The Ford Barn

qmdv · 05-26-2023, 04:50 PM

I was in a parade the other day. Man did it heat up. I am thinking of going with an electric fan with shroud. I have a Walker radiator with stock original radiator shell. Hs anybody out there done this. Recommendations?

Krylon32 · 05-26-2023, 05:05 PM

I've used Cooling Components Shrouded fans on several of my 32's. I know they're Po-Po'ed by the purists but if you can't cure the problem with your manual fan there may not be another option. Is your cap good? Have you checked your timing? What do you have for a fan? Are you sure there's no air in the system? Lots of things could be causing your overheating problems. I've done several flat-heads with manual fans and Walker radiators with no problems.

Shoebox · 05-26-2023, 05:12 PM

I too have a Walker radiator with Cooling Components fan in my '32 which cools great.

Bored&Stroked · 05-26-2023, 07:53 PM

I have a stock 32 radiator (re-cored), no pressure on the cap, a very high performance flathead and I've been stuck in 90+ degree weather in a long line to get out of Goodguys . . . was stop-n-go for almost an hour and I did not overheat.

Ran about 195 tops on a mechanical gauge. If things are built right, blocks are clean of rust, timing is correct, water pumps are moving enough water and the radiator is good - these flatheads should cool just fine.

qmdv · 05-26-2023, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bored&Stroked

I have a stock 32 radiator (re-cored), no pressure on the cap, a very high performance flathead and I've been stuck in 90+ degree weather in a long line to get out of Goodguys . . . was stop-n-go for almost an hour and I did not overheat.

Ran about 195 tops on a mechanical gauge. If things are built right, blocks are clean of rust, timing is correct, water pumps are moving enough water and the radiator is good - these flatheads should cool just fine.

I have a four blade fan with a spacer that is an inch from the radiator. I have a six blade fan on the shelf. would have to turn a new spacer. Is 1 inch too far from the radiator. Oh and at five miles per hour it never over heats.

qmdv · 05-28-2023, 06:44 AM

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So how far should the fan be from the radiator. Mine is currently 1 "

cadillac512 · 05-28-2023, 07:58 AM

("never overheats at 5 mph")

An inch should be fine. If I were trying to see what the heating problem is, I'd let the car idle with a nice big fan blowing through the grille. If it stays cool you know it's an air flow problem. If it still gets too hot, it's likely a water flow problem and the extra engine speed at 5 mph is flowing more water. Either a higher idle speed or more efficient water pumps if that's the case.

Terry

38 coupe · 05-28-2023, 08:22 AM

I like mechanical fans to be as close as reasonable to the radiator, that prevents air getting pulled around from the engine bay and recirculated through the fan. 1/2 inch is my ideal, but not always achievable.
When in parade type situations you may find that pulling the choke out enough to increase your idle speed without moving the choke plate helps. Take the air cleaner off and pull back on the choke until it just touches the choke plate but does not move it. Then look in the car at where your choke control is. You can pull the choke out that much in parade situations to help cool the engine. This speeds up the fan and water pumps to match your 5 mph conditions without richening the mixture.
For the same reason on a friend's 36 Ford I ended up setting the idle speed a bit high, around 700 rpm, since that is where the fan started moving a lot of air. In south Texas being able to idle at traffic lights and not overheat is critical.

Als48 · 05-29-2023, 09:08 AM

I used a Jeep Liberty electric fan (12 Volt) on my '48 Ford. The shroud fit the radiator quite well. Just had to secure it to the radiator housing. I used it as a pusher fan but it was originally used as a puller on the Jeep. I simply wired it into a relay and run it all of the time in warm weather. I need to install a thermal switch to it. It works quite well.

Al Hook

Seth Swoboda · 05-30-2023, 08:47 AM

If your cooling system is operating effeciently it should not overheat. I suspect your radiator needs a good, through, cleaning. I don't run an electric fan on any of my V8's and they do not overheat.

I just put a NOS radiator in an otherwise never restored 1937 tudor. 170 degrees is as hot as it's been thus far.

