It's Summer so Overheating AGAIN !!!

[Nuts]

More Info Please

Here you go Nuts. If you order it from Summit it should be at your doorstep
in 24 hours. Edit: I'm using the 18" fan shown below. This should work fine if you have the stock BB schroud.

Is the flex fan the only one available with 7 blades ??? I would prefer a steel blade if possible.

I have a stock SB shroud that I cut down to fit over the 4 row copper/brass radiator I was using before this aluminum radiator. I believe it will also take an 18" fan, but I not sure. I could remove the spacer blocks on the aluminum radiator and then this shroud would fit fine, I believe. I know one guy here in town who has an original 409 62 Impala, I going to check with him to see if he'd loan me his shroud to check it out. He is currently restoring the car, he is the original owner !!!

 

[Tic's60]

Okay I understand how to get all the things needed for what should be a cool running 409. The one thing I haven't found in little old Boise, ID is a seven blade fan. Can anyone point me to one ?

Cause it's in Nampa with the rest of my Impala police car stuff Come get it and it's yours. I will be flying to St louis MO on sunday for a week of hell meetings so if I am not hear my Son will have it by the door for you. It is good one so ll you need is to bolt it on and go!!

Later

M:-)

 

[mac1]

Nut's, I'm pretty sure your SB shroud will work. I used six blade 18" flex fan on my small block with the SB shroud with no issues. The flex fan above is a heavy duty one, unlike the ones sold over the counter at pep boys. I wouldn't worry about the blades detaching, JMO though. You decide. Just remember to have the fan half in/half out. The electric fan works great with the A/C on in the stop and go traffic. It's a tight fit but you will be happy with the results. Just run it through a 30 amp relay using a toggle switch under the dash or run the relay through your a/c clutch power wire.

 

[models916]

GM fan?

This is a non clutch fan


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/GM-1...9QQihZ005QQcategoryZ33600QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[models916]

this is the clutch version

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/GM-C...0QQihZ013QQcategoryZ34201QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[W Head]

The one I have came off of a 1980 something BB Chevy 1 ton dully. I had to re-drill the holes for the older 348/409 water pump, but it works great.

W Head

59 El Camino 348-3,2s
59 Impala 409-2,4s

W Head,were can I get a 5 1/2 in pulley ?I'd like to try one.

 

[models916]

smaller than normal

I think stock is 6.5" this one is 5.6875"

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1963...yZ140681QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[Nuts]

Cause it's in Nampa with the rest of my Impala police car stuff Come get it and it's yours. I will be flying to St louis MO on sunday for a week of hell meetings so if I am not hear my Son will have it by the door for you. It is good one so ll you need is to bolt it on and go!!

Later

M:-)

Mike - Give me a call or PM, we'll link up. Bill

 

[59348SC]

I'm a newbie and don't know much about anything so this discussion fascinated me. I have a 1960 348 in a 1959 Impala SC that I put together myself and I have the same overheating problem. It used to be OK on the highway but lately will overheat anywhere. I have an aftermarket gauge watching it and it is accurate, If I don't pull over and shut down it will send antifreeze everywhere. I've changed head gaskets because I was told I'd probably blew one on an engine with only 7-800 miles on it. The gaskets do restrict down the water holes but I assumed this was correct so left it alone. I've been wondering if the machine work I had done to the heads could be at fault. I had hardened valve guides installed because I intended to drive it a lot on unleaded gas and it seemed a good idea at the time, untill I read an article advising against that idea. The article said there was a danger of cutting into the water jacket. I don't get water in the oil or oil in the water. The block was only bored .30 over so that shouldn't be a problem. I had a stock fan and Vintage Air guarenteed me it would boil over so I installed a 16" electric, It disintegrated in Ohio two weeks ago. I went to Autozone and got a universal aftermaket fan, 6 blades instead of 4 and a lot more pitch. I had to trailer it home to Maryland anyway. Sorry to jump in like this, but I feel very involved already.

 

[Ronnie Russell]

59348sc, First check casting numbers to make sure you don't have early 58 block or heads. If it is , in fact, a 1960 engine, remove thermostat on your next test run. Even a new thermostat can be bad and over restrictive. Once you have solved the overheating problem, you can reinstall thermostat. To check leaky valve seats, read spark plugs. Water will show up by revealing rusty plug or plugs in the bad cyls. Hardened seats can be used if the machine shop is high quality and know w-head engines. I would use a can of K&W block seal to see if this would help. Others use different brands and have success also. Might save you from pulling heads again. Worth the $8 to try. I believe a good 7 blade fan will far out perform the electric fan you are using. If you "search" cooling system, radiator, over-heating, etc. ,, you will find many threads that will offer much information. I assume you have a.c. . Forget about using the a.c. until you have solved the problem. Good luck..............

 

[Nuts]

Great Fathers Day - Two Prizes !!!

Yesterday was a great day for me, hope that all of you had a great Father's Day also.

