Hi Everyone, I am having some cooling issues with my current setup and would like to hear what some of you guys think. The motor in the Maverick is a fairly stout (15:1cr) 408ci with Powerglide/transbrake. I have tried changing timing from 32 to 38 and this really doesn't seem to make much difference with reference to the high temp condition. I'll try and explain; The motor is warm when I get to the burnout box (I have a CSR electric pump which has been rebuilt just last year and as the picture shows......some type of pancake style motor, I believe it is a high rpm low amp type. I also have seperate switches for both the electric pump and electric fan.) at around 180. By the time I am going through the traps (I usually run the electric pump and fan during the burnout and keep them on) the motor is at around 200. When I slow down and come back on the return road it starts creeping up and by the time I pick up timeslip it's getting close to 220. By the time I get to my pit spot I turn off the motor and leave the electric pump on..................it starts to cool the motor and is back down to 180 in 5 minutes or so. OK, the radiator is a three core and looks to be in decent shape, I know the inside of the motor is clean and the pump was just rebuilt. The trans cooler is mounted in front of the radiator and it never gets over 190/195. I am not sure an aluminum radiator would be any better, but was thinking of maybe changing the fan..................what do you think??? Thanks John
Yes Sir! Had sorta same problem, shroud and fan for sure. May want to move tranny cooler and mount fan on it. Also, check with CSR, they did a update on the pump, more fins (had 3 or 4 and I think they went to 7) If you have new style (CAR can tell you by pump code) May want to run a re stricter in thermostat housing, have to play with hole size and see what works best. Watch your time slips and BACK timing down some, may run better at 30 or 28' that will help keep cooler, also is gauge correct? Good Luck!
You need a Flexalite 185 fan with shoud. This will cure your problem. I have used this fan on 3 other vehicals I owned, works great
Fan shroud alone would probably be a huge help if the fan has enough CFM to move some air. Try a junkyard shroud
dkstuck, Have gone the time slip route, below 32 it falls off. I will think about moving the trans cooler, but don't have to many choices as the trunk is pretty full and don't want to put it under the car. I think the CSR pump was upgraded when it was rebuilt.........not sure. Thermostat is 180 but could try a restrictor. Thanks brainsboy, I was looking at the fans, but radiator is only 16" X 20" so I am a limited somewhat. 74 Grabber, Will make a trip to pick-n-pull, but really need to upgrad the fan first. Thanks
Timers, I have used Red Line "water wetter" from the begining, and it may be helping but not enough. Thanks
On my Rustang, I installed 2 smaller puller fans, the largest I could go to get 2 to fit. It was an upgrade from the belt driven Moroso fan. That setup DRASTICALLY reduced my engine temps. I also designed them with two speeds, low running them in series and high running them in parallel. In the pits, lanes, staging and run I only need to run in low speed. I bump it up to high once I make the turn onto the return road. I never get above 200, and I get back down to 175 by the time I pick up my slip. Unfortunately, I am pulling some serious juice on high, which is why I only use high on my way back to the pits. I agree with most here and think a fan upgrade is needed.
it's been along time since drag racing for us but i was reminded of using a bigger catch tank on the rand.
mercgt73, Since I am just getting started with drag racing again after some 25/30 years I am having to buy all my excessories again................one thing I really need to buy is a small generator so I can charge the battery while in the pits and run a box fan across the front of the car.................although when sitting in the pits after I have returned from the track once I shut down the motor/fan and leave the CSR pump on it will cool the motor down to 175/180 in a couple of minutes............with the hood off. The car did have two batteries and now just has one..............maybe I need to go back to two instead of the one????????? Timers, The catch can on the Maverick is in the trunk with the fuel cell and the battery. It has an aluminum line running all the way from the radiator to the trunk............................at least you don't have to worry about driving through your own "puke".................. Thanks Guys, it looks like a new fan and shroud are in order!
Two things jump out at me. I would consider going to an aluminum crossflow style radiator and that fan you have on there is just not doing the job. I have had a ton of success using the Mark8 fan. It's kind of big and pulls some amps, but I've found nothing that can compare to it's cooling ability. Between the built in shroud, the blade design and the torque monster motor on those Mark8's I've never had to use high speed on mine. And keep in mind that I am in Arizona where although it's a dry heat, many times it is way over 100. Oh and an afterthought...you might replace the hoses with non-ribbed ones. They will flow the water better. And like someone said, play with different sized restrictors in the thermostat housing. The water has to have some residence time in the radiator to cool it and running without one will move the water too fast.
you definitly need a beter fan set up. i have two different ways that you could go. 1. get a fan shroud that fits the radiator and over that fan that you have. it will drasticly increase the air flow through the radiator. right now its sucking alot of air from the sides. 2. replace that fan with one from a tauras or escort. there eletric fan has a shroud that fits the mavericks radiator nicely. the other thing that i have done and you can do is to use a nitrous full throttle micro switch to turn off the fan when you floor it. that way it will be running all the time except when you floor it.
Definitely need a shroud set up to pull air through the entire core. I'm sure you will see the temp come down at slow speeds/stops.
MNTony, Thanks for the info on the MK8 fan. I really need to keep the AMPs down unless I go back to 2 batteries in the trunk. The issue with the ribbed radiator hoses is something I have thought about and if I go to an aluminum Champion radiator I will change them. Bryant, I did read your article again and may try and find one at the local Pick-n-Pull.................if not I will probably go with a new radiator with fan and shroud as one unit.............again, I just want to be very careful about drawing too many AMPs. Darren, Am going to try and build my own shroud if I can't find one and see how well it works. Thanks John
