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Best AMC Radiator?

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Intense Blue AMX View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Intense Blue AMX Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/17/2021 at 7:59am
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bigbad69 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/17/2021 at 8:25am
Originally posted by jcisworthy jcisworthy wrote:

The only time a fan hit my radiator is when a water pump bearing failed
I had the solder joint let go on one of the mounting ears.The rad shifted into the fan. @$%!

That's a lot less likely to happen with a welded aluminum rad - but not impossible.
69 Javelin SST BBO 390 T10
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote farna Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/18/2021 at 6:23am
A better fitting shroud would definitely help. Unless you're getting top notch (rather pricey!) aftermarket fans like Spal or Derale, it's a crap shoot. Most of the cheaper fans have cfm ratings in "clear air" -- nothing in front of them. So it will pull 1200 cfm (or whatever, just pulling a number out of my... hat) for sure, but stick it in front of something that resists air flow (like a radiator!) and it may only pull half that much. I tried a pair of 12" aftermarket fans and they would cool my hopped up 4.0L fine -- until the AC was turned on without outside temps over 90. Could run AC going down the road, but after 10 minutes of low speed (under about 45) driving the temp would start to rise -- only 2-3 minutes sitting in traffic. Once engine temp reached 230 I cut the AC off, and it would take 15 minutes of highway driving to get it back down to 200 (195 stat). It wouldn't drop much if sitting in traffic, but wouldn't get hotter. Switched to a Contour fan and I can now run AC at any time! OEM fans and replacements (a new aftermarket 95-00 Contour V6 replacement dual fan/shroud is under $125!!) work so much better than aftermarket fans. I have both my fans running wide open all the time. I need to step the thermostats to run them at half speed (Contour setup uses a big resistor to drop voltage -- not included with replacement fans) and kick up at say 210. They are a bit loud running high speed all the time -- most noticeable when the engine shuts off and fans are still running until thermo switch cools (2-5 minutes).
Frank Swygert
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 70,71,72 AMXS Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/18/2021 at 6:35am
Originally posted by Trader Trader wrote:

A fan of mechanical design with a shroud will pull the most air if the edge of the shroud is exactly the middle of the blade. It's an inverse square from that point putting the blades in or out. So basically on a 16" fan with blades 3" deep and the blades are flush back or front of the shroud, you have 9x less air flow. Rough calculation as fan blade designs vary.
Electric are consistent as they have a fixed gap, close to the shroud. 401AMBO's is likely close to or slightly better in air flow compared to a well functioning clutch fan with a proper shroud.
A properly running clutch fan will draw less HP and cool better then a flex fan in most cases. There are always exceptions!
  What he said... I fought overheating limousines back when they were still running mechanical fans. I bought adjustable mounts for the fans, to place the blades half in and half out of the shroud. It cured the overheating at idle issues we were having. 
Bruce in NW Ohio
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rebel Machine Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/18/2021 at 6:57pm
I removed the fan shroud and took a look at the fan to radiator clearance. At the bottom it's a touch under 1/2 inch which isn't a lot but that bump must have really rattled the radiator for it to get into the fan.

From what I can tell one of the fan blades got into the lower tank weld and bent the leading edge out causing that blade to continue to scrape away at the tank weld. Moments later that same blade hit the tank just right to bend it out even further, enough to get into the core. The noises it made agree with this. You can see the gashes in the welds.

I've got an new fan and one of the American Eagle 2-row HD radiators on order (Jeg's says it'll ship on the 27th but I'd bet that's not certain). I'll probably gusset the radiator mounts to make it more rigid so this won't happen again.

-Steve-



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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Hurst390 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/18/2021 at 7:14pm
Coming in late it looks like the radiator brand you have has done its job. The problem is the fan too close and stuff moving around. I would at the minimum shorten your fan spacer and change back to an AMC fan. I'll give you one if you need one. The fan shroud edge should be the middle of the fan blade centerline looking down. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RandyB Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/18/2021 at 8:30pm
I just bought  Cold Case RAD-AMC100AK from Summit for my 68 Jav 343, it comes with 2 electric fans which I am going to run off my sniper EFI.
Randy B
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 73hornut Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/18/2021 at 9:10pm
I am now 4 years running used junkyard contour fans, on a 3 core aluminum radiator, in a mild 401/auto with a/c gremlin. Doesn't miss a beat.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote farna Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/19/2021 at 7:19am
If not electric fans, try one of the Flex-A-Lite nylon fans. Wouldn't damage the radiator as much if it hit and edge, definitely wouldn't bend a blade! Rated for up to 8,000 rpm.



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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Heavy 488 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/19/2021 at 7:45am
Heres the plastic fan.
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