Cooling a Chevota

[Downey]

Read alot of threads, answered alot of questions, but never initiated a thread, so heres hoping I'm doing this correctly?

There are five factors involved in getting a Chevota to run cool enough:
(a) Minor Importance; you can not be using a late model "smog device" thermostat, they generally will not let the engine run coller than 220 degrees. Get a 160 or 180 degree thermostat.
(b) Minor Importance; you must use a radiator with enough GPH (gallons per hour) rating to cool a V8. These are generally a 4 core copper or 2 core aluminum
(c) Minor Importance; you must have a good radiator position. On FJ40 Landcruisers the stock radiator position is generally too high (not centered directly in front of fan) and too far forward (requiring a fan shroud, that most people use improperly).
(d) Major Importance; if your radiator is more than about 1" in front of the fan, you will probably need a fan shroud. It has been proven that engines do run cooler when there is a fan shroud, BUT it has also been proven that the engine runs the coolest when Zero Percent of the fan blade is inside the fan shroud. Your fan shroud should end at the front edge of the fan blade.
(e) Major Importance; flex fans don't work at all!!!! Problem with electric fans is that by the time you get one that has enough CFM, it is probably too big to fit inside your engine compartment. Chevota owners typically use less than 2500 CFM fans when they should have used 3500 CFM minimum. What works the best is the mother of all AIR CONDITIONING FAN BLADES. These are rigid steel, 7 or 8 bladed, 2" thick, chain saw massacre Surburban fan blades.

 

[kcustom73]

Good "to the point" post. Good info to know while I'm getting ready to do my swap

 

[fj40_73]

I do have to say, with the aluminum radiator I bought from Downey, I have no trouble keeping my v8 cool. I use an electric fan from summit. They only time the fan comes on, is when I sit in traffic on a warmish day. My engine also sits a good distance from the firewall.

 

['74 UA FJ]

(e) Problem with electric fans is that by the time you get one that has enough CFM, it is probably too big to fit inside your engine compartment. Chevota owners typically use less than 2500 CFM fans when they should have used 3500 CFM minimum. What works the best is the mother of all AIR CONDITIONING FAN BLADES. These are rigid steel, 7 or 8 bladed, 2" thick, chain saw massacre Surburban fan blades.

Not exactly true. Ford Taurus electric fans work superbly. Many, many people have used these fans in their 40s.

 

[nspctr1]

Not exactly true. Ford Taurus electric fans work superbly. Many, many people have used these fans in their 40s.

And, they are somewhat of a direct bolt on. check some of camcruiser's posts for more info. I'll be doing one this summer on mine...

 

[HawkDriver]

Mine's a huge radiator that barely fits in there. It's got one electric fan on inside with no shroud and one clutchless fan on the pulley. It keeps it in the 180 range with ease. I have noticed that if I fill it up it'll purge til it's at about 6" below the fill cap. So I just leave it at that level and have no problems with it.

Good info, thanks.

 

[lunyou]

okay here is a question then........

I have a 4.3L Chevy V6 instead of a V8 in my truck. It should be easier to cool right?

lunyou

 

[Downey]

okay here is a question then........

I have a 4.3L Chevy V6 instead of a V8 in my truck. It should be easier to cool right?

lunyou

You'd think, considering you have two less heat generators. Actually the 4.3 is easier to cool because it sits further away from the sheet metal (firewall). Pickup/4 Runner guys have used their stock 3.0 V6 rad. to cool their new 4.3 V6 with no problems at all.

 

[Alz Toy]

Thanks Jim

It looks like I got everything covered except the radiator part. With an aluminum 2 row radiator, at what point size wise, does it start to make a difference? Example- right now a 24' wide would fit perfect, due to Scout p/s box/ battery position. Is this considered enough, or would I need to go wider, as a GENERAL RULE. Thanks for the info, Al

 

[Downey]

It looks like I got everything covered except the radiator part. With an aluminum 2 row radiator, at what point size wise, does it start to make a difference? Example- right now a 24' wide would fit perfect, due to Scout p/s box/ battery position. Is this considered enough, or would I need to go wider, as a GENERAL RULE. Thanks for the info, Al

The alum rads we make fit into the factory frame/housing. Ours is a cross-flow, not as tall as the stock copper rad, but is rated to cool a 600 h.p. IROC motor.

 

[iaintscared1969]

Great info Jim and keep it coming. Not often you post up, but when you do you you are on the money. BTW the 6.0 adapter setup is really sweet!

 

[Brian in Oregon]

(b) Minor Importance; you must use a radiator with enough GPH (gallons per hour) rating to cool a V8. These are generally a 4 core copper or 2 core aluminum.

(e) Major Importance; flex fans don't work at all!!!!

Is a 2-core aluminum the equivalent of a 4-core copper/brass radiator? I'm wondering because I have an aluminum radiator I haven't installed yet that's identical to the factory radiator.

I have an 18" large blade flex fan on my 350, with the stock radiator. The fan is set out with a 2" spacer. The bottom blade is 1" from the core, and the top blade is 2" from the core. (This is because the engine is not perpendicular to the radiator.) I'm not having any cooling problems. I did go from a 16" to an 18" fan, but the 16" never boiled over. The 18" keeps it cooler in heavy traffic on hot days. The 18" fan is definitely noisier.

Mine's a huge radiator that barely fits in there. It's got one electric fan on inside with no shroud and one clutchless fan on the pulley. It keeps it in the 180 range with ease. I have noticed that if I fill it up it'll purge til it's at about 6" below the fill cap. So I just leave it at that level and have no problems with it.

Good info, thanks.

I've noticed mine purges too. I bugs me that I can't see the level due to the angled inlet. I finally got fed up with it piddling when I topped it off, so I installed a recovery bottle a couple of weeks ago. If nothing else, at least it keeps the anti-freeze away from pets.

 

[FJFOOL]

Jim, Thanks for the info. My fan(clutch fan) actually sits 2" inside the shroud, guess I better get a thinner shroud. It does run a little warm, around 200* wheeling in the summer.

 

[Azrocks]

Read alot of threads, answered alot of questions, but never initiated a thread, so heres hoping I'm doing this correctly?

There are five factors involved in getting a Chevota to run cool enough:
(a) Minor Importance; you can not be using a late model "smog device" thermostat, they generally will not let the engine run coller than 220 degrees. Get a 160 or 180 degree thermostat.
(b) Minor Importance; you must use a radiator with enough GPH (gallons per hour) rating to cool a V8. These are generally a 4 core copper or 2 core aluminum
(c) Minor Importance; you must have a good radiator position. On FJ40 Landcruisers the stock radiator position is generally too high (not centered directly in front of fan) and too far forward (requiring a fan shroud, that most people use improperly).
(d) Major Importance; if your radiator is more than about 1" in front of the fan, you will probably need a fan shroud. It has been proven that engines do run cooler when there is a fan shroud, BUT it has also been proven that the engine runs the coolest when Zero Percent of the fan blade is inside the fan shroud. Your fan shroud should end at the front edge of the fan blade.
(e) Major Importance; flex fans don't work at all!!!! Problem with electric fans is that by the time you get one that has enough CFM, it is probably too big to fit inside your engine compartment. Chevota owners typically use less than 2500 CFM fans when they should have used 3500 CFM minimum. What works the best is the mother of all AIR CONDITIONING FAN BLADES. These are rigid steel, 7 or 8 bladed, 2" thick, chain saw massacre Surburban fan blades.

What year Suburban fan blades have the large 8 blade?

 

[camcruiser13]

so i guess you sell the perfect radiator? how much ? specs ? etc.

interested