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My overheating journey never ends

gr8scott

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Jul 1, 2011
Messages
1,823
Do you think having the trans cooler drops your temp a lot? I want one, just not sure where it can fit.

Oh yeah, it definitely drops the trans temps a lot. I used to monitor out (hot) and in (cool) temps. Only monitor hot
side now. During normal driving it hovers around 150° and on long, fast highway driving it equalizes with the engine at 180°.
I know reading off the line isn't the best method and plan on moving the sensor to the pan someday.

If you get one get a stacked plate one, so much more effective than the tube style. You could run something like this
in a remote location.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/der-13950/
 

gr8scott

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Jul 1, 2011
Messages
1,823
RD custom sized 3 core didn't cool my stroker at all... fin count was too tight, rad was too thick, eppxy coated welds minimized cooling surface area...RD is not the king of radiators. Ran it 3 years and gave up.

Bolted in a Granada radiator, same brackets, same fan, same spacing, same tstat...everything same.

Cheap Granada radiator cools fine...

Hey nvrstuk, what year Granada? What mods did you have to do to make it fit? Would love to see some pics.
 
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mduenas

Sr. Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2015
Messages
511
Loc.
Los Angeles
Oh yeah, it definitely drops the trans temps a lot. I used to monitor out (hot) and in (cool) temps. Only monitor hot
side now. During normal driving it hovers around 150° and on long, fast highway driving it equalizes with the engine at 180°.
I know reading off the line isn't the best method and plan on moving the sensor to the pan someday.

If you get one get a stacked plate one, so much more effective than the tube style. You could run something like this
in a remote location.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/der-13950/

Could I place this on the top of my fender? Or would hot air hit it make it worse? Or possibly on the under carriage next to the tranny? Right now I have my
Tranny lines running next to my headers into the radiator. I’m sure it gets extremely hot.
 

blubuckaroo

Grease Monkey
Joined
Jun 11, 2007
Messages
11,795
Loc.
Ridgefield WA
Do you think haveing the trans cooler drops your temp a lot? I want one, just not sure where it can fit.

I just started thinking how a thinner radiator may allow more airflow.

Is your tranny getting hot?
Adding a cooler to the radiator heat exchanger can be a good idea if you crawl or pull a trailer. It extends the life of your tranny fluid.
It's just not going to do much to remedy your engine heat issue.
 
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mduenas

Sr. Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2015
Messages
511
Loc.
Los Angeles
Is your tranny getting hot?
Adding a cooler to the radiator heat exchanger can be a good idea if you crawl or pull a trailer. It extends the life of your tranny fluid.
It's just not going to do much to remedy your engine heat issue.

I don’t know, I do not have a temp gauge on it. Just trying to eliminate my heat zones, before the explorer swap. Can a tranny even cause a radiator to not cool the motor?

After a lot of reading I do know the explorer swap is right. But I can not keep thinking that my radiator and ac condensor are too thick when together.

I absolutely know I need a mechanical fan, as at higher speeds, I know over heat with the electrical. At lower speeds I stay very cool with the electrical, as when I had mechanical I overheated.

Without a doubt I can feel a drastic airflow difference with the electrical fan at idle, then I could with the mechanical.

So maybe my happy medium is a less dense radiator this assumption:

My fan sits very close to the radiator, with the smallest spacers I could get to have my fan fit (both fans. The flex fan and fixed fan I have, both 17 inches). This has me thinking that I am too deep inside my shroud, not allowing the fan to create proper suction. Thus going with a slightly skinner and less dense radiator, such as a Chanpion 3 row, I can gain some clearance between the fan and core, giving me a proper fan in shroud depth. Increasing airflow. Is my thought process completely wrong?

I ordered a hiflow water pump, figured it could only help. But more water flow won’t make a difference if I am not able to cool it.

From every teat I have done, it seems airflow is my issue.
 

sykanr0ng

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 11, 2014
Messages
5,363
I don’t know, I do not have a temp gauge on it. Just trying to eliminate my heat zones, before the explorer swap. Can a tranny even cause a radiator to not cool the motor?

A transmission cooler inside the radiator dumps the heat into the coolant.

A transmission cooler in front of the radiator blocks some air flow and adds heat to the air that does flow through it to then pass through the radiator.

While either of those do not completely stop engine cooling by the radiator they make it harder.
 

blubuckaroo

Grease Monkey
Joined
Jun 11, 2007
Messages
11,795
Loc.
Ridgefield WA
Certainly the tranny heat exchanger in the radiator marginally adds to the heat load. But I still don't think this is the issue here. How much hot liquid is going to flow through a 3/8" tube?
Thousands of vehicles are running around with radiators successfully cooling with these tranny heat exchangers in them.
 

airman

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 26, 2003
Messages
1,838
I have been doing all of the same things you have for the last year. I think i have mine beat and I think you are close. What i didn't know was how to properly burp the air from the system. Broncobowsher posted the filler neck for the high upper hose and that's what fixed me. Here is a link to a bad video i made burping. I removed air bubbles for over 30 minutes and then never had the cooling issue again. I ended up with a mechanical fan and a 195 stat, just dialing in the depth now.

