Quote:
Originally Posted by 2speed
Clean block, actually the cleanest block you can have. Radiator was cleaned and repaired, original.
60/40 antifreeze solution. Engine pans are in place. Have a license plate because it's law.
Running a temperature gauge in the neck.
Have a thermostat with the thermostat knocked out, so a 1 inchish hole to slow the water down. Before knocking the thermostat out, car would overheat on hills easily.
Climbing hills at 7,000+ feet on 100 degree days is tough, to the point of pulling over and waiting.
50mph on 100 degree days is running between 185 and 190. Car is loaded pretty well. When it's 80 degrees out car will run 5-10 degrees cooler.
While this was stationary tests: https://www.tulsamodelafordclub.com/...-fan-air-flow/
4 blade is significantly more air. There is another article out there from years ago, but the scan is too small to read by Ed Rossig.
If you have a wind perpendicular to or behind the car, the air flow through the radiator might not be the "doesn't matter above 35mph" that you think it is. |
From my vantage point, it sounds like your mind is made up, -and that is OK because it is your car and you are free to do it your way. I will offer my thoughts for others who might be lurking and to help with clarifying information...
FWIW, using an Antifreeze coolant mix in a Model-A radiator generally provides less cooling efficiency when compared to using straight water because the cooling system it is not under pressure. Slowing the water down is a controversial topic since generally speaking, most agree the only real benefit to slower water flow was when the radiator tubes were plugged and the coolant could not drain thru the tubes as fast as the pump was pushing it into the upper tank. Even a 2 row Model-A radiator can flow more water than a stock pump can move. Temperature gauges have been known to not be accurate, -especially if the sender is mounted in the water outlet neck. The reason(s) are more than I care to write but coolant is almost never fully filling the outlet neck (above the impellers) because there is not enough head pressure generated in the radiator tubes to force it full. Additionally, the design of the water pump impeller causes cavitation and air pockets as it is moving coolant. Therefore, when water is intermittently surrounding the temperature sender, the readings will be skewed.
It has been my experiences that a thermostat in the typical Model-A application generally offers negligible increases from a performance perspective, ...especially in higher ambient temperatures. The aftermarket Thermostats are most effective when the A engine is being operated in colder temps because it raises combustion temps by not allowing the engine heat to be dissipated.
With regard to perpendicular or aft-flowing air, it really does not matter what the wind direction is. If the vehicle is traveling forward at much more than 15mph, the frontal area against the radiator core will flow enough wind to allow the heat to dissipate. The radiator should be able to dissipate the heat no matter if there is a frontal wind of 15mph -or 60mph.