Small block chev coooling

[surf10]

What size radiators are you guys and gals using to cool your small block chevs.

i have a 327 in an ln65 surf, i would like to keep the radiator in the front if i can.

closest found that looks like it will fit in the gap with abit of grinding is one from a v8 vn commy

anyy other opitions??

[callum007]

I run a vl v8 holden one with falcoooon fan.

[Sadam_Husain]

my 40 series cruiser is running a 4 core fj40 radiator, I think there usually only 3 core but mines a 4 core with a steel 19" viscous fan and a shroud, the viscous hub has always been a bit tired and dosent have a lot of resistance but I guess it still spins enough? The truck usually runs between 180-200F so long as theres no mud in the radiator, it only takes a little bit of mud blocking the core to make a big difference and start the temp skyrocketing I usually carry a fair bit of water on board to keep pouring over the header tank to keep bringing the temp back down if I've been caught in a bog or something The viscous moves a lot of air but its a catch 22 and it moves and throws a lot of mud usually all through the radiator when your in a deep bog





My 70 series cruiser is also running the standard 4 core radiator (fj70), its got a brand new viscous hub on it thats pretty tight and whines like fawk when you give the engine a squirt its got a 19" plastic fan without a shroud and it sits back 230mm from the radiator, havent had it offroad and probably wont for a fair while yet but on road and on the highway and hills etc it runs much the same around 180-200F, the trucks still a work in progress and unfinished and will get a shroud sometime in the near future but it seems to keep cool enough without one so far? The 70 series has got a 180F thermostat, dunno whats in the other truck?






Not really much room for fans with a sbc in a hilux the waterpump pully must be just about touching the radiator? I've never had to play around with radiators much what I've got seems to work but the two things I've found is they need to stay real clean and mud free and bigger agressive fans that move a lot of air make a lot of difference to keeping the temps down

[zukmeista]

Wouldn't have thought the fan would do anything that far from the radiator?

[Crash bandicoot]

Hilux engine bays have always been a pain in the proverbial when doing engine conversions.

Had this issue with the nissan RB30 block.

we found the substitute for less air flow was a massive reserve of coolant.

we cut down a mack truck intercooler and put new tanks on it... the new cooler come radiator alone held 20 litres of coolant let alone the pipes and the engine block.

just had one 10 inch electric fan and never got above 1/4 on the temp gauge.

IT cost me 100 bucks for the whole truck intercooler and 150 for new tanks to be made and a few brown's on a friday afternoon to get the job done but well worth it.

[petefj40]

I suggest going as big as possible.

I used to have cooling issues with the LS1 in my old FJ40 till I had the biggest alloy tripple core installed. A good fan shroud is a must. Don't get the fan too close to the radiator either. That can cause air cavitation.




Good luck!

[muddyhilux]

Hilux engine bays have always been a pain in the proverbial when doing engine conversions.

Had this issue with the nissan RB30 block.

we found the substitute for less air flow was a massive reserve of coolant.

we cut down a mack truck intercooler and put new tanks on it... the new cooler come radiator alone held 20 litres of coolant let alone the pipes and the engine block.

just had one 10 inch electric fan and never got above 1/4 on the temp gauge.

IT cost me 100 bucks for the whole truck intercooler and 150 for new tanks to be made and a few brown's on a friday afternoon to get the job done but well worth it.

agree with the above,my 350 always got warm with standard set up which was v6 surf 4 core rad,i then added davies craig elec fan which helped a bit but the best thing i did was add an extra tank of water between rad and motor and that cured it

[petefj40]

The last thing I did to get even extra cooling to the motor was installing a sandwich block between the engine and oil filter, run oil lines up the front and mount a small radiator to cool the engine oil.
A bit extreme. But it was an extreme FJ40.

Sandwich block behind oil filter bash plate.


Oil radiator mount position.


Bash plate for hose fittings.


Unbolted easy for cleaning.

[surf10]

Thanks for the replys guys. I had a feeling this area of the conversion was going to be an issue. didnt think about cooling the oil as well great idea

i like the idea of the cut down mack inter cooler. ill post up some pics of how i got on.

Thanks for the help

[muddyhilux]

good call Pete.this time round in mods ive added extra capacity sump and may still add oil cooler.guessing you don't have oil temp sensor surf10 but if you did you'd prob be surprised how fast oil temps climb

[NJV6]

Just put one in off whatever radiator you can find lying round, shit, even a heater radiator would do for the amount this thing is going to get driven....

[callum007]

how come you all need massive cooling! Most i managed to get to today was 70c and was running at 6k all day!

[Crash bandicoot]

how come you all need massive cooling! Most i managed to get to today was 70c and was running at 6k all day!

6K in a mud hole all day...how many spare engines you got huh?

[petefj40]

how come you all need massive cooling! Most i managed to get to today was 70c and was running at 6k all day!

It's a lot colder down in Dunedin.
Most people that run small block V8's experience cooling issues. That's just how it's been for a great percentage of us. Big motor shoe horned into a small hole not designed for it.

[surf10]

Just put one in off whatever radiator you can find lying round, shit, even a heater radiator would do for the amount this thing is going to get driven....

Thanks for the help glen.....