I have a 86 Pontiac Firebird T/A. I took the OEM 350 Chevy from a 89 Firebird and bolted on all the boltons I could. I would say around 400HP tops lets say. So I have one of those Champion style 3 core Aluminum radiators(don't think its a champion). I don't think they cool that great. I have 2 monster 12" fans pulls like 3 times at much at stock, have an extra cooling OEM water pump(steel), 160 degree thermostat, using the OEM 89 serpentine belt setup. I have the OEM damn on the car with the top shroud to hold the radiator in. I still get to hot. I don't really like how there is such a big gap on the sides of the radiator to the car. I think a bunch of air passes that when u are moving.

What are your guys setup up for cooling setup that works?

Thanks

Howie

 

Do your fans have a shroud?

 

First - 400 HP is laughable for bolt-ons. It's nowhere even close to 400. Likely no where close to 300. Probably more like 275 tops - before you strap on all the accessories. With headers, full exhaust, and (although it's not really a "bolt on") cam being the most important. All of which would require tuning if it's fuel injected. It is very unlikely that you have more than 220 HP at the rear wheels. I guarantee that 400 crank HP isn't even possible with the stock heads without MASSIVE porting.

Lets start with the basic information - what temp are you running at? What do you consider "too hot"? And please - REAL data. Not what the trim package in the dash is reading.

Radiators with more rows require more airflow, and better shrouding to pull the air through the thicker core.

GD

 

I have no idea what the HP is a rear wheels never dynoed it. Going by HP engine makes for cooling not real wheel HP. I can tell u I run 13.2 in a quarter mile without NOS at stock weight and my 220lbs ***. I have 2 Matsumoto 12" race line hi flow fans rated at 1850cfms wich do way more than the stock ones.


I have the pieces left from the OEM dual fan setup on the car now which is just upper and lower platic. The OEM fans never had a shroud like the single fans did. I bought a shroud kit which is just a piece of aluminum with 2 12" holes. Not sure how much more cooling it will give..


I can easily get over 220 on any day over 80 degrees outside moving not sitting. I want to keep the car around 200. Racing it i get over 220 and i stop when i get 230.


I want to make sure the radiator choice i have is good since i will be pulling the motor to change the cam so i can swap radiator to a better one.. i don't want to put it all back together to just rip the cooling system back out again.

 

I don't have stock heads anymore on the engine. I have a 350 stock short block from a 89 firebirt with Aftermarket 2.02/1.6 195cc runner Aluminum heads with 600lbs rated roller cam springs. It have a Holley warrior dual plain manifold with 1" spacer, 1 5/8 headman headers, comp cams xr270hr, 1.6 scorpion roller rockers, holley 750 double pumper modified, mds 6 plus with mds distributor with 100hp NOS kit on it. Have a built stage 2 turbo 350 trans a with 9 bolt rear end with a torsen style diff from Australia with 3.70 gears and rear diff staffing bearing plate, and 2 1/2 exhaust dumping by the axles with race tube muffers. I think thats pretty much what I have in the car.

 

You mean Mishimoto fans? Those things suck ***. We tried out their dual fan shrouds on some stage 2 STI's (300 AWHP) and they were FAR worse than stock. As in the car's overheated in hot weather with the AC on. Swapped back to stock and they were fine. Mishimoto grossly over-estimates their airflow - just look at the blades - they have no "bite" on the air. They are wimpy, small, and nearly flat. Hot Chinese garbo IMO.

Based on your 1/4 times and weight, you have about 295 HP at the rear wheels. About 340 at the crank. Based on your specs that's about right for your build without fuel injection or at least dyno tuning on the carb. Very typical of a built 350. They are usually pretty close to 1 HP per cube.

GD

 

Its not there slim line fans. Its their thicker ones these are like 3" thick or so and are pretty heavy for a fan.. I can feel the air movement over the stock ones. I never tried the slim ones like everyone else slim fans from china. These cool better than the oem ones they are much louder that stock ones forChina. My temps are lower but I would like to be at the 200 range.

 

My previous 383 and 406 after that, both had mid 10 compression ratio. 180 degree thermostat, aluminum Edelbrock and Stewart water pumps, computer set to turn on at 195-degree on off at 185-degree and Buick GN fan switch at the heads. my 406 ran 11.7's and never had issues cruising around in the summers. Did a few autocross runs before and no issues with cooling.

 

It's the Firebird front end that's the problem. Not so much the engine or cooling system combo. The Firebird nose is just awful for airflow.

GD

 

While my build isn't super impressive, I run the stock radiator with an A/C condenser in front of it, a stock style iron water pump, the stock single electric fan, and a aftermarket switch\relay set to 195 on 185 off. The thermostat is a typical high flow Mr. Gasket 180 degree thermostat and the coolant is your typical 50/50 mix. I don't think I've ever gone above 205 degrees in any circumstance. I mostly hover around 185-195. Granted, being in Minnesota, about the highest I've ever run it was a 96 degree day, but you'd think that'd be warm enough to show any issues.

What's your timing set at? Improper\overly retarded timing can cause excessive heat.

 

Stock 350 tpi radiator with the dual fans does quite a job cooling the car even with alot of hp. I would not even consider using anything else but the factory dual fans.

 

I'm using the original 1991 TPI 305 rad with the built in trans cooler (never rebuilt yet) on my car, with the stock dual fans.
I took the AC condenser off, and run an aftermarket trans cooler as well.

I have never had an issue cruising my car, even in hot conditions.

Engine is a 421 sbc with 685hp

 

For your car, define hot?

My set up previously: 355 SBC, CC Qjet, World heads and lunati cam. 270hp to the wheels through the 700R4. Puts it about 330hp at the crank. I ran the factory 3rd gen radiator and 4th gen fans. It never gets hot. So, I would recommend you find a set of 4th gen fans, trim the shroud (it's obvious where it needs it) and be done. Going to be using the same fan/radiator set up in my LS swap as well.