05-26-2023, 04:50 PM	#1
qmdv Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Payette, ID Posts: 936	Electric Fan for a 32 I was in a parade the other day. Man did it heat up. I am thinking of going with an electric fan with shroud. I have a Walker radiator with stock original radiator shell. Hs anybody out there done this. Recommendations?

05-26-2023, 05:05 PM	#2
Krylon32 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 4,489	Re: Electric Fan for a 32 I've used Cooling Components Shrouded fans on several of my 32's. I know they're Po-Po'ed by the purists but if you can't cure the problem with your manual fan there may not be another option. Is your cap good? Have you checked your timing? What do you have for a fan? Are you sure there's no air in the system? Lots of things could be causing your overheating problems. I've done several flat-heads with manual fans and Walker radiators with no problems.

05-26-2023, 05:12 PM	#3
Shoebox Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Holmen,Wisconsin Posts: 787	Re: Electric Fan for a 32 I too have a Walker radiator with Cooling Components fan in my '32 which cools great. __________________ I went, I saw, I bought the T shirt 51 Ford Deluxe Tudor 32 Ford roadster 39 Mercury Towncar

05-26-2023, 07:53 PM	#4
Bored&Stroked Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 5,070	Re: Electric Fan for a 32 I have a stock 32 radiator (re-cored), no pressure on the cap, a very high performance flathead and I've been stuck in 90+ degree weather in a long line to get out of Goodguys . . . was stop-n-go for almost an hour and I did not overheat. Ran about 195 tops on a mechanical gauge. If things are built right, blocks are clean of rust, timing is correct, water pumps are moving enough water and the radiator is good - these flatheads should cool just fine.

05-28-2023, 06:44 AM	#6
qmdv Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Payette, ID Posts: 936	Re: Electric Fan for a 32 Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) So how far should the fan be from the radiator. Mine is currently 1 "

05-28-2023, 07:58 AM	#7
cadillac512 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2019 Location: Kansas Posts: 922	Re: Electric Fan for a 32 ("never overheats at 5 mph") An inch should be fine. If I were trying to see what the heating problem is, I'd let the car idle with a nice big fan blowing through the grille. If it stays cool you know it's an air flow problem. If it still gets too hot, it's likely a water flow problem and the extra engine speed at 5 mph is flowing more water. Either a higher idle speed or more efficient water pumps if that's the case. Terry __________________ "It don't take but country smarts to solve the problem" (Smokey Yunick) '41 Merc Town Sedan / 260" 8CM engine '66 Fairlane four door / "warmed up" 302

05-28-2023, 08:22 AM	#8
38 coupe Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: South Texas Posts: 1,631	Re: Electric Fan for a 32 I like mechanical fans to be as close as reasonable to the radiator, that prevents air getting pulled around from the engine bay and recirculated through the fan. 1/2 inch is my ideal, but not always achievable. When in parade type situations you may find that pulling the choke out enough to increase your idle speed without moving the choke plate helps. Take the air cleaner off and pull back on the choke until it just touches the choke plate but does not move it. Then look in the car at where your choke control is. You can pull the choke out that much in parade situations to help cool the engine. This speeds up the fan and water pumps to match your 5 mph conditions without richening the mixture. For the same reason on a friend's 36 Ford I ended up setting the idle speed a bit high, around 700 rpm, since that is where the fan started moving a lot of air. In south Texas being able to idle at traffic lights and not overheat is critical.

05-29-2023, 09:08 AM	#9
Als48 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2020 Location: Paducah Ky Posts: 279	Re: Electric Fan for a 32 I used a Jeep Liberty electric fan (12 Volt) on my '48 Ford. The shroud fit the radiator quite well. Just had to secure it to the radiator housing. I used it as a pusher fan but it was originally used as a puller on the Jeep. I simply wired it into a relay and run it all of the time in warm weather. I need to install a thermal switch to it. It works quite well. Al Hook

05-30-2023, 08:47 AM	#10
Seth Swoboda Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 3,795	Re: Electric Fan for a 32 If your cooling system is operating effeciently it should not overheat. I suspect your radiator needs a good, through, cleaning. I don't run an electric fan on any of my V8's and they do not overheat. I just put a NOS radiator in an otherwise never restored 1937 tudor. 170 degrees is as hot as it's been thus far.