YouTube video
 
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mduenas

Sr. Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2015
Messages
511
Loc.
Los Angeles
Im reviving an old thread, I am finally biting the bullet and feel I have to give the explorer swap a go. I would like to do the volvo / taurus fas as I read it has the heights CFM, and I like the idea of being overboard at this point,

I have a few questions, I have searched high and low and read the technical guide a million times, I am feeling confident on my ability to do this myself.

My questions are:

I have a vintage air a/c system, and a saginaw power steering pump. I have found a bracket to mount the saginaw power steering pump and no a/c or a bracket that is sold out to mount the sanden a/c compressor

I have not found a bracket to mount both, is this possible? I would love to not have to buy a new compressor or power steering pump as mine are new.

Also, is I can keep my vintage air compressor, is it possible to change the pulley from a v belt to serpentine? Same question for my saginaw power steering pump.

Do I have to change my harmonic balancer? I have a 302, can I just get the adapter pulley from wild horses and bolt it up?

I have a 3g alternator, can I change the pulley to a serpentine, or am I better off getting a 4g alternator?

I am purchasing everything off of sanndmann3 and do not want to get what I don't need, or won't work.

I am hoping to pick everything else up I need so I can do the swap in a day.

I have a ron davis radiator, so I understand I need the crossover hose for the water pump

I am going to purchase the flowkooler pump from wild horses, get a gasket set as well, and the 90 degree filler neck.

What top hose do I need?

If I can keep my compressor and power steering pump, do I need to change the hoses for that, or can I just use what I have?

Thank you and sorry for the million questions, I feel I am almost over my head, but I would love to tackle this and not spend hundreds for a shop to do it.
 
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mduenas

Sr. Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2015
Messages
511
Loc.
Los Angeles
I put in a filler neck in my high spot, close the radiator, but now I am taking, where yours is, closer to the fitech is a better location. I did burp it for 40 min and no air, but what is to hurt in adding a 3rd filler neck? haha

I have been doing all of the same things you have for the last year. I think i have mine beat and I think you are close. What i didn't know was how to properly burp the air from the system. Broncobowsher posted the filler neck for the high upper hose and that's what fixed me. Here is a link to a bad video i made burping. I removed air bubbles for over 30 minutes and then never had the cooling issue again. I ended up with a mechanical fan and a 195 stat, just dialing in the depth now.

YouTube video
 

sykanr0ng

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 11, 2014
Messages
5,363
If you are going to do an Explorer swap or the Explorer front dress why not use the Explorer mechanical fan?
 

73azbronco

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 11, 2007
Messages
7,796
Much much easier as well, use the metal blade with clutch for that blade will give you extrene cooling package.
 

DirtDonk

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 3, 2003
Messages
47,345
Do I have to change my harmonic balancer? I have a 302, can I just get the adapter pulley from wild horses and bolt it up?

Yes. As long as it's an original Bronco engine and damper, the pulley should be in perfect alignment with all the Explorer stuff.

I have a 3g alternator, can I change the pulley to a serpentine, or am I better off getting a 4g alternator?

You don't have a choice here. You need to sell, or repurpose your "old" 3G and use an Explorer alternator.
The only alternator that fits the Explorer serp setup is a same vintage Explorer 4G.

I am purchasing everything off of sanndmann3 and do not want to get what I don't need, or won't work.
I am hoping to pick everything else up I need so I can do the swap in a day.

If it was me (assuming he actually does split stuff up) I would still get the driver's side main bracket. This way if you find out you can't easily use both the Saginaw pump and the A/C compressor, you can start with the Explorer pump and compressor without having to search high and low for just a driver's bracket.
If you don't want the Explorer pump and compressor initially, sandmann will probably sell just the brackets. I would doubt he sells just one half of a system though.
Not much market for him sitting on an unused driver's side with nobody to sell it to.

What top hose do I need?

Been done so many times I should remember the number by now. My own is a combination of two hoses, or at least a hose split in the middle with a tube adapter in the middle to allow for the change of angles. Hopefully 904Bronco here will see your question and say what he does. Or any of the others that have done it.

If I can keep my compressor and power steering pump, do I need to change the hoses for that, or can I just use what I have?

Interested to hear from others on this as well. The fittings don't change, but the lengths and angles may very well be different.

Good luck!

Paul
 
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mduenas

Sr. Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2015
Messages
511
Loc.
Los Angeles
I was going to do the electric fan because I thought it pulled more air. I will try to the mechanical since everyone seems all about it, and see what happens!

I played with a few things today, such as dropped my timing from 10degrees to 9, and it heated up faster, so wi will set back at 10, I did that before but I have a different radiator and water pump combo. My truck runs nice and cool with the hood open and a/c on, close the hood, problems start. so to me thats def an airflow issue.

side note:
can I use this lower radiator hose, as opposed to the mandrel bent ones, the vendors sell? it seem much cheaper, but seems to be around the same dimensions.
https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/NBG9323

Also, how do you feel about DB alternators, they seem much cheaper and have a warranty, motorcraft is a lot of money.

https://www.amazon.com/DB-Electrical-AFD0045-Alternator-Mountaineer/dp/B007Y87SKG

last and silly question, if the truck is disassembled, how do I get a shop to make the power steering, and compressor hoses I need, do I bring my old, and just tell them the length, and bring the parts they attach to? Can a normal mechanic make the power steering hose and compressor, or is it a specialized shop? Thank you!
 
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