Be Cool/Spal
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
From: Salem, NH , USA
Be Cool/Spal
Just recieved the Be Cool radiator package I ordered including dual Spal 11 inch fans,overflow tank,wiring harnesses etc.
I was hoping any of you guys who have installed this system might share suggestions regarding installation before I get started next week.In particular I am interested in where you put the expansion tank and what you used for hoses for same. Any problems with installation?
I am installing in my 69 BB,removing the stock shroud and fan and using Cool Flex radiator and heater hoses. I am planning to run one fan full time with the other operated from a temp sender.
thanks for any help
I was hoping any of you guys who have installed this system might share suggestions regarding installation before I get started next week.In particular I am interested in where you put the expansion tank and what you used for hoses for same. Any problems with installation?
I am installing in my 69 BB,removing the stock shroud and fan and using Cool Flex radiator and heater hoses. I am planning to run one fan full time with the other operated from a temp sender.
thanks for any help
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 10,042
Likes: 673
From: FL
Re: Be Cool/Spal (ratpack)
OK. Here is my experience. With the stock setup, every time I got over 65 mph, the temp would hit 220 plus. Added the BeCool radiator last year with a 180 thermostat and I have never broken 200.
This year, I added the Spal fans. My primary reason for that was to get rid of the stock shroud for clearance. Now pulling the radiator and fan is a 15 min job. I got my fan kit from BeCool including mounting brackets and wiring harness. It is wired with a thermostat on at 195, off at 175. It will turn off in town, on the highway, it won't even turn on usually.
Does it work. YES. This summer I drove cross country in July. CO, KS, MS all over 100 degree days. Cruised at 70 mph plus and never broke 200 on the gage.
Other issues: I run a 180 thermostat. As for the load on the alternator, go to http://www.alternatorparts.com . I got a kit for $24.95 that converted my stock 42 amp alternator to an 85 amp alternator. Took about 45 minutes to do the job.
Expansion tank should go on rear of passenger front wheelwell in the engine compartment. This is the stock location and the filler neck with overflow tube should be on that side as well.
Good luck. These components really work.
This year, I added the Spal fans. My primary reason for that was to get rid of the stock shroud for clearance. Now pulling the radiator and fan is a 15 min job. I got my fan kit from BeCool including mounting brackets and wiring harness. It is wired with a thermostat on at 195, off at 175. It will turn off in town, on the highway, it won't even turn on usually.
Does it work. YES. This summer I drove cross country in July. CO, KS, MS all over 100 degree days. Cruised at 70 mph plus and never broke 200 on the gage.
Other issues: I run a 180 thermostat. As for the load on the alternator, go to http://www.alternatorparts.com . I got a kit for $24.95 that converted my stock 42 amp alternator to an 85 amp alternator. Took about 45 minutes to do the job.
Expansion tank should go on rear of passenger front wheelwell in the engine compartment. This is the stock location and the filler neck with overflow tube should be on that side as well.
Good luck. These components really work.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 29,745
Likes: 3
From: Exiled to Richmond, VA - Finally sold my house in Murfreesboro, TN ?? Corner of "Bumf*&k and 'You've got a purdy mouth'."
CI 6-7-8 Veteran
CI-VIII Burnout Champ
St. Jude Donor '06-'10, '13
Re: Be Cool/Spal (wombvette)
My recomendation would be to stay with the original fan and shroud. Go back and read all the HOT threads this summer.
Electric fans work fine for me with a stock radiator in 110 degree heat, until I run the air.
No fan -- electric or belt driven has worked for me in the 110 heat and while running the A/C -- so I don't blame the electric fans. I blame the Phoenix weather, the poor airflow of a C3 and an old A/C system.
You will be just fine with electric fans -- especially with the Be Cool radiator
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 29,745
Likes: 3
From: Exiled to Richmond, VA - Finally sold my house in Murfreesboro, TN ?? Corner of "Bumf*&k and 'You've got a purdy mouth'."
CI 6-7-8 Veteran
CI-VIII Burnout Champ
St. Jude Donor '06-'10, '13
Re: Be Cool/Spal (SteveG75)
OK. Here is my experience. With the stock setup, every time I got over 65 mph, the temp would hit 220 plus. Added the BeCool radiator last year with a 180 thermostat and I have never broken 200.
