Source for 6 volt electric radiator fan 1940

L78CHEVELLE

L78CHEVELLE

Senior Member
I need to get on the couch for counsel. When I drive my '40 original car on the interstate or in traffic it slowly heats up. It takes about 40 miles at 60 to 65 MPH before the temperature starts to come up. I have tried the new style water pumps, new radiator core, water wet, Lucas products, thermostats, no thermostats, 6 blade fan, but engine still runs hot in the summer. In the winter the car runs on the N for normal. I don't want to take the engine out and boil the block out since the car runs well. The only thing I can think of now is to install a 6 volt electric fan on the front of the original radiator. I hate to do this on an original car with original paint, but what else can be done? Any ideas and has any one had experience with the 6 volt fans? Where is a good source to get one of these fans that works well and looks decent bolted to the original radiator? HELP!! I'm hot, but in a bad way!!!
 
I see the speedway motors catalog has a 6 Volt fan that can either push or pull, but I do not know how good they are.
 
We just recently installed a Vintage Air kit in my 40 Ford. New radiator core and clean water passages in the block. It would run too warm to suit me, I installed one of the air deflectors that mounts flat on the opening in front of the radiator and diverts all the air thru the radiator core. This did improve cooling and I reccomend that you install one of these before you resort to an electric cooling fan. I hope this will help your cooling problem. Tom
 
I did all the things you've done on my '39. Anything that concentrates the air flow through the radiator will help. My problem was at idle in traffic. About ten years ago I added a pusher fan on the front of the radiator connected to a toggle switch under the dash. Works like a charm when the temp creeps up, especially in parades. I got the 6 volt fan from Fifth Ave. Auto Parts and am very happy with it. It really doesn't detract from the orignal construction of the car, but not sure how it might be viewed in a show car.

Dick.
 
At 60 to 65 MPH there is enough air flow across the radiator to cool the engine. We used to disable the fan when taking long highway trips to improve fuel efficiency. I don't remember if it helped, but the engine never ran any hotter at highway speeds without the fan. The only advantage of an electric fan is at low speeds, like during in a slow moving parade or heavy traffic. Just my thoughts. Frank
 
Has it actually overheated or is it running hot by the original gauge? With everything new you put in it it shouldn't be over heating. Timing plays a factor but if it runs fine I doubt that's it.

Does it have all the original air defectors in place around the radiator?
 
i have a 40 also in heavey traffic on hot days temp creps up .i took one of those hand held temp gauges & checked temp .it says 160 make sure it is heating up not a faulty temp gauge.
 
An electric fan won't help you a bit at 60mph. first get one of those hand held temp guns and see what the temp accually is. I have that problem on my 40 one time, I found that the bottom hoses were sucking together at high RPM. I got some of those springs that goes inside the hose to keep them from colapsing. You should be getting plenty of air through the rad at 60mph. Walt
 
All of the suggestions to improve cooling without the addition of an electric fan are excellent. I'd also suggest (after you check the actual temp with a handheld digital inferred gauge) that you flush the block with some vinegar to ensure that all the water passages are free of blockage.
 
I'm going to try the shield for the top of the radiator that forces more air through the radiator at speed. I have made one out of a pizza box and if it works then I will order the metal one to install. I'm going to hold off on the electric fan since the car does heat up very slowly at speed. The electric fan would only improve the situation at low speeds or idle. I'm also going to look for one of the heat guns to check the real temperature of the engine. I had a device to put in the radiator that indicated the water was 180. I'm sure the temperature of the engine water was higher. When I race the engine up the water flows very well in the top tank out of the engine.
 
Fans do nothing on the highway for you, except rob power.
People are always commenting on how my car is idling too fast. This is by design. At slow idle, the fan does not pass much air and the water pumps do not really flow much water. A faster idle will help you out in traffic.
MIKE :)
 
L78CHEVELLE said:
I'm going to try the shield for the top of the radiator that forces more air through the radiator at speed. I have made one out of a pizza box and if it works then I will order the metal one to install. I'm going to hold off on the electric fan since the car does heat up very slowly at speed. The electric fan would only improve the situation at low speeds or idle. I'm also going to look for one of the heat guns to check the real temperature of the engine. I had a device to put in the radiator that indicated the water was 180. I'm sure the temperature of the engine water was higher. When I race the engine up the water flows very well in the top tank out of the engine.
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I've been wondering about that shield for a while now. GM's testing of the temps of the fuel pump and carburator indicates that the ethanol fuel boils at a lower temp than regular gas. If you use that "pizza box or metal shield", wouldn't that cut off the cooler air that would normally go over the top of the radiator reducing the cooling effect to the carb and pump?
 
I took the car out tonight with the pizza box shield installed over the grill top to force more air into the radiator. Car ran just above the N or about 10 to 15 degrees cooler than without the pizza box shield. The thermostats are out of the engine. I'm going to test it again Thursday when the temperature is going to be 80 plus outside. I will also drive it on the interstate for a few miles to see what it does. As far has cool air to the carb and fuel pump I only burn major brands of fuel like Shell or Marathon that do not list any ethanol per centage in their fuel so I see no change because of the air flow.
 
L78, the latest issue of Street Rodder magazine has a great article about cooling. It really covers everything we are talking about and more.
 
Drove the '40 today. I also purchased one of the heat guns. The radiator top tank came in at 176 and the heads at the water outlets read 191. The stock temperature gauge shows high normal with the outside temperature at 79. I'm going to drive the car on a longer trip and see what the results are. I will try to find the article in Street Rodder at my local book store.
 
The metal shield (and the temporary pizza box) that we're discussing actually prevents hot air from the engine compartment being "ram-effected" FORWARD past the top tank of the radiator, and because of the shape of the inner nose of the hood, back DOWN to mix with the in-coming flow of COOL, outside air passing through the radiator. In other words, as your trip progresses and things heat-up, hot engine compartment air mixes with cool, ambient outside air heading through the radiator. After a period of time, the vicious cycle brings the water temp higher and higher. DD
 
V8COOPMAN, I had not thought of the air flow path and affect you have described. It makes sense and is another plus for the upper grill shield.
 
L78...Do you have the two factory air diverters in place between the SIDES of the radiator and the grill/fender junction? They pretty-much serve the same function, as well as "routing" incoming cool air THROUGH the radiator, rather than allowing it around the sides. Gotta think...high pressure/low pressure areas, aerodynamics and resistance to air flow (like THROUGH a radiator core). DD
 
I do have all the factory shielding on the car. My wife and I will drive the car about 160 miles tomorrow. I will take the heat gun with me and drive the car on the back roads and interstate to check the temperatures of the various parts.
 
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