The Ford Barn - Fan Shroud?

The Ford Barn (https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/index.php)

- Model A (1928-31) (https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=3)

- - Fan Shroud? (https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=311373)

My A tends to run on the hot side. Does a fan shroud make much of a difference? Thanks,

Not sure of the fan shroud but several people have reported cooler running with the engine pans installed. See https://www.snydersantiqueauto.com/9...htm?pid=976258

Have the engine pans, new heavy duty radiator last year from Snyder's. All types of engine flushes. Carb, timing checked multiple times.

Where are you setting your spark lever when you are driving, what's your GAV set at, are you running a thermostat, is your water pump pumping, do you have an air filter on the carb, are you running straight water or a 50/50 mix?

Is it really running hot or just pushing water out the top and overflow ?
Troubleshoot problem, make sure no combustion leaks, flow is good through radiator, radiator not too full. Fill where you can just see coolant slosh .
Is there a baffle in radiator neck? Sealed around overflow tube?

Lots of things to cover. Fan belt off and make sure no bubbles in coolant at fast idle or more .
Larry

A properly fitted fan shroud will for sure aid in cooling. the first model A's had shrouds.
that being said i have never had to use one. as said above, lots of things to check first.

are you using water or coolant. coolant/antifreeze will also help.

Afaik straight water with water wetter is better at cooling than water/antifreeeze.

Not knowing all the details, here are a few things to try. Try the fan shroud. Try water wetter (https://www.amazon.com/Red-Line-8020.../dp/B000CPI5ZK). Measure the head temperature with an IR thermometer after a drive to see if you have uniform temperature front to back (it may be that the water flow is not right). Try running the GAV a little richer. Remove any thermostat if you have one. Try a different radiator with more fins per inch (if available (I don't know which one you bought from Snyders)). Move to a colder climate.

Define running on HOT side?

Brokenspoke is right on. On level roadway, the engine should cruise at 160 to 180 Degrees F.

Quote:

Originally Posted by brokenspoke (Post 2115400)

Define running on HOT side?

And that IS the question...my normal is your hot, your hot is my normal

100 points added to brokenspoke....

Quote:

Originally Posted by bavArian (Post 2115360)

Afaik straight water with water wetter is better at cooling than water/antifreeeze.

i agree.

question will water wetter freeze?

You can use reduced antifreeze in warm climates or pure water for racing but it does not change the need for antifreeze to keep the coolant from freezing.

If you have a shroud, use it, that's what they were made for. They are getting harder to locate in decent condition. I found one for my '28 and I believe it contributes to the overall performance of the cooling system.

Remove the rust from your block. Drain the system and fill it with RUST911. Leave it in for 24 hours. You can drive the car with the RUST911 in it. Drain it. What went in clear will come out black. Repeat two more times and it should drain clear. Flush with water are refill. Add rust inhibitor. You will notice the difference. https://www.amazon.com/Rust911-16-ga...xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

I won't comment on cooling but I will comment on fan shrouds.

In a time long ago I tried to keep my 28 Tudor authentically stock. I attempted to install two different original shrouds with poor results. Those two shrouds have made a nice display on my garage wall for years.

I recently installed Snyders plastic shrouds on both my 28 Tudor and my 31 "slant". They fit like a glove and look really nice. Do they make the cars run cooler? Maybe.

When my creaky joints are up to it, I will crawl under and install engine pans.

Richard
Anaheim CA

Quote:

Originally Posted by leadpot (Post 2115322)

Have the engine pans, new heavy duty radiator last year from Snyder's. All types of engine flushes. Carb, timing checked multiple times.

If you have done all of this, then you have more of an issue going on than just a fan shroud will cure. The fan shroud would just be a bandaid attempt at the problem. There was basically 3,000,000 Model A's running around that did not have fan shrouds. Like others said, what does running hot mean? There is something more going on than just a need for a fan shroud

Leadpot, I'm in Ohio too. It is not hot enough out yet for these issues with that big Snders radiator.

Either it is timed wrong, or the head gasket is leaking. At least these are the likely causes. Are you a member of the local club where you are? The other guys are your best diagnostic tool. Our club has a spring test-n-tune day(s) and we all help each other get our cars ready for the season.

GENE

One thing for new model A'ers to remember. A Model A does NOT run hot unless something is wrong. You don't need to run special concoctions of coolants, 50/50 regular green antifreeze will work just fine. No need to re-engineer anything, the cooling system on a model A is well designed for normal everyday, everwhere use. Seal the radiator cap with an O'ring or gasket as you prefer. Fill the radiator as full as you want, let it decide where it wants to level out at and as long as coolant still covers the core, don't add more. Learn how to operate the spark lever, keep it advanced without pinging. Learn what pinging sounds like, don't let it do it. If you are anal about wanting to keep the coolant level high, push a hose on the overflow and run it into a jug, so the hose is all the way to the bottom. When the engine warms up it will push coolant into the jug (or reservoir) and when it cools down it will pull it back into the radiator. It's not necessary but keeps some people happy. If the radiator starts steaming, pull over and let idle for a while then shut down until its cool. Then find out WHY it overheated and resolve the issue, don't accept that it's normal. If radiator or block is clogged up with gunk, its going to be trouble until it is cleaned properly. Another myth: "The water pump pushes more water than the radiator can flow" B.S.! The water pump draws from the bottom of the radiator, through the block so it cannot pump out into the radiator top any more than it pulls from the bottom of the radiator. However, having a partially restricted flow will raise the negative pressure in the block, making it more likely that coolant will "flash" into steam. Water expands something like 1700 times when it turns to steam so it will definitely cause a geyser if that happens.