Trying to Stay Cool - FIXED!!!!

[Cudajason]

Good luck. Rooting for proper success this time.
Suggest adding a debris filter on top hose to protect the new shiny bit.

Yes sir, I have one in place!

Seems like a lot of air bubbles and foaming. May be removed the thermostat and fill the block slowly first to get air out. Some people also drill a small hole at the thermostat to help venting when cold. Good luck.

Oh no that is not foaming that is what the coolant looks like at 240 degrees boiling through the inline filter.  The engine is not running in that pic.

I am currently running a restrictor plate, not a t-stat, so no issue filling the block.

Use something like this for the drain plug if it has one. Source it locally at any marine supply.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/rra-18-6136

I ordered one with the rad, its sitting on the bench ready to go!

[dodj]

Use the belt driven fan....

[Brads70]

Use the belt driven fan....

You might run into issues with alternator not outputting enough to keep up with the draw?
I did.

[Cudajason]

Use the belt driven fan....

You might run into issues with alternator not outputting enough to keep up with the draw?
I did.

I thought about it, but I have tried the factory fan, both the 5 blade and the large 7 blade, tried new fan clutch etc. and it's not working, so I think it's time to try something new.

If I have to upgrade the alternator I will.

[dodj]

Use the belt driven fan....

You might run into issues with alternator not outputting enough to keep up with the draw?
I did.

I thought about it, but I have tried the factory fan, both the 5 blade and the large 7 blade, tried new fan clutch etc. and it's not working, so I think it's time to try something new.

If I have to upgrade the alternator I will.

OK, but change one thing at a time.  Fans or rad first, then the other. Then you can evaluate each part's effectiveness.
I'll bet those electric fans that came with the rad are... well.... crap. My money says the 5 blade fan out performs them all.

[Cudajason]

I got the install done over the weekend and took the car out for a spin today.

Its a pretty hot  out today and I had the car idling away in the drive way for 20 mins or so.

I just wanted ti make sure there were no leaks and the rad was toped up.

I also put a 180 t-stat in while I had it apart. She took a while to get up to 180 and you could see the t-stat open. Then the fans kicked on.  She never really got above 180 sitting in the driveway.

Took here out on the road and thats when I noted the volt gauge was reading 8volts. So yeah she dont run very well at 8 volts.

But made it around the block and she never got above 185....so it feels like a win.

So as predicted above, next up is an alternator.

I already have the amp bypass done, so as I understand it, adding a higher amp alternator should not cause any issues with the wiring.

How do I test he amp draw to make sure I get the right alternator??

[dodj]

A clip on DC ammeter.

[YellowThumper]

Congratulations on that "win".....
Been a long time coming. Are your fans direct wired (with fuse) to battery power?

[Cudajason]

Congratulations on that "win".....
Been a long time coming. Are your fans direct wired (with fuse) to battery power?

yeah, we will see if it stays a win, I am optimistic about it.

nope, I have them wired up to a relay and a temp sensor.

[YellowThumper]

Congratulations on that "win".....
Been a long time coming. Are your fans direct wired (with fuse) to battery power?

yeah, we will see if it stays a win, I am optimistic about it.

nope, I have them wired up to a relay and a temp sensor.

Basically the relay is what I meant. Just not wired within the existing harness.

[Cudajason]

Ok I tested the draw on the battery tonight with a clamp on DC meter.

First, I checked the cranking amps, 258.9.

With the car running I checked the amp draw on the negative bat cable. with the headlights, radio and heater on, the draw was 7.9.

I grounded the electric fans and the draw jumped up to close to 30 and settled in at 18.1.

that seems pretty low to me and should not cause a problem.

However, sure enough the volt gauge was reading 8 volts and the car started to sputter and then would not restart.

I charged the battery up and started it up again.  I checked the volt on the bater and the alternator and the was all around 14 volts.

So, I am not sure what my next step is to be honest.

Something is not right with the charging system once the fans come on, it drops to 8 volts and it stays there.

So I am open to comments suggestions.

[dodj]

There is a high resistance connection somewhere.
First you need to understand exactly where the voltage gauge is connected to help determine where the voltage drop is. Or where the possibilities are.
Perhaps the bh connector is rearing it's head?

[Dmod1974]

How quick did it drop to 8v?  Even if the alternator outright failed, a healthy battery should keep the car running for quite some time before the voltage got that low - especially on an older car with limited electrical draw.  If that fan is only pulling 10A continuous it should have taken a half hour or more before it got down that low.  Sounds like a main connection is loose or the battery has a couple of cells shorting out intermittently.

[YellowThumper]

If you have not already done so, try running a heavy guage shunt wire direct from alternator to the starter solinoid.
Where are you pulling the fan power from?

[Cudajason]

There is a high resistance connection somewhere.
First you need to understand exactly where the voltage gauge is connected to help determine where the voltage drop is. Or where the possibilities are.
Perhaps the bh connector is rearing it's head?

The volt gauge is connected to the ACC plug ont he Fuse block  I pull a numebr of thingk off of thta circuit. as it is the easietes to access.

If you have not already done so, try running a heavy guage shunt wire direct from alternator to the starter solinoid.
Where are you pulling the fan power from?

I have done the MAD Electrical bypass long ago.  The main wire runs to the starter solenoid.  I have a lead the runs from the starter solenoid to a distribution block that I pull power from.  I want to take a look at it and make sure I have that correct, but I have by-passed the amp meter.

The main power to the Fan Relay is pulled form that Distibution block.  The ignition / ACC Power for the relay is pulled from the ACC terminal on the fuse block.

How quick did it drop to 8v?  Even if the alternator outright failed, a healthy battery should keep the car running for quite some time before the voltage got that low - especially on an older car with limited electrical draw.  If that fan is only pulling 10A continuous it should have taken a half hour or more before it got down that low.  Sounds like a main connection is loose or the battery has a couple of cells shorting out intermittently.

I am not 100% sure, but it seems to be as soon as the fans kick on.

Although the batter is new, there is not guarantee that it is good.

Jason