The radiator fan on my 1986 Trans Am is not enough for the engine to stay cool as it sits. What are my upgrade options? The fan does come on when it should and I have a 358sbc with a cam in it. The car does cool off fairly quickly when I begin moving. Should I also look into upgrading the radiator or is that okay considering the car stays cool when moving? Also, I see a cold case dual fan setup on their own radiator for $600. How would I go about wiring that kit into my car with ECM single fan control?

 

There are a few options. Some people do a 4th gen fan upgrade. The ford taurus fan upgrade is popular. Or you can do a toyota corolla fan upgrade. I did the toyota one because I got a good deal on fans

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/cool...n-upgrade.html

 

If engine cools back down while moving then the rad is fine. The fan is really only needed for slow speeds. At higher speeds, there is enough airflow across the rad to provide sufficient cooling. Third gens are bottom feeders and the scoop under the rad helps pull air up into the rad.

Since it's an electric fan, I'm assuming it still has the OEM shroud around the fan.

How hot is hot? I wouldn't use the factory gauge as an accurate temperature device. Since these cars are also designed to run hot, 195F is still acceptable and is not overheating. If it was up in the 200F range, then you have a problem.

In the end, the car is still 37 years old. If the rad is original, it might be time for a replacement anyway.

 

i’m currently waiting for the an ls1 4th gen dual fan to arrive. i’m in the same situation with my 86 trans am, temps creep up in traffic, single fan isn’t enough to keep it cool.

the ls1 fan upgrade is relatively close to fitting and really just needs a modified top mount i believe. i’m gonna fab something up with sheet metal

 

So I did the LS1 upgrade... It holds temps lower but it still isn't totally enough. It would seem that my radiator is inadequate.

 

200F is not a problem. The factory has these running at 220F or more.

What temperature are your trying to achieve?

BTW i have a single core plastic tank aluminum radiator on a 420+ hp 383. With a 180F thermostat and a Taurus fan and a stock water pump, at most itll hit 195F coolant temp on a 100F day with the AC on. Unless your radiator is not functioning properly or clogged or something, its likely more than adequate for your engine.

 

i installed mine as well, the shroud and dual fans definitely is an improvement over the stock single fan with zero shrouding. i have a 2 core aluminum radiator in the car as well.