Help with Vintage Air problem (1 Viewer)

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Jun 11, 2008
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Winter Garden
Please any suggestions! I installed a Vintage Air A/C and now my 1974 FJ40 runs hot. Do I need to install an electric fan, is there room? If yes can you point me toward a make and model? I appreciate any input.
 
Welcome.

This could be a number of isses. I would start by verifying the correct performance of your cooling systems parts...waterpump, thermostat, condition of radiator, shroud, blockage of airflow by bumper, winch, etc. B4 you start going to an electric fan. Lots of people running VA AC with no probs. 2F, F, V8, other? What radiator do you have...3 core, 4 core, other? Location?

Give us some background info on your truck. Is this a new problem or existing.....
 
there should be room in front of the radiator to mount a slim pusher fan

but you could also ask LandCruiserPhil how he got his A/C to run with the 350 without getting too hot
 
Thanks Dgangle for the reply.

The problem is new, only since I installed A/C, before it ran cool. I do have a winch on the front and I am sure that doesn't help. I am not sure about the cores, not sure how to tell. It is the original rad. I am going to attempt to attach pictures for reference.
CIMG2835.jpg
CIMG2837.jpg
CIMG2839.jpg
 
Nice truck. I like yellow Cuisers. What do you define as 'hot'? Stock or aftermarket gauge? Do you have a solid fan or clutch fan? When does it get hot, idling, light traffic or highway?

If you have a quality, accurate gauge and you are running in excess ~230F, then some portion of your cooling system was marginal at best prior to the addition of the VA AC. The winch appears to be completely blocking airflow to your radiator.

It may be as simple as buying an $200 4-core radiator. Tell me more. What is your location and what is the ambient temp?

Read this guy's dillema. It's 133F outside and he's worried about his truck running 200F https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/281785-attn-40-owners-c.html
 
Thanks Dgangle and Jim

I live in central Florida, ambient when the problem started was 90 F. My guage is stock but I confirmed the high temp when I opened the hood and it was too hot to touch for more than a second. It got overheated during a 30 minute commute in traffic, but later that evening I drove it around the neighborhood with air temp around 75 and had the same problem in just a few minutes.

The shroud is one I ordered used and installed so I am not surprised it isnt the correct year/style. The fan is fixed metal blade, is there an easy way to tell how many cores are in the radiator? Is the 75 year fan larger in diameter and fan blade size? Thanks again, you have already given me a bunch of things to look at and consider.
 
Air movement is the secret - I run a V-8, AC, trans cooler in AZ with no problems.
I have a brand new late model plastic 2F AC fan you need. PM me if interested. Proper fan and shroud does wonders.
 
Two thirds of your air flow is blocked by that winch. I'd at least remove the winch cover. That four blade fan belongs under a lawn mower. Plastic 7 blade is definitely a worthwhile upgrade. In the end, it's gonna be airflow or an overtaxed, stopped up radiator.
 
Great advice. I'd first install a quality aftermarket gauge so you can quantify the temp. Then remove/lower/modify the winch, do the 7 blade fan and then consider a new 4 core rad. The shroud doesn't look bad to me. This all assumes the WP and TS are good.
 

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