North American Turbocoupe Organization



84 Radiator mounts & custom cooling
RC Martin Offline
Posting Freak
#1
I had shifted my OE radiator slightly to the driver's side when I installed my FMIC pipes a couple years ago. I just swapped to a new aluminum rad, Spectra CU138, and notice that its optimal position is even farther off of center. The radiator mounts still hold it fairly firm in place (rubber contact points in all 4 corners) but not right at the end tanks like the OE mounts are intended to.

For now I still plan to keep the OE electric fan which attaches to the OE rad mounts. I would love an affordable upgrade to something more custom with better cooling and control. I notice it runs rougher above 200F and the OE fan switch is set at about 220F +/-5... regulating to the 180-200F range seems like it would be much better. I have no idea why they designed it to run so hot on the early TCs. The OE fan lowers the temp easily, it just comes on too late and I don't want to have to leave the A/C on all the time to force the fan to run.

I have many options... trying a new/custom temperature switch (like the Summit SUM-890018) in place of the OE temp switch, adding an external regulator for the fan, adding a new fan setup, etc. But I don't want to spend a lot of money on it.

Any suggestions for custom radiator mounts or for a simple custom cooling solution?


Attached Files Image(s)
           
Thunderbird Turbo Coupe, Bright Canyon Red TuTone, Desert Tan Interior; 1 of 7 in this combo in 1984 according to Marti.  1 of 13,361 TCs in 84.
   Rebuilt, 3-Angle Valve Job, SYB37 "OE/Small" Slider Cam
   Full 3" Stinger Exhaust to Flowmaster 40, Gnari FMIC/Recirc/BPV, MBC @ 18psi, RF-E6 Manifold, Remote-Mount TFI, PC1 and Flowed 35# Injectors, Inline Walboro 255HP, Kirban AFPR
   Rebuilt Suspension -- KYB & Energy Suspension
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Jeff K Offline
Administrator
#2
Just get an adjustable temperature fan controller, either mechanical (cheaper) or electronic (more $$) with a sensor that sticks in the radiator and parallel that with the existing fan wiring. If the aftermarket controller doesnt come with a 40 Amp relay, add one to the circuit. I have a mechanical aftermarket controller paralleled stock fan control with the on the main fan in the 88 TC set to turn on at 198 deg and off around 190.

I also have a Gen 2 Taurus 2 speed electric fan and shroud with aftermarket electronic controller on the 86 Tbird 5.0 that replaces the stock engine driven fan. I can select either low or high speed via a dash switch. I swear that fan, which moves a HUGE amount of air even on low speed, will keep the V8 cool in death valley in mid August temperatures.

Both Tbirds have Summit branded aluminum radiators with a high fin count and dual 1" cores. Not even remotely close to overheating ever.
Jeff Korn

88 Turbo Coupe: Intake and exhaust mods, T3 turbo at 24 psi, forced air IC, water injection, BPV, Ranger cam, subframes, etc., etc.
86 Tbird 5.0 (original owner): intake, exhaust, valvetrain mods, 100 HP N2O, ignition, gears, suspension, etc., etc.
11 Crown Vic Interceptor
14 Toyota Camry (wifes car)
95 Taurus GL Vulcan winter beater
67 Honda 450 Super Sport - completely customized
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RC Martin Offline
Posting Freak
#3
Good call, I should just get a standalone controller w/ probe and wire it parallel. I kinda like the stock look of the OE fan anyway.

I put a few miles on and I can't tell if it's running cooler because the weather recently dropped to the 50s, however, highway cruising at 60mph it was running cool at about 175F. Flogging it around town it got up to maybe 190F. For the coolant mix I just went with 50/50 green and added a pint of performance water wetter stuff from O'Reillys.
Thunderbird Turbo Coupe, Bright Canyon Red TuTone, Desert Tan Interior; 1 of 7 in this combo in 1984 according to Marti.  1 of 13,361 TCs in 84.
   Rebuilt, 3-Angle Valve Job, SYB37 "OE/Small" Slider Cam
   Full 3" Stinger Exhaust to Flowmaster 40, Gnari FMIC/Recirc/BPV, MBC @ 18psi, RF-E6 Manifold, Remote-Mount TFI, PC1 and Flowed 35# Injectors, Inline Walboro 255HP, Kirban AFPR
   Rebuilt Suspension -- KYB & Energy Suspension
Reply

RC Martin Offline
Posting Freak
#4
The Derale Delux controller looks just right, comes with a "40/60A" relay but says it only supports up to 25A load ...?

I could do the threaded sensor version and replace the stock fan temperature switch in the intake manifold, or just do the radiator probe. Decisions decisions. I already replaced the stock temp switch in the block (for dash/dummy light) with the sender for my water temp gauge... I could also do a thread-in probe at the unused transmission cooler fittings in the new radiator, but it's on the outlet side of the rad rather than the inlet where they suggest to put the probe.
Thunderbird Turbo Coupe, Bright Canyon Red TuTone, Desert Tan Interior; 1 of 7 in this combo in 1984 according to Marti.  1 of 13,361 TCs in 84.
   Rebuilt, 3-Angle Valve Job, SYB37 "OE/Small" Slider Cam
   Full 3" Stinger Exhaust to Flowmaster 40, Gnari FMIC/Recirc/BPV, MBC @ 18psi, RF-E6 Manifold, Remote-Mount TFI, PC1 and Flowed 35# Injectors, Inline Walboro 255HP, Kirban AFPR
   Rebuilt Suspension -- KYB & Energy Suspension
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