried about wrecking them. Thanks!!
#10
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Mn
Posts: 64
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 91' camaro rs
Engine: Sbc 327
Transmission: T-5
Axle/Gears: Stock 10 bolt w/posi 3.90 gears
Re: How much power will a stock cooling system take?
That's pretty impressive. What kind of water pump were you running? I'm sure you do some sort of racing or foolin around with it, stays cool then to? Thanks!!
#11
Supreme Member
iTrader: (20)
Re: How much power will a stock cooling system take?
Stewart stage 2. It was around 500 hp all motor doin alot of drag racing and driving in summer time. Then i sprayed a 150 shot. During 10 second pull water temps never rose. It does fine with cooling. Summer traffic was fine but i never been completely jammed up for hrs tho.
#12
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Mn
Posts: 64
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 91' camaro rs
Engine: Sbc 327
Transmission: T-5
Axle/Gears: Stock 10 bolt w/posi 3.90 gears
Re: How much power will a stock cooling system take?
Oh nice! I'd like to do nitrous sometime too. I see on eBay those dual fan setups arnt cheap.. It wouldn't be a huge deal payin for one after my dyno. The 4th gen dual fans are much cheaper but I'd have to fab some mounting brackets up and buy a different upper rad support. What you think about that?
#14
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Mn
Posts: 64
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 91' camaro rs
Engine: Sbc 327
Transmission: T-5
Axle/Gears: Stock 10 bolt w/posi 3.90 gears
Re: How much power will a stock cooling system take?
Yeah that might be the cheapest and best way for me unless I come accross a good deal on a 3rd gen set up. Some of the prices I saw I could of bought a brand new set up from summit! I'm sure I can get a few bucks from my single fan setup so that would help towards the duals. If I did go with a 4th gen dual fan I'd have to find an upper support for it.. I see on the Internet you can buy a chrome for a 2nd gen that might work fine. Might have to do some miner fabbing to get to work.
#15
Supreme Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Northern, CA
Posts: 4,482
Likes: 0
Received 8 Likes
on
8 Posts
Car: 1989 Iroc-Z Camaro
Engine: TBI,5.0
Transmission: Automatic 700R4
Axle/Gears: Eaton Posi,3.42,LPW Ultimate Cover
Re: How much power will a stock cooling system take?
Ozz1967 ,is right on the money.
The controller's Formula1LE sells are top notch. Great quality.
The controller's Formula1LE sells are top notch. Great quality.
Last edited by Ron U.S.M.C.; 02-11-2015 at 09:59 PM.
#16
Supreme Member
iTrader: (20)
Re: How much power will a stock cooling system take?
Yeah that might be the cheapest and best way for me unless I come accross a good deal on a 3rd gen set up. Some of the prices I saw I could of bought a brand new set up from summit! I'm sure I can get a few bucks from my single fan setup so that would help towards the duals. If I did go with a 4th gen dual fan I'd have to find an upper support for it.. I see on the Internet you can buy a chrome for a 2nd gen that might work fine. Might have to do some miner fabbing to get to work.
I have dual tpi fans i'm tryin to sell for 40$ plus shipping
#17
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Mn
Posts: 64
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 91' camaro rs
Engine: Sbc 327
Transmission: T-5
Axle/Gears: Stock 10 bolt w/posi 3.90 gears
Re: How much power will a stock cooling system take?
Oh really? Is it the complete setup? Lower and upper brackets? Got pics? Is it off you're camaro? So many questions haha. But they won't be the last! Thanks.
#19
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Mn
Posts: 64
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Car: 91' camaro rs
Engine: Sbc 327
Transmission: T-5
Axle/Gears: Stock 10 bolt w/posi 3.90 gears
Re: How much power will a stock cooling system take?
Ok I will let know when im able to do it. Seems like a good deal. Thanks!
#20
Supreme Member
iTrader: (24)
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: NC
Posts: 7,901
Likes: 0
Received 92 Likes
on
56 Posts
Car: 92 Firebird
Engine: Supercharged 6.0
Transmission: T56
Axle/Gears: 8.8 3.73
Re: How much power will a stock cooling system take?
Pushed 625hp through my original radiator, stock LT1 fans, stock LS3 WP, stock 195 T-stat. Overall temp would jump about 30* after a 1/8th mile pass but back to normal after about 30 seconds with the fans blowing. It had a condenser and huge heat exchanger in front of it too
Main thing to look for are that all your parts are working including the air dam. No/broken air dam will cause a weak V6 to overheat when moving
Main thing to look for are that all your parts are working including the air dam. No/broken air dam will cause a weak V6 to overheat when moving
#21
Supreme Member
iTrader: (4)
Re: How much power will a stock cooling system take?
One thing I foudn on mine when I swapped from a single to dual fan, is that the fans were "Twisted" a bit and I had to space them out with washers so they didn't rub against the radiator. I don't know if this was because my radiator mount/front chassis is a little twisted or if the fan shroud is twisted or what. Just something to think about when you do your install.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post