Okay, after buying this '73 Riv GS last year--it has been almost a perfect runner/performer.
the last owner put too much money into it ($1500 all stain-less steel dual exhaust system--that looks like a work of art, and sounds even better, a new 134a A/C system, a new vinyl roof, an Alpine stereo-- that was the first thing thrown in a dumpster---a 'new' interior of '89 T-Bird Sport Coupe suede/leather buckets and a small Grants steering wheel.)
So last Autumn, the water pump started to drip. This was a good opportunity to put in a new TA water pump, 12-SI 94-amp Delco alternator,new gates hoses and belts, and the largest flex fans with the thickest metal on the 'flexed' edges, a 180 degree thermostat, ACCEL 71105e billet distributor, OLD-original Jacob's Ultra Coil (with the variable magnetic core, which continuously adjusts spark intensity according to demand). new 16.5 psi cap (you would never thing that these go bad, but the original was leaking). It was running great, even with the MAX A/c on, and never boiled over.
While driving in some heat in the summer, I was in stop and go traffic, and the radiator cracked. It was the original 4-core one.
Instead of getting that one fixed--which i should have done, since it was in excellent shape, with NOT one bent fin, I ordered some Proliance 4 core with the exact same dimensions. I also changed the thermostat up 195.(190 is stock according to my Buick manuals) to get the engine at operating temp as quickly as possible.
Well,this summer, I went to a GM car show--not intending to open the hood--because it is far from detailed, and even the car has poor paint job; but the car has NO rust, no dents, and looks good form 20 feet away.
Wouldn't you know it, after going 80-90 on the highway,and getting off in a 30 minute idle crawl to the state fairgrounds, it started over boiling over--which is one of the most humiliating thing to have happen. People swarmed over to the car,exclaiming, "Your radiator hose is bursting!!!, this part is not painted the right shade, this part is not plated correctly, etc--a bunch of gratuitous unsolicited advice, making this show a humiliating experience.
This is far from a show car,and it was never my intent to turn it into one--just a reliable car, where performed amazingly well on several trips in the long trips in the winter/Spring
So, after "burping" the system,to get all air out by opening the heater core, I filled up the radiator. I was using about 1 50/50 mix or distilled water/coolant. water has a much higher specific heat than ethylene glycol--so many sources said i could get by on 30/70 in the summer (30% distilled water).
After all that, and flushing the engine of new coolant at each time (when i got the car-all fluids were new), it doesn't boil over, but it does seem to run hotter.
Okay here is the "sticky" part: I use that heavy duty flex fan 18" x 6 instead of the 20" x 5 stock thermo-torque fan clutch. Using all the largest spacer, the fan is still about 3.5" away from the radiator. And I know it also has to be as close as possible to the fan shroud). It still pulls in a a lot of air at low rpm, so much so that the air sucked in is very noticeable if I put my hand up to the A/C condenser.
I certainly could go back to the 20"x 5 stock fan with a the clutch. yes, flex-fans do rob the engine of more power than the thermo or torque-disengaged fan clutches--but they have worked for me on my old cars that mainly do cruising duty.
here's my question: Should I get rid of the mechanical fan, and use a Zirgo 3000cfm electric radiator puller fan by itself, or with the flex fan--either where it's at, or spaced 1/2" more away from the radiator?.
or: use two 10"electric fans in front of the A/C condenser???--like my Lexus does ( it was a mechanical one, as puller, and two smaller ones that just go when the A/c is under extreme conditions
Also I think the 180 thermostat seemed to perform better--the engine still warmed up quickly, and was at a temp that the fan clutch also engages.
if I used just the largest electric fan I got, could save maybe 10-15 HP??
Another factor is the A/C, while i was driving to the state fair auto show, speeding and having the A/C on, I noticed the A/C compressor smoking, which could have been a drag on the engine. Obviously that has to be replaced. It must have been a a low-quality rebuilt one to have worn out in less than a year.
