40 ford heating problems

should i cover top and bottom of grill to get more air to motor or just top len

The stock 40 came from the factory with a top, bottom and side panels to help funnel the air into the engine compartment. Do you have them?
 
I just built 4o last year with small block it runs 180 all day. I used louvered after market side panels,upper grill panel and a fan shroud with from walker with electric fan. With AC ,desert cooler radiator from U.S. Radiator. Stock mechanical fans just don,t work for today's traffic.
 
What top panel was factory installed?

I was thinking about the "T" shaped panel that contains the latch.
I guess you couldn't really call it a panel. Sorry!
I have attached photos of the "homemade" panels that I have added to help cooling along with the Walker shroud. These panels are removeable and painted black so they blend in. One is in the top inside of the hood. One is in front of the radiator. I decicded to do this instead of using the one piece aftermarket stainless or chrome panel that fits on top of the stock grille. The OEM stock panels are also shown. One on the bottom of the grille. One on the inside of the inner grille cavity on each side of the grille. Some folks also remove the OEM left and right lower engine splash panels that bolt to the frame and fit on each side of the engine oil pan area because they think they restrict the flow of hot air out of the engine compartment. Their original purpose was to keep water from splashing up into the engine compartment.
 

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Nice setup! How is the fan mounted? Is it on the alternator bracket? What did you use on the crank for the narrow belt to drive the fan?
 
i have a stock 40 runs all day in 90 dig heat never gets mad. temp gauge in middle 50/50 anti freez no sealer. bild them right they run right. mod them & your opening the door for all kinds of proulbems spend the money on hunting & fishing equipt. & if any left over beer
 
Nice setup! How is the fan mounted? Is it on the alternator bracket? What did you use on the crank for the narrow belt to drive the fan?

Joel and Russ/40. Thanks for the fan compliment. It's a wide belt with one outside belt running the alt. and water pumps off the crank pulley and another wide belt running the fan off the crank pulley. Because the OFFY 4 bbl. intake gen. mount is offset to the right(when viewed from front of car) and because the stock 8BA fan pulley assembly mounts too high causing the fan blade to cut into the upper rad. hoses I had to make a fan carrier bracket and pulley that sits lower down and also allows the fan pulley to pivot to the left so it lines up with the alt. pulley and the crank pulley. The alum pulley you see was machined from a 6" dia piece of alum. with inner bearings that ride on a machined shaft that bolts to the home made fan carrier bracket. Spacers locate the fan closer to the rad. Too avoid all this remember that the OFFY 4 barrel intake has a gen. mount that doesn't line up vertically with the crank pulley of the stock fan carrier pulley.
 

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Nice motor, I had problems for years, try increasing the timing and the main jets on the carb. It worked for me. I was out yesterday in 95+ heat, on the road at 60 mph it ran @ 160 degrees, around town @ 180. I have a built 59AB in a '48 with stock radiator.
I was going to spend $600 for a Walker radiator but this is what they told me.........You will find the heat is in the motor not in the radiator.......

It cost me @ $20 to solve my problem.

"Don't chase a problem with money, you'll only go broke"...IRONBUTTJOHN
 
should i cover top and bottom of grill to get more air to motor or just top len

Cover both top, bottom and sides. Your goal is to direct as much air directly thru the radiator for maximum cooling effect. It's kind of like having a shroud in front of the radiator.
 
Nice motor, I had problems for years, try increasing the timing and the main jets on the carb. It worked for me. I was out yesterday in 95+ heat, on the road at 60 mph it ran @ 160 degrees, around town @ 180. I have a built 59AB in a '48 with stock radiator.
I was going to spend $600 for a Walker radiator but this is what they told me.........You will find the heat is in the motor not in the radiator.......

It cost me @ $20 to solve my problem.

"Don't chase a problem with money, you'll only go broke"...IRONBUTTJOHN

Thanks, But I gotta ask..................What did you spend your $20 on?
 
Stock mechanical fans just don said:
They don't??? - maybe I should toss the mechanical fan in my 48 with a 302. I've only had in in there about 20 years and it usually runs at 175-185.
 
Thanks. I am using # 51. Tried #49 - too lean. Will have to give #50 a try. Here is some great info. that I found extremely helpful in rebuilding my Holly 390. The Mortec site is great. So is www.holley.com
 

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