Frustrated Again WIth Heat problem.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 9,206
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From: Sewell NJ
No one has suggested this so far but its something I learned in the 70's with a Toyota (yeah, yeah, I know 
). If your antifreeze/water mix is too high (too much anti freeze) the cooling capability of the coolant will actually drop. Most car manufacturers recommend a 50/50 mix for optimum protection vs. cooling capability. When I had the Toyota I put in a mix of about 70 percent antifreeze to 30 percent water and the car overheated. I reduced the amount of antifreeze to 30 percent and all was well. I've found that if you use 60 or 70 percent water you actually get better cooling than a 50/50 mix. It might be a cheap fix and worth a try before swapping out hard parts. Just make sure you don't go above the freezing protection capability for the area you live in. Good luck.
). If your antifreeze/water mix is too high (too much anti freeze) the cooling capability of the coolant will actually drop. Most car manufacturers recommend a 50/50 mix for optimum protection vs. cooling capability. When I had the Toyota I put in a mix of about 70 percent antifreeze to 30 percent water and the car overheated. I reduced the amount of antifreeze to 30 percent and all was well. I've found that if you use 60 or 70 percent water you actually get better cooling than a 50/50 mix. It might be a cheap fix and worth a try before swapping out hard parts. Just make sure you don't go above the freezing protection capability for the area you live in. Good luck.
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From: saratoga springs ny
dwncchs
The fans are running in the right direction.
Verified no physical blocks.
The pump seems to be fine. If you goose the throttle a hair when the radiator cap is off it draws down the level pretty quickly.
Tony96 practically has the same engine as me and is running a beefer pump and sees temps around 190-195. So what I'm wondering is when I have to worry running a new engine, what temps are to cold and what are to high. Definitely 210-220 with pre-ignition is to high.
Kb2- When I spoke of the fans not coming on I have a feeling that there is a certain bandwidth the logic in the SPAL looks for regarding temp. Sense my fans are set to come on high like aroungd 160, when I shut the car off the other evening around 195-200, they didn't come back on when I went to restart, so I had to let the car cool down.
Tom Dewitt-- Does this make any sense to you?
Right now I'm running probably a 30-70 mix coolant vs water.
The fans are running in the right direction.
Verified no physical blocks.
The pump seems to be fine. If you goose the throttle a hair when the radiator cap is off it draws down the level pretty quickly.
Tony96 practically has the same engine as me and is running a beefer pump and sees temps around 190-195. So what I'm wondering is when I have to worry running a new engine, what temps are to cold and what are to high. Definitely 210-220 with pre-ignition is to high.
Kb2- When I spoke of the fans not coming on I have a feeling that there is a certain bandwidth the logic in the SPAL looks for regarding temp. Sense my fans are set to come on high like aroungd 160, when I shut the car off the other evening around 195-200, they didn't come back on when I went to restart, so I had to let the car cool down.
Tom Dewitt-- Does this make any sense to you?
Right now I'm running probably a 30-70 mix coolant vs water.
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Joined: Nov 2003
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From: saratoga springs ny
Here's a question?
Do I still need a fan shroud with electri fans?
MIght my AC Radiator in front of the main be causing a problem with flow.
The only reason why I'm chucking this idea around is the car will overheat going 30-40 mph with the fans off.
Do I still need a fan shroud with electri fans?
MIght my AC Radiator in front of the main be causing a problem with flow.
The only reason why I'm chucking this idea around is the car will overheat going 30-40 mph with the fans off.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
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From: Dayton, Ohio
If its clean and you can feel the air moving through the condensor its not the problem.Did you understand what I meant by the 3/8 dowel that comes with small block pumps?They are always with the pumps but I'm embarrassed to ask why you would want to block that hole-anybody know?Hey old timers why would you use that dowel to block that lower hole-where does that hole go -into the head or just to the top of the cylinder?
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From: saratoga springs ny
Originally Posted by dwncchs
If its clean and you can feel the air moving through the condensor its not the problem.Did you understand what I meant by the 3/8 dowel that comes with small block pumps?They are always with the pumps but I'm embarrassed to ask why you would want to block that hole-anybody know?Hey old timers why would you use that dowel to block that lower hole-where does that hole go -into the head or just to the top of the cylinder?
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
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From: Dayton, Ohio
When you have the pump off there are 4 holes for holdown -2 big ones for coolant flow and 1 other small one that can be pluged with a 3/8 dowel or plug--hopefully someone didnt shove it in the hole-its usually in the box along with 2 gaskets
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From: saratoga springs ny
Issues again with the SPAL controller....
Tried reprogramming them for a higher temp setting.
approx 160 low
approx 190 high
Followed procedure verbatim, after confirming that it was wired properly. The individual who put my engine in did not have the unit grounded
We are a little bothered by how the second High speed fan is hooked up.