First an update on the overheating problems which is also one of the prizes !!! I changed out the aftermarket water pump pulley for the stock SB pulley from the 327. That required me to change the belts because it is 5 7/8 and the one I had been using was 6 5/8 diameter. Driving down to the show yesterday morning on the freeway the temp never got off the peg but it was 50* outside. Getting parked at the event required approx 15-20 min of idle time and the temp never went over 190*. so that is some movement in the right direction. It was still cool in the afternoon (mid seventies), when I drove home from the event. I drove through downtown with stop lights and lite traffic, on to the freeway for eight miles, then back into lite traffic and lights for a total of 15 miles and the temp never got above 150*.

Yes, I know 150* is too cool but that is the first trip I've driven the 409 on that the temp didn't get to 190, even in the dead of winter. The smaller pulley helped a bunch, thanks to all who suggested that !!!!! Now the thing I have to do is solve the heat at idle, which I believe will still be an issue on hot days in slow traffic. What I have to do is figure out how to get more air flow in those situations. I'm going to have the A/C system drained and remove the condenser to see if that will help with airflow. If it does then I'll have to tackle that problem, because I'll need the A/C when my lovely wife is in the car with me.

Tic60 donated a 7 blade fan to the project (Thanks Mike, I owe you a one !!!) but it is a little too big for the stock shroud. I'm going to work the shroud issue by looking for one which will allow use of this large 7 blade fan and pull more air through the radiator. I've got some ideas in my head of what I want, just have to find something that will work.

Now the second prize !!! There were 160 beutiful cars at the show for Father's day with numerious "tricked out" TriFives, Hot Rods, Roadsters and cars of every make and model lots of $$$$ on display. Out of all the beutiful Chevolets, many much better than mine (IMO), the BelAir was voted Best Chevolet ! I have to tell you, I didn't vote for me. Eventhough I didn't build the car for the purpose of getting prizes, it is always nice to be recognized by your peers for all the hard work and efforts you have put in.

 

[tripower]

Nuts, Great news on the over heating and, congratulations on the best Chevy award... I have been following this thread very close as I am preparing for a swap in my car and did manage to find a 7 blade fan out of a 70 GTO. Looks just like the one models posted from Ebay but aluminum fins steel hub. A friend had it and gave it to me. It has a non thermal clutch but, I think I am going to try the clutch that is on my original 5 blade. My engine would clime in temp after running several hundred miles in 70 degree weather with the stock 348. This thread has been a big help. I hope you can get the slow traffic idle issues worked out.

 

[Ronnie Russell]

Nuts, Great news!!!! Glad you are moving in the right direction. I'm glad you didnt get frustrated and put the small block in the car. Congratulations on the trophy...........

 

[Nuts]

Thanks

Ronnie and Dan,

Thanks, it is really nice to finally make some progress in the right direction... I've been spending $$$$ on this overheating for over a year and to find something right in my shop that helps it nice to say the least...

There must be a shroud in my future that will help the low speed stuff... I just made arrangements to have the A/C system purged and we'll see how much that helps, wish me luck...

Thanks everyone for you continued help !!!!

 

[yellow wagon]

don't overlook the idle mixture either....if the idle is too lean, the temps will rise also. Keep it just a little on the rich side and you will be fine. Do youhave Redline Water Wetter in the radiator by chance? I have a lot steadier temps at idle on hot days from that stuff. Great product if you ask me.

J

 

[mac1]

Great news Nuts. Don't forget to plug off your a/c hoses, condenser and dryer. You want to keep the moisture out of there if your going to charge it back up later on. I have some assorted tapered silicone plugs that work great for this. I bought mine from Eastwood but electrical tape wound tightly will work temporarily. Mac

 

[Tic's60]

and here I sit in O'Fallon MO while your having all of the fun!!
Glad to hear the good news!!!

 

[blumun53]

It's imperative that you make sure the air is being pulled through the radiator at stops. See, it's not as necessary when you're moving, as the natural movement of the car does this for you. You say there is a gap between the radiator and the shroud. Close that gap somehow, and I believe your problem will go away. Try something temporary at first to see if it works. If there is a gap, then the air is not forced to come through the radiator. Remember that saying about the route of least resistance? Same applies here. It's easier for air to come through that gap than it is to come through those tiny openings in your radiator fins. Make sense?

 

[Tic's60]

So did you get the shroud done? If you need a welder just call and bring it over.
Me I have been sanding all day. I need to go to the day labor spot and get about four essays to sand for 20.00 I do allot of things but I hatz sanding!

 

[Tic's60]

Now the second prize !!! There were 160 beutiful cars at the show for Father's day with numerious "tricked out" TriFives, Hot Rods, Roadsters and cars of every make and model lots of $$$$ on display. Out of all the beutiful Chevolets, many much better than mine (IMO), the BelAir was voted Best Chevolet ! I have to tell you, I didn't vote for me. Eventhough I didn't build the car for the purpose of getting prizes, it is always nice to be recognized by your peers for all the hard work and efforts you have put in.

Funny thing I just talked to a guy while looking for some BBC stuff, Mark, and he asked me "Have you seen that black 409 car? It keeps beating us at every damm show" He's the one with a blown grey Nova.
Thought you should know!