FE Power Forums
FE Power Forums => FE Technical Forum => Topic started by: c9zx on February 12, 2026, 01:23:06 PM
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I'm doing some advance planning regarding cooling. What is everyone using for aggressive street car that works well? Car is 1966 Cyclone, 462, TFS heads, 10.4:1,RPM intake, solid roller cam. Is there anything that work in a near OEM radiator size (the car is too nice to cut on). Two row double pass, 3 row, electric fan(s), custom shroud, etc. All input is appreciated. Chuck (S)
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I’m in the same boat as you right now. 67 Fairlane. I’m going to try a frostbite radiator, cvr water pump, and the Davies Craig water pump/fan controller. Not committed to a fan yet, possibly a Spal.
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I don't know much, but here are a few thoughts...
While I've had a lot of trouble keeping the 483 in my 68 Colony Park cool. The 445 in my 69 Cougar Eliminator runs like a cucumber. I downsized the bypass to 5/16. Used a new ACP 3 core A/C style radiator. 7 blade clutch fan with a shroud. Run a 180 thermostat.
Using a heater control valve to stop the return of hot water back into engine helps. If you aren't running a heater core, never loop the heater ports with hose. The heater in the Cougar has constant flow, yet it runs cool enough not to bother with blocking flow. I've found with the CP 483 blocking off heater core flow will make a 10-15 degree difference at highway speed. Blocking that path of heater core will force the a higher percentage of hot coolant to go through the radiator versus being returned hot into the engine. The same idea applies to the downsizing the bypass hose between the water pump and intake. That 5/8 port continually puts hot water back into the engine. You should have some level of flow recirculation to level out temps. Otherwise, when the thermostat is closed the coolant would be too stagnant allowing hot spots. 5/16 seems like a good balance for cars like ours. Another thing is drilling a 1/8" hole at 12 o'clock in the thermostat. It helps to purge air during initial fill. As long as the bypass isn't blocked, I don't see much other purpose for drilling a hole. I've seen blocked bypass on intakes. It seems you'd need to drill a bigger hole, like 5/16 in the thermostat, or just run a restrictor in place of the thermostat.
Get yourself some women's leggings, like pantyhose. The other reason for this is to make a sock that might catch any debris that could clog up a core tube. In a freshly built engine, I was surprised how much stuff got caught in there. pieces of RTV, rust flakes, etc. The legging sock will go into the upper radiator port, probably 10-12 inches and then roll back over the spout where the upper hose goes on. The hose will go over the layer of fabric and get clamped in place. It's a temporary thing to do because I found even when the clamp is very tight, it still likes to very slowly weep.
When the shroud is custom or factory offering, you want the fan engaged 1/3rd in, 2/3rd out. A fan fully in the shroud will spin the air around and move less through the radiator. A lot of the air moved by the fan comes off radially. The 2/3rd out will allow the air to sling off the fan and pull more through the radiator.
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19X31 aluminum crossflow 2 core radiator (at least 1" core width), two SPAL electric fans, both pullers or one pusher and one puller, depending on fitment issues, 160 degree thermostat with four 1/8" holes around the periphery, and a CVR 55 gpm water pump. Cools my big SOHC in the race car on Drag Week, never see over 180 unless I'm leaking coolant without knowing it.
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I just run a mechanical pump with a small cvf pulley 160 thermostat I also drill more 1/8th holes in it I think I did 2 extra holes + the one hole that came std with mine I use 2 derale fans my radiator is not the best choice but it was what I had at the time it is 29x19 or close to that I am right on the limit of radiator thickness and one day I will change it to a crossflow type and have a much thinner radiator with better cooling. 105 deg c day mine will sit at 190 to 200 @2800 to 3000 rpm on the highway and it will pull temps back to 180 in less then the time it takes for a set of traffic lights to change. My raised highway temps are due to my fan and fan shroud not being deep enough due to space If I could get an inch more depth in my fan shroud I think that would not happen. But it works very well I also have a full opening size A/C condenser in front of my radiator.
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I have a 66 Comet 4 speed, stock radiator 445 which was overheating. I put these Spal fans in with the senders 185 and the other 190 degrees and in the 3 months that I've ran them never overheated. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01E7RMQJE?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_7 I searched around and got the same ones on a different site cheaper.