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  •  » What are you all doing to Keep engine cool 66 fastback 289

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    5/22/2013 5:52 PM  #1

    Fastbackbhoy
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    From: St. Catharines Ontario Canada
    Registered: 4/01/2013
    Posts: 156

    What are you all doing to Keep engine cool 66 fastback 289

    my 66 fastback 289/auto  mild cam alum heads/intake 650 carb
    Standard Rad with a Aftermarket aluminium 6 blade fan,
    i'ts getting way too close between the half and 3/4 when im running on hot days,Don't know as yet what thermostat i have in there but just looking for any sugestions,  on what you guys are running,looking into different options 3-4 core with electric fan, rad shroud etc

    what rad fan shrouds work.?
    Timing/mixture set and are good.



    jimmy O 

    Last edited by Fastbackbhoy (5/23/2013 1:08 AM)

     

    5/22/2013 6:12 PM  #2

    Rudi
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    From: Stuck in the 50's Welland Ca
    Registered: 4/01/2013
    Posts: 3,934

    Re: What are you all doing to Keep engine cool 66 fastback 289

    Fastbackbhoy wrote:

    my 66 fastback 289/auto  mild cam alum heads/intake 650 carb
    Standard Rad with a Aftermarket aluminium 6 blade fan,
    its getting way too close between the half and 3/4 when im running on hot days,Dont know as yet whaat thermostat i have in there but just looking for answers what you guys are running,looking into different options 3-4 core with electric fan etc

    jimmy O 

    Do have a fan shroud?

    Good work ain't cheap, Cheap work ain't good!   Simple Man
     

    5/22/2013 7:22 PM  #3

    terry
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    From: vandalia, illinois
    Registered: 4/01/2013
    Posts: 1,868

    Re: What are you all doing to Keep engine cool 66 fastback 289

    2 words-- Aluminum Radiator---  2 row to be exact  more rows doesnt mean more cooling

    there are lots of them on the market!  Ebay has several, mine came from Virginia Mustang but several guys on the forum have purchased them from other places.
     

    Last edited by terry (5/22/2013 7:25 PM)

     

    5/22/2013 7:28 PM  #4

    GPatrick
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    Registered: 4/01/2013
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    Re: What are you all doing to Keep engine cool 66 fastback 289

    Aftermarket fans are made for normal and opposite rotation so make sure your fan matches your drive system.  Running them "backwards" usually makes a racket but not always.  Shroud is excellent suggestion along with your t-stat.  And, when in doubt verify that your sending unit is correct and functioning.  Might require removal for testing but if you are creative you can pull it, run a ground to the threads/casing and place it in a hot cup of water that you know the temperature of.  See if your gauge correlates to the known temp.   It probably does read correctly but you could spend a lot of time and effort on other parts you don't need if it is reading wrong.  And then there is the whole mixture and timing thing.  If your root cause of high temps is bad timing or mixture the solution is not a bigger rad.

     

    5/22/2013 7:54 PM  #5

    DC
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    From: Marshall, MI
    Registered: 4/01/2013
    Posts: 1,246

    Re: What are you all doing to Keep engine cool 66 fastback 289

    If memory serves correct, my rad is a corss flow 29 inches wide with two 1-1/2 rows of tubes. Yes I cut a substantial amount of the rad support away. I also have a bolt in top piece on the support and a front sub-assembly that includes the grill and headlight surrounds  which I can remove with a few bolts and a plug in connector. This allow me to remove engine and replace it with the long tube headers and all attached. I don't even remove the hood. Oh yea, it runs right at the thermostat setting which is 195 degrees. At idle in 98 degree weather with the air on, it gets all the way to 198. The engine is a 331 at 10.3 to one compression. The carb is a Holley double pumper 600 CFM. I think my set-up is over kill and only works well because the car is tuned well. I run about 14 degrees initial timing and let the mechanical advance of the MSD dizzy get me to 36 at something over 2000 rpm. I have run plug cuts to get the mixture dialed in to make it smooth. The fan is a electric out of a 95 Mustang GT which is a two speed unit. I got a controller off of the internet that was supposed to monitor temp with a RTD in the radiator fins, but I put an RTD in the intake manifold and adjusted fan speeds to that. I got the RTD from Omega.com. I did put in a override switch, but have never used it. This is a pic when I was fitting the rad. I did not use the NPD headlight buckets, I went and got a one piece fiberglass front piece.

     

    5/22/2013 9:15 PM  #6

    6sally6
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    From: Surfside Beach,SC
    Registered: 4/02/2013
    Posts: 6,737

    Re: What are you all doing to Keep engine cool 66 fastback 289

    DC......I'd love to see that "thang" in person @ the MSBB in Nashville!
    6sally6

    Get busy Liv'in or get busy Die'n....Host of the 2020 Bash at the Beach/The only Bash that got cancelled  )8
     

    5/22/2013 9:27 PM  #7

    terry
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    From: vandalia, illinois
    Registered: 4/01/2013
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    Re: What are you all doing to Keep engine cool 66 fastback 289

    I guess I should clarify myself, the question was "what are you all doing to keep engine cool on hot days" Question asked and answered!  The aluminum radiator I installed is not a bigger rad, but rather a more efficient one. With my former 289 I went thru every possible cause including installing a shroud, changing timing, adjusting mixture, springs in the upper and lower hoses you name it I tried it. My final move was to install a more efficient 2 row aluminum radiator and that cured my overheating problems

     

    5/22/2013 10:43 PM  #8

    Tubo
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    From: Ft. Walton Beach, Florida
    Registered: 4/01/2013
    Posts: 1,841

    Re: What are you all doing to Keep engine cool 66 fastback 289

    Yes aluminum rad.
    AFCO or Northern 19x26 is a very good size, generic Ford/MOPAR.
    It is a cross flow rad, so you will need a 1970 style drivers side outlet WP.

