So we put the new engine in. It's a 355 with 10.25:1 compression. To keep it cool, we also put in a new Griffin aluminim rad (31"x19.5" x 3"). It's a 2 core with 1 1/4" tubes. I'm running a 160 thermostat and an electric fan with a thermostatic switch set to come on at 180 degrees. The coolant is fresh. The engine though runs at 104 Celsius (car and temp guage are Canadian like the driver), which is about 219F. It has been pretty cool outside here yet and I think this is waaay to hot for the enging to be running, especially at this time of year. Now, here are some of my thoughts:

*used rad cap from stock rad...would the Griffin rad require different pressure rating and therefore require the Griffin rad cap?
*is the thermostat not the proper temp for this new set-up and actually making things worse?
*is the fact that there is no rad shroud (factory one won't fit over the new monster rad) sabotaging my cooling efforts?
*is the factory water pump not enough for the new set-up?
*is this new 355 just gonna run much hotter than my old LG4 and I'm worried over nothing?

I'd like to hear from those of you out there who know about this stuff. Thanks!

Tracey

 

I'm no expert in cooling systems but I am pretty sure that lack of a shroud is most likely hurting your cooling efforts. also I've heard that freshly rebuilt engines run a little warm until they are broken in, I'm not sure how true that is though.

 

Hey! Thanks for the speedy reply. I should maybe clarify a little bit that the new electric fan came with it's own (kinda skimpy) shroud, but the rad has no shroud until I can find something to fit the new rad. I'm not sure if that's what you're talking about or not.

 

Seems a bit hot to me. Is the timing set correctly? You should be fine with the fan the way it is since it's electric. They generally don't have a shroud like a mechanical fan would. Are you talking about the top plastic that clamps the radiator down?

 

Yes, the part that covers up where the rad's bracketed in.

 

I don't think not having that would make a huge difference, but I could be wrong. Either way air still blows through the radiator.

 

Factory settings are set for the fan to turn on at 220 F. When you say that its set for 180 I hope you mean that you put in a new themostat switch. Just having the 180 themostat in the manifold wont do it. Another factor to consider is that factory gauges are junk and cant always be 100% reliable. How many times have those gas gauges lied to us? Is the fan turning on and running at 220?

 

NOTHING on this car is factory anymore. Factory on that car was a clutch fan.

 

That's exactly what mine's running at (temp wise) 37* Total timing. Stock replacement radiator with an electric fan that runs constantly. Higher flow water pump than factory, and I do have the radiator shroud.

My next replacement is the Air Dam, how much of yours is left? I have maybe two to three inches of mine still hanging down.

This is in my '86 T/A

 

Air dam 100% intact. problem was a faulty fan switch. All fixed up now.:lala:

 

Glad to hear you got it fixed.


What's the temp stay at now?

 

I would still go with a stewart stage 2 on that car, even if the problem is currently fixed. Wait till you have a long wait in traffic on a freeway or running your AC or both. wont be fun.

Of course I am a bit bias because I have the stewart

 

Won't be running the A/C. Ripped that out already to lighten the front end. Still though...point taken.