Any comments on my questions in bold?
the last owner put too much money into it ($1500 all stain-less steel dual exhaust system--that looks like a work of art, and sounds even better, a new 134a A/C system, a new vinyl roof, an Alpine stereo-- that was the first thing thrown in a dumpster---a 'new' interior of '89 T-Bird Sport Coupe suede/leather buckets and a small Grants steering wheel.)
So last Autumn, the water pump started to drip. This was a good opportunity to put in a new TA water pump, 12-SI 94-amp Delco alternator,new gates hoses and belts, and the largest flex fans with the thickest metal on the 'flexed' edges, a 180 degree thermostat, ACCEL 71105e billet distributor, OLD-original Jacob's Ultra Coil (with the variable magnetic core, which continuously adjusts spark intensity according to demand). new 16.5 psi cap (you would never thing that these go bad, but the original was leaking). It was running great, even with the MAX A/c on, and never boiled over.
While driving in some heat in the summer, I was in stop and go traffic, and the radiator cracked. It was the original 4-core one.
Instead of getting that one fixed--which i should have done, since it was in excellent shape, with NOT one bent fin, I ordered some Proliance 4 core with the exact same dimensions. I also changed the thermostat up 195.(190 is stock according to my Buick manuals) to get the engine at operating temp as quickly as possible.
Well,this summer, I went to a GM car show--not intending to open the hood--because it is far from detailed, and even the car has poor paint job; but the car has NO rust, no dents, and looks good form 20 feet away.
Wouldn't you know it, after going 80-90 on the highway,and getting off in a 30 minute idle crawl to the state fairgrounds, it started over boiling over--which is one of the most humiliating thing to have happen. People swarmed over to the car,exclaiming, "Your radiator hose is bursting!!!, this part is not painted the right shade, this part is not plated correctly, etc--a bunch of gratuitous unsolicited advice, making this show a humiliating experience.
This is far from a show car,and it was never my intent to turn it into one--just a reliable car, where performed amazingly well on several trips in the long trips in the winter/Spring
So, after "burping" the system,to get all air out by opening the heater core, I filled up the radiator. I was using about 1 50/50 mix or distilled water/coolant. water has a much higher specific heat than ethylene glycol--so many sources said i could get by on 30/70 in the summer (30% distilled water).
After all that, and flushing the engine of new coolant at each time (when i got the car-all fluids were new), it doesn't boil over, but it does seem to run hotter.
Okay here is the "sticky" part: I use that heavy duty flex fan 18" x 6 instead of the 20" x 5 stock thermo-torque fan clutch. Using all the largest spacer, the fan is still about 3.5" away from the radiator. And I know it also has to be as close as possible to the fan shroud). It still pulls in a a lot of air at low rpm, so much so that the air sucked in is very noticeable if I put my hand up to the A/C condenser.
I certainly could go back to the 20"x 5 stock fan with a the clutch. yes, flex-fans do rob the engine of more power than the thermo or torque-disengaged fan clutches--but they have worked for me on my old cars that mainly do cruising duty.
here's my question: Should I get rid of the mechanical fan, and use a Zirgo 3000cfm electric radiator puller fan by itself, or with the flex fan--either where it's at, or spaced 1/2" more away from the radiator?.
or: use two 10"electric fans in front of the A/C condenser???--like my Lexus does ( it was a mechanical one, as puller, and two smaller ones that just go when the A/c is under extreme conditions
Also I think the 180 thermostat seemed to perform better--the engine still warmed up quickly, and was at a temp that the fan clutch also engages.
if I used just the largest electric fan I got, could save maybe 10-15 HP??
Another factor is the A/C, while i was driving to the state fair auto show, speeding and having the A/C on, I noticed the A/C compressor smoking, which could have been a drag on the engine. Obviously that has to be replaced. It must have been a a low-quality rebuilt one to have worn out in less than a year.
Any comments on my questions in bold?