This year, I added the Spal fans. My primary reason for that was to get rid of the stock shroud for clearance. Now pulling the radiator and fan is a 15 min job. I got my fan kit from BeCool including mounting brackets and wiring harness. It is wired with a thermostat on at 195, off at 175. It will turn off in town, on the highway, it won't even turn on usually.
Does it work. YES. This summer I drove cross country in July. CO, KS, MS all over 100 degree days. Cruised at 70 mph plus and never broke 200 on the gage.
Other issues: I run a 180 thermostat. As for the load on the alternator, go to http://www.alternatorparts.com . I got a kit for $24.95 that converted my stock 42 amp alternator to an 85 amp alternator. Took about 45 minutes to do the job.
Expansion tank should go on rear of passenger front wheelwell in the engine compartment. This is the stock location and the filler neck with overflow tube should be on that side as well.
Good luck. These components really work.
This year, I added the Spal fans. My primary reason for that was to get rid of the stock shroud for clearance. Now pulling the radiator and fan is a 15 min job. I got my fan kit from BeCool including mounting brackets and wiring harness. It is wired with a thermostat on at 195, off at 175. It will turn off in town, on the highway, it won't even turn on usually.
Does it work. YES. This summer I drove cross country in July. CO, KS, MS all over 100 degree days. Cruised at 70 mph plus and never broke 200 on the gage.
Other issues: I run a 180 thermostat. As for the load on the alternator, go to http://www.alternatorparts.com . I got a kit for $24.95 that converted my stock 42 amp alternator to an 85 amp alternator. Took about 45 minutes to do the job.
Expansion tank should go on rear of passenger front wheelwell in the engine compartment. This is the stock location and the filler neck with overflow tube should be on that side as well.
Good luck. These components really work.
Don't blame you for the cut and paste, I wouldn't retype all of that either.
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 135
Likes: 0
From: Cave Creek, Az, US
Re: Be Cool/Spal (ratpack)
Just like BSeery I live in the Phoenix area where the temps really soar. With the stock setup I could never run the AC for any length of time before it would heat to 220+. After installing the BeCool radiator, I found that I could run highway speeds with AC and never break 205. It would heat up though at stops or idling so I put in the dual 11" Spals. Now with the AC on 110+ degree days I can run 75 mph for extended periods and the temp will run consistantly around 210. When I get back to stop and go traffic it will cool down to 205. If I run without the AC at 110+ outside temp the car will never get over 200.
The BeCool / Spal setup is not cheap but well worth the money. As far as the installation of the fans were concerned, I lacked faith in my electrical expertise so I took it to my mechanic.
Good luck! :cheers:
The BeCool / Spal setup is not cheap but well worth the money. As far as the installation of the fans were concerned, I lacked faith in my electrical expertise so I took it to my mechanic.
Good luck! :cheers:
Race Director
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 11,360
Likes: 382
From: Plano TX
Re: Be Cool/Spal (BSeery)
BSeery: I had the same experiance as you driving a AC 454 '71 in Dallas. However, after installing the spal fans I've had no problems at all. I drive mine daily through traffic (12 miles takes 30 minutes). The fans will come on at 205F. Even in 100+ dgr weather, the fans will lower the temp when they come on. That is with the AC on full blast.
With my previous fans (flex a lite dual 12") it would gradually heat up to 235F where I got worried and cut the AC for a few minutes.
With my previous fans (flex a lite dual 12") it would gradually heat up to 235F where I got worried and cut the AC for a few minutes.
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Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
From: Salem, NH , USA
Re: Be Cool/Spal (ratpack)
My motor as a 427/390 never ran over 190.Last week, finished conversion with edelbrock Performer RPM aluminum heads,RPM 454-0 manifold, aluminum high flow waterpump, timing chain,Performer RPM cam, Crane roller rockers, Holley 800 cfm DP, MSD tach drive distributor,coil and ignition box, March overdrive serpentine conversion.The addition of the March system,high flow water pump,resealing the stock shroud and radiator and the addition of a flexilite flex fan was in anticipation of a heating problem. Moter now runs at 215+.My understanding from Edelbrock that with the 10.25-1 CR of the 390 the heads should have raised the CR closer to 11. The motor runs very strong but hotter than I would like ( I believe the optimum range to be 180-200). Although I have been advised by Be Cool to the contrary,the angle of the radiator and Spals seems as if it will not blow heat out of the engine compartment and am considering leaving the mech drive flex fan for this purpose. Hood, by the way, is an L88 I have opened up for ventillation purposes....Any thoughts??
