You guys think its possible? Anyone out there running a partially filled BBC in a 1st gen? If so how are you keeping it cool?

I'm helping a friend with a 68 Camaro and a BBC. The block is filled to about 1" below the water pump holes. The car runs hot all time, even in cool weather.

He has a Griffin 2 core aluminum rad, twin Derale fans (advertised at 4,000 cfm as I recall). He's running a high flow thermostat and a stock BBC water pump. I have one electric fan wired to run all the time, and one that runs on a thermostat (pretty much runs all the time too)

I suggested he start with a Stewart Stage II water pump and maybe add a pusher fan (we have a big single fan not in use we can throw on). We will go to a mixture of water and wetter water as soon as the weather is warm enough.

Any other ideas?

Thanks

Pusher fans are more efficient in pushing air than puller fans pulling air. Try it yourself using a box fan.

You guys may want add the upper shield from the header panel to the rad support as shown in a post here about improving the looks of the engine compartment. Also, add a shield from the valance panel to the support and block off the headlamp bucket area. All of this action will help prevent air recirculation about the radiator.

When using a water wetter, it is best to use with straight DI water than with a mixed EG/water mix. I used two bottles of water wetter in my dually system, 8 gallons total cap, and noticed no change in temperature.

I wish you guys luck.

Add a HD oil cooler and transmission cooler out of radiator air stream with their own electric fans and it will pull 15° off top of coolant temp. Straight water with rust inhibitor and water pump lubricant is better than antifreeze at shedding heat.


Larger Dave

Yeah.. does he have an oil temp gauge? The oil temp could be a big factor.

Good point about oil temps. No, we haven't checked them and he doesn't have a gauge. He already has a remote oil filter, so an oil cooler shouldn't be a problem.

Thanks!

I would think a 2 core radiator would be the big problem there. Go with a 4 core and you shouldn't have that much of a problem.

The 2 core alluminum is as big as they get, those cores are an inch and a quarter each!

The oil cooler will help a LOT. If the trans oil is going thru the rad, getting it out will help too.

That's a lot of fill for a street car... Why so much? Core shift? That couldn't help the cooling either.

What about the Mark VIII fan and and the oil cooler?

Check out www.flowkooler.com (http://www.flowkooler.com). They have some great information on cooling your car.

Hope it helps.:beers: