I own a 74 Brick with the 360 and 4 speed manual that I drive frequently
here in Southern California on LA streets. Overheating is a major problem.
I pulled the mechanical fan to improve performance and installed two side
by side electrical fans to pull air through the radiator. I set the
thermostat to turn the fans on at 180=B0. The results were marginally
better. I'm a cool engine freak and don't like to see the temp go over
220=B0. In frustration I added a secondary oil cooler to the front of the
radiator and in the process increased the oil capacity by another quart.
It seems to have done the trick. The engine temp will climb if I'm parked
at a light in slow traffic but the minute the car moves, the temp drops
down.
If I had it to do all over again, I'd forget about the electric fans and go
with the additional oil cooler. In fact, I'm considering replacing the
fan--going with a flex blade--and dumping the two electrics.
Has anyone ever found a larger capacity radiator that fits in the beasts?
Looks like that might be a possibility.
=46YI
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