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 6,273
Likes: 14
From: Austin TX
Re: Be Cool/Spal (ratpack)
the spals and flexalites I have seen blow down at about a 45 degree angle so they will blow radiator air (200degree+/-) below the engine bay but not put any air across the headers or manifolds. Not sure what the net effect will be.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 11,520
Likes: 13
From: CORVETTE 77 385 C.I. TEXAS
Re: Be Cool/Spal (zwede)
...The fans will come on at 205F. ... That is with the AC on full blast.
ratpack
215 is not too hot, however does not leave a lot of headroom.
Removing the A-Frame splash shields is something some of you might want to consider.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,286
Likes: 8
From: San Jose California
Re: Be Cool/Spal (ratpack)
Ratpack,
I am running a 12:1, aluminum head motor (factory spec L88). See my post on "Praise for Spal Fans". With a 160 degree thermostat (soon to be changed to 180) I run 160 degrees at highway speeds with the BeCool radiator. In traffic it runs at about 195-200 on an 85 deegree day. A long light will push over 200; but if it hits 205, my 16" Spal pusher fan kicks in and the temp quickly drops to 180.
Just a thought, but you may have a water pump designed to run in the opposite direction of ratation. I wouldn't expect the changes you made to make the car run 20 degrees hotter. I built up my small block Vette from 350 to close to 500 horsepower with no change in water temp in traffic or highway use. Full throttle was a different matter. Heavy use would be somewhat hotter water temp.
Chuck
I am running a 12:1, aluminum head motor (factory spec L88). See my post on "Praise for Spal Fans". With a 160 degree thermostat (soon to be changed to 180) I run 160 degrees at highway speeds with the BeCool radiator. In traffic it runs at about 195-200 on an 85 deegree day. A long light will push over 200; but if it hits 205, my 16" Spal pusher fan kicks in and the temp quickly drops to 180.
Just a thought, but you may have a water pump designed to run in the opposite direction of ratation. I wouldn't expect the changes you made to make the car run 20 degrees hotter. I built up my small block Vette from 350 to close to 500 horsepower with no change in water temp in traffic or highway use. Full throttle was a different matter. Heavy use would be somewhat hotter water temp.
Chuck
Heel & Toe
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 23
Likes: 0
From: Christmas FL
Re: Be Cool/Spal (Chuck Harmon)
I've always had trouble with my car cooling properly either at speed on the highway, or in hot weather with the a/c on. I'm in the process of switching to an aluminum Griffin rad, along with some other engine mods. Haven't decided on what fan setup to go with yet.
I am also attacking the cooling issue from another angle. If you look in front of the radiator on C3, there is a lot stuff the air has flow around to get to the radiator. I moved the horn to a location behind the left front turn signal. I relocated the pneumatic pressure switches for the headlights over to a bracket behind each headlight and re-routed the air lines out from in front of the radiator. I also removed the front license plate braket. I don't have the car back on the road yet, but the area in front of the raditor is very clean now. I expect it will make a significant difference in the amount of air that hits the radiator at highway speeds, and I expect this to make the radiator more efficient and lower the water temps. I'll post some before and after pictures when I'm done and let you know how it performs.
I am also attacking the cooling issue from another angle. If you look in front of the radiator on C3, there is a lot stuff the air has flow around to get to the radiator. I moved the horn to a location behind the left front turn signal. I relocated the pneumatic pressure switches for the headlights over to a bracket behind each headlight and re-routed the air lines out from in front of the radiator. I also removed the front license plate braket. I don't have the car back on the road yet, but the area in front of the raditor is very clean now. I expect it will make a significant difference in the amount of air that hits the radiator at highway speeds, and I expect this to make the radiator more efficient and lower the water temps. I'll post some before and after pictures when I'm done and let you know how it performs.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 11,360
Likes: 382
From: Plano TX
Re: Be Cool/Spal (Ganey)
Ganey: I should have been more clear. I have indeed wired one fan to come on with the AC. In hot weather, the temp will slowly climb with one fan on. Once it hits 205F, the second fan kicks in, and the temp drops back to 180F where the second fan shuts off. This is something the flex a lites could never do. The engine just kept slowly creeping up. The spals actually manage to cool it, even in 100+F.
