Cruising the Car D' Lane last Friday, idiot temp light came on . Lots of stop/go action (very slow). Don't have gauges installed yet (digital ones coming soon). No 'boil-over', let her cool down, rolled again, hot again , pulled out of cruise, went to Red Lobster instead and drank beer

Need to check the usual stuff- timing, stat, fluid, sensor.

Anyone have experience or knowledge of installing an electric fan? I'm sure the constant idling kept the fixed fan speeds low.

Looking for 'cool' performance .

Thanks in advance,
Dave in Spokane

pics of cruise at www.madmax.smugmug.com
(also pics of my Dad's 64' Le Sabre, 23,000 original miles)

 

an electric fan would certainly help. anyone can install one. they come various styles, some with shrouds, most without. they usually attatch through the radiator with plastic straps. very easy.they connect using simple hotwire and ground either to a switch, thermostat type switch, or to a keyed power supply (fusebox) try summit racing for fans and switching options. you dont need to spend hndreds of dollars. just buy the fan that fits your radiator 's surface the closest.

 

An electric fann can make things worse, too.

Basics, basics, basics. Pull the thermostat, power-flush the radiator (don't forget the heater core too!) and put in a new 'stat. You have the correct shroud? How is your fan clutch?

C.J.

 

Electric fans are a poor substitute for proper cooling system maintenance.

Without an accurate gauge, you do not even know if you have a problem.

Norm

 

Amen. Why spend a dime until you know what the real problem is? A properly maintained cooling system shouldn't boil over and shouldn't require a crutch like an electric fan. A properly functioning clutch fan is better at moving air anyway.

 

And I was the one who said "Basics, basics, basics..."

Good call, Norm. Keep me on the straight and narrow!

C.J.

 

an electric fan can never hurt, only help. however, the above posters are absolutely correct. it will not compensate for a coolong system problem.i would add a waterpump to the things to check.if it has a clutch fan,pay particulat attention to it. they are often the cause of unidentifiable overheating..bottom line, an electric fan will give you more consistant cooling over all rpm ranges. but the car was designed to operate with a stationary fan. it should not overheat even in prolonged stop and go traffic.never trust idiot lites. put in a gauge, even if you pick up a $15 cheap mechanical one at your local store. at least that way you'll know exactly how hot you are getting.

 

An 85 Olds 307 temp light should be the "You just blew a head gasket light."

 

Not true. Too low cfm...too small an area...no shroud...lots of reasons why an electric fan is not a "never hurt" proposition.

C.J.

 

true. but i was assuming he would install the correct fan for the application.anything,including a clutch fan, can cause problems if it doesnt fit the application.electric fans come as either a pusher or puller, effectively negating the "too small of an area problem.

 

I'm not doing to hijack this thread any more. PM'ed ya.

C.J.

 

I'm at a loss to understand why people always want to replace the water pump for an overheating problem. Assuming the pump is the correct one for the application, then it should not require replacement unless there's coolant leaking out of it. Besides bearings and seals (which will be painfully obvious if they've failed), what are the other ways that a water pump can fail and cause overheating? Has anyone here ever seen the shaft snap or the impeller come loose? I suppose those failures are possible, but likely?

Now, if the pump is NOT the correct one for the application, that's a different problem, but in my experience replacing a non-leaking pump NEVER fixes an overheating problem.

 

Especially when you have to mess up that stupid rubber hose from the pump to the water neck (that never seats perfect), and possibly the timing chain cover if you miss a bolt.
I hate that damned little hose haha.

1 point for Chevy design team.

 

yes ,it is rare. generally they leak from the whole(thats why its there). they can also become plugged with corrosion and restrict flow. impellars do sometimes come loose, especially on the cheap rebuilds they sell now. but you are correct. it is pretty rare for the water pump to do any of these things.but if ihad a overheating problem that i could not find, i would want to know every possible reason, no matter how unlikely.

 

Ok, thanks everyone. Lots of good discussion (friendly too). Its been steady high 90's-100's here lately, I have not driven the car (for 'lake' reasons) much since. I plan to stay 'old school' basics and verify the timing, check the stat (and replace if needed) and check the fan clutch. A very knowledgeable mentor of mine (my dad), did suggest the addition of an 'auxillary electric fan' in the front (pusher). His knowledge and experience is very deep (check out www.lemaymuseum.org).

I think this is a good place to 'close' this thread. You all have been most helpful. I will close with a debrief of what I find and what solutions worked.

Thanks