Now the fans were working on his settings but again they we're to low in the temperature range.
So start the car and the high speed fans come on right away (both fans)... I'm already thinking it's FUBAR'd .. SO I just figured let the car warm all the way up and see if the settings come in.. SO my fans shut off around 140.... and the low fans came in at approx 180.. The temp rose to over the setting I put in for the high speed fans (190-195), only the high speed fans never turned on.
So I'm waving a white flag over here..
I'm going to return this SPAL unit to Dewitt, I don't know.... maybe get a new one. Or try a different controller for the fans.
Is it bad for these fans to run on high speed all the time?
Tried reprogramming them for a higher temp setting.
approx 160 low
approx 190 high
Followed procedure verbatim, after confirming that it was wired properly. The individual who put my engine in did not have the unit grounded
We are a little bothered by how the second High speed fan is hooked up.
Now the fans were working on his settings but again they we're to low in the temperature range.
So start the car and the high speed fans come on right away (both fans)... I'm already thinking it's FUBAR'd .. SO I just figured let the car warm all the way up and see if the settings come in.. SO my fans shut off around 140.... and the low fans came in at approx 180.. The temp rose to over the setting I put in for the high speed fans (190-195), only the high speed fans never turned on.
So I'm waving a white flag over here..
I'm going to return this SPAL unit to Dewitt, I don't know.... maybe get a new one. Or try a different controller for the fans.
Is it bad for these fans to run on high speed all the time?
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Burning Brakes
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From: Hudson Falls, N.Y. 76 Vette Modified L-48
Originally Posted by Vermel
Kb2- When I spoke of the fans not coming on I have a feeling that there is a certain bandwidth the logic in the SPAL looks for regarding temp. Sense my fans are set to come on high like aroungd 160, when I shut the car off the other evening around 195-200, they didn't come back on when I went to restart, so I had to let the car cool down..
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 7,708
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From: indy indiana
this happened to me,but not in a vette....did you mix anti-freeze with another type of antifreeze that cant co-exist? When i made this mistake,my coolant turned into mud that blocked many small passages.Look and see if the coolant is the right color and clean. only fix to to flush,then flush again and keep flushing. the stuff was a factory product called "Dex-cool" and it didnt help cool my temper when i finaly figured out what was happening.
Last edited by ghoastrider1; Jul 31, 2006 at 08:44 AM.
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From: saratoga springs ny
This SPAL has a mind of it's own. I had it working last night low setting around 170 high around 195. I would get intermittent high fan start. Sometimes well within the high setting the high speed fan would not even come on. ... Then I would shut down and restart... the fans would come on and cool the engine down nice.
Started it up again today just to see if I get the same results as last night.
Low speed fans turned on at 110 stayed on tell about 170.. shut off.. then came back on closer to my high speed setting, temperature climbed above high speed setting went to 210 high speed fans didn't even come on.
I really want nothing to do with this SPAL unit. I will never trust it.
My question is what controller do you recommend I get that will work with The fans I got from Dewitt..
Is there a similar product?
I give up.
... Then I would shut down and restart... the fans would come on and cool the engine down nice. Started it up again today just to see if I get the same results as last night.
Low speed fans turned on at 110 stayed on tell about 170.. shut off.. then came back on closer to my high speed setting, temperature climbed above high speed setting went to 210 high speed fans didn't even come on.
I really want nothing to do with this SPAL unit. I will never trust it.
My question is what controller do you recommend I get that will work with The fans I got from Dewitt..
Is there a similar product?
I give up.
Last edited by Vermel; Jul 31, 2006 at 09:18 PM.
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From: saratoga springs ny
After some deliberation from last nights set back, I'm going to get another PWM SPAL unit from Dewitt and there Relay Harness for the high speed fan. I will drop the car off to local Vette guy and go from there.
There might be an issue with the way the previous one was installed that caused a problem, there could be a fault in the ignition switch who knows.
I just want to drive my car with it's new engine
To top it off with have this wonderful heat wave. You got laugh at that.
There might be an issue with the way the previous one was installed that caused a problem, there could be a fault in the ignition switch who knows.
I just want to drive my car with it's new engine
To top it off with have this wonderful heat wave. You got laugh at that.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
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From: Dayton, Ohio
Originally Posted by Vermel
After some deliberation from last nights set back, I'm going to get another PWM SPAL unit from Dewitt and there Relay Harness for the high speed fan. I will drop the car off to local Vette guy and go from there.
There might be an issue with the way the previous one was installed that caused a problem, there could be a fault in the ignition switch who knows.
I just want to drive my car with it's new engine
To top it off with have this wonderful heat wave. You got laugh at that.
There might be an issue with the way the previous one was installed that caused a problem, there could be a fault in the ignition switch who knows.
I just want to drive my car with it's new engine
To top it off with have this wonderful heat wave. You got laugh at that.