Gets hot

[85_Ranger4x4]

180 degree thermostat, Painless 190 degree fan relay, 2500 CFM Flex-O-Lite pusher, 91-94 2 core Explorer radiator, factory tranny cooler and a biggish aftermarket tranny cooler.

On a 95 degree day I can run all over town, let it sit... whatever. My mechanical gauge sits right at 180 degrees, the fan runs quite a bit but does kick off if moving at slow speed. On a cooler day it might kick on but it won't stay on. But I wind'er up to 55mph on the highway and she gets hot. With the C5 and gearing/tires it is turning a tad over 2500rpm (small tach) going down the road.

Of course now I have the little trim piece, grille, grille guard and lights mounted too.

Are the tranny coolers blocking to much air? Would it be better if I had them mounted next to each other rather than stacked so coolant could go clear across the radiator above and below them?

Any other ideas?

 

[originalnitro]

How wide is that radiator looks narrow.
I had the same problem when I was using a 22"x19" aluminium 2 row. It would be fine strolling around town but cruise at hiway speeds the temp would climb. I'm using a 16"x31" radiator now it allows the coolant to stay in the radiator longer and cool off more. With a narrow radiator the coolant is moving so fast its not in the radiator long enough to cool before entering the engine again.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

How wide is that radiator looks narrow.
I had the same problem when I was using a 22"x19" aluminium 2 row. It would be fine strolling around town but cruise at hiway speeds the temp would climb. I'm using a 16"x31" radiator now it allows the coolant to stay in the radiator longer and cool off more. With a narrow radiator the coolant is moving so fast its not in the radiator long enough to cool before entering the engine again.

It is the regular 4dr, 4.0 A/C, automatic Explorer radiator that many use for swaps.

O'Rielly's shows it as a 18 X 18-3/8 X 2-1/4, I got mine from Carquest though.

My thoughts were kind of along the same lines as yours, the coolant only gets a dash halfway across the rad before it is effected by the trans coolers. But if I would put them across from each other only about 1/3 of the rad would be effected. OR, after I get my trans temp gauge hooked up I could remove the original one altogether.

A lot of people use this radiator with much wilder engines than mine, dunno if it is really too small in and of itself. I had it on the highway in 60-70 degree weather and it did perfect. A bigger rad does stand to reason though...

 

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

well how hot is hot to you? what does it read?

 

[dangerranger83]

Looks like you could sqeeze a bigger rad. in there. The other coolers look like they may be blocking off some air movement.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

well how hot is hot to you? what does it read?

220-230, which I think is plenty... It would probably get hotter if I let it. I slowed down and limp back to town slowly on gravel roads and after awhile it cooled back down.

The radiator sets back from the radiator support aways, I don't really remember it having a whole lot more room to fill as far the opening goes.

 

[Psychopete]

could your jetting be too lean?

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

could your jetting be too lean?

According to the instructions that came with the carb if anything it should be a little rich. I have been meaning to go deeper into that but I really haven't had it going that long. That is a good thing that I overlooked as far as overheating goes.

Drove it to work a couple times (maybe 2 weeks worth) to the lake to go fishing once and then last weekends aborted second fishing trip. Otherwise it has been laid up for repairs (reman water pump backing plate gasket would drip, dampener pulley and now brakes)

 

[originalnitro]

What is your engine bore.

 

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

220-230, which I think is plenty... It would probably get hotter if I let it. I slowed down and limp back to town slowly on gravel roads and after awhile it cooled back down.

The radiator sets back from the radiator support aways, I don't really remember it having a whole lot more room to fill as far the opening goes.

can you get a reading with an infrared temp gun? i never trust a gauge.

instead of pulling off when it gets hot turn the heater on full blast and see if the temp goes back to normal.. indicating a lack of air across the radiator

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

What is your engine bore.

I assume stock, I never had the heads off. '87 roller, non HO, came with a big car (like a Crown Vic) FEAD.

can you get a reading with an infrared temp gun? i never trust a gauge.

instead of pulling off when it gets hot turn the heater on full blast and see if the temp goes back to normal.. indicating a lack of air across the radiator

I could borrow the infrared thermometer. The gauge is mechanical, new with the engine... seems pretty consistant otherwise.

 

[shane96ranger]

You have most of the radiator surface covered with fan. IMHO, I think it's the areas that aren't covered that are giving you the issues. I've never had luck getting a radiator to cool without a shroud.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

You have most of the radiator surface covered with fan. IMHO, I think it's the areas that aren't covered that are giving you the issues. I've never had luck getting a radiator to cool without a shroud.

Wouldn't that block a lot of the ambiant air from flowing thru the radiator at highway speeds? A puller would be different, and would act like a funnel for the fan after it went thru the radiator, but a shrouded pusher would be like using a funnel upside down.

My understanding is that at flank speed the fan (either mechanical or electric) shouldn't really have to do anything. I know mine was running because the temp was well above what it is supposed to kick on, but I also wonder if by running it was blocking the air my speed was trying to cram in there and adding to the problem.

My fan is filled in around the blades so air can't just squirt off to the side. It was one of the biggest fans that would fit in there (physically and CFM wise). Somebody needs to come up with a way to make a square/rectangular fan.

The more I think about it, I might pick on the carb first, it has had a ping off idle... I chalked it up do the engine being full of carbon from granny putting around in her big land yacht, the plugs and EGR were carboned up when I got the engine. The pinging supports running lean (and hot) also.

 

[baddad457]

I would at least either remove the upper cooler or mount it at the same level or lower than the bottom one. Most of the cooling in a radiator happens in the top half. Not sure if it's possible, but a bumper swap to a Gen II would also help, these have extra openings to help cooling and you can mount the trans coolers there. Also a switch to a 160* T-stat would also help by opening sooner and stay farther open, letting more coolant pass, I found a 10-20* difference in mine by doing so. A hgh volume water pump will also help, there's no need to spend $$$$ on an aftermarket one either, any parts house will have these in stock, you're looking for a Police/Taxi, HD cooling pump. These have a larger impeller inside vs the std cooling pumps.

 

[baddad457]

Oh and 220-230 is about right for cruising down the highway. Mine ran up to 250-260 occasionally with the iron headed motor and never had issues due to that. I had the same FEAD and similar size radiator (15.5 x 27 x 2) but with twin 10" puller fans. I did also have a stock HV pump on it as well. Try a cooler T-Stat.