redoldsman

After several years and too many $$, I think I have finally solved the cooling issues with my 54 Olds. This all started when I installed the AC about 3 years ago. I had the radiator recored to a 3 core which really did nothing for the car. Then I ran a 19 inch 6 blade fan. It helped a little. Then I switched to an electric fan with a shroud. I also added a pusher fan in front. It helped but you still couldn't run the air in the Texas heat when you needed it. I bought one cross flow radiator and had to have the inlet modified because it was right in front of my AC compressor. It looked so goofy I decided not to use it. I studied aluminum radiators and nobody makes one for a 54 Olds or I would have bought it to begin with. What I wound up with was an aluminum radiator for a 68 Dodge Coronet. It had the flanges on the side and was the correct width. It was a little shorter but the outlet was on the drivers side like it had to be and the inlet was a little off center to the drivers side where the Olds was in the center of the tank. Since the outlet was 1 1/2 inches I used a bushing on the bottom and was able to cut about 2 inches off the lower hose and use it. I used a 14" flex hose on top and it all worked. Since I had about a 5 inch gap below the radiator I fabbed a small panel to go there to block the air and force it all through the radiator. I worked on this thing all day yesterday. Of course I thought it would take about 2 hours. The 19 inch 6 blade fan was too big so I had to go back to the original 4 blade fan. I will take some measurements and see if I can get a 6 blade fan that will work. I looked at the 3 core radiator I took out of the car and believe it had too many fins in it to the point air could barely move through it. I took the car out today in the 97 degree weather and with the air off it ran 180 degrees on the highway. With the air on it ran 190. I certainly can live with that. At a stop light it would creep up to 200 with the air on but then come back down. I spent more on the cooling system than I spent installing the AC.

ignachuck

Congratulations Glenn! Persistence pays off again.

redoldsman

Thanks Frank. Never, never surrender. I think that was Churchill. If I had done this first I would have saved a lot of money and grief. I really do think the 3 core radiator was the problem and was supposed to be the solution.

Tedd Thompson

Good to know, others will follow in your foot steps and save the bucks you lost..... Tedd

redoldsman

I hope it does benefit somebody. I probably pissed off close to $1,600 on the cooling system. Trial and error can be expensive.

Rocketowner

Glad you got it fixed. I knew the heating problem was causing you many stressful headaches. Larry

redoldsman

Thanks Larry. I still have a 17" six blade fan I am going to install. I have hooking up a fan controller today that will turn the electric pusher fan on at wherever I set it which will probably be about 180 degrees. I will also have it wired where it will come on automatically when I turn the AC on and I will have a manual override. When I started really looking at the 3 core radiator I paid $600 for I believe it actually had too many fins in it to be able to pass air. It kind of makes sense. I wish I had all the money I wasted on this cooling system. This aluminum radiator worked out pretty slick. Thanks for responding and I am glad you are still on here.

Regards

Glenn

Rocketowner

Glen, I feel like I must have been totally lucky with my A.C. addition . Cost $720 total.
i used the original radiator ,no fan changeover or shroud, and even used a 64" belt on stock single pulleys,and it never heated over halfway on the gauge ,all the time I had it.
Just proud you finally got it where you won't be afraid to use it. Smooth and cool sailing. Larry