    Tubo

    If it ain't broke, I haven't modified it Yet
     

    5/23/2013 1:35 AM  #9

    jeremy
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    Registered: 4/14/2013
    Posts: 137

    Re: What are you all doing to Keep engine cool 66 fastback 289

    I run wider 67 radiator. . Stock fan no shroud.   2 row aluminum eBay radiator with dual giant I one inch rows..105 degree cali weather in traffic 180 tstat never goes above 190

     

    5/23/2013 9:51 AM  #10

    Pablo
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    From: Georgetown, Texas
    Registered: 4/12/2013
    Posts: 248

    Re: What are you all doing to Keep engine cool 66 fastback 289

    It sounds like you have the stock temp. gauge, with no numbers, just hash marks.  Before spending a lot of time and money, verify that you have an overheating problem, and not a gauge or sender problem.
    Take the radiator cap off, start the motor, while the motor is idling, go swipe the cooking thermometer from the kitchen.  Stick the thermometer into the radiator fill hole.  When the temp suddenly starts upwards, that is when the thermostat has opened - check your temp gauge.  As the motor idles, see if the cooking thermometer continues to go up, and corelate that with the dash gauge.  If you want to see the higher temps, put a piece of cardboard in front of the radiator, covering about 2/3ds of the radiator.
    Watch the cooking thermometer rise, and check the dash gauge.  If you are old and forgetful like me, take notes.  Don't run it over about 210 degrees F for this test.
    Cheap and easy.
    Good Luck

     

    5/23/2013 11:33 AM  #11

    Rudi
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    From: Stuck in the 50's Welland Ca
    Registered: 4/01/2013
    Posts: 3,934

    Re: What are you all doing to Keep engine cool 66 fastback 289

    Jimmy, I have a recored three tube brass rad that I took out of my 68 you may be interested in. It kept my 331 with A/C  cool in all coditions even stop and go with the air on in sweltering weather.
    I only changed with an aluminum rad mostly for bling.
     The rad was recored a few years ago and has original tanks and in VG+ condition, might fit in your 66.
     LMK and I can bring it to the cruise Friday if you want to take a look see.

    Good work ain't cheap, Cheap work ain't good!   Simple Man
     

    5/23/2013 4:54 PM  #12

    6sally6
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    From: Surfside Beach,SC
    Registered: 4/02/2013
    Posts: 6,737

    Re: What are you all doing to Keep engine cool 66 fastback 289

    Ya know JimmyO......considering where you live...you may have more of a guage problem than rad!?  When I went to the Shelby apron...my heat problems went away. It exposes the bottom half of the rad in addition to what 's open now.
    Check that guage and thermo. before dropping some big $$
    6sal6

    Get busy Liv'in or get busy Die'n....Host of the 2020 Bash at the Beach/The only Bash that got cancelled  )8
     

    5/23/2013 5:58 PM  #13

    Tmac
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    From: Canton, TX
    Registered: 4/01/2013
    Posts: 171

    Re: What are you all doing to Keep engine cool 66 fastback 289

    2 row aluminum rad cross flow. With aluminum shroud and electric fan. 

    1966 Mustang Fastback K-Code,289,T-5, 9-inch rear with 3.50 gears.
     

    5/25/2013 12:40 PM  #14

    BobE
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    From: White Plains, NY
    Registered: 4/04/2013
    Posts: 2,558

    Re: What are you all doing to Keep engine cool 66 fastback 289

    My setup ... works well for me.
    Aluminum Radiator: Summit SUM-380461; Northern # 5030P
    “Flow Kool” Water Pump
    Electric Fan: Spal 16” 2-speed fan
    180° Thermostat

    351W, no A/C, Edelbrook heads, etc, etc
     

    65 Fastback, 351W, 5-speed, 4 wheel discs, 9" rear,  R&C Front End.
     

    5/25/2013 12:41 PM  #15

    BobE
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    From: White Plains, NY
    Registered: 4/04/2013
    Posts: 2,558

    Re: What are you all doing to Keep engine cool 66 fastback 289

    My setup ... works well for me.
    Aluminum Radiator: Summit SUM-380461; Northern # 5030P
    “Flow Kool” Water Pump
    Electric Fan: Spal 16” 2-speed fan
    180° Thermostat

    351W, no A/C, Edelbrook heads, etc, etc
     

    65 Fastback, 351W, 5-speed, 4 wheel discs, 9" rear,  R&C Front End.
     

     

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