What is the "Best" Cooling setup for first Gens?

[jd4242]

Yes I have a doubler. When I did the 4.88s I was running 35s and had to drive to the trails. The cost for the gear change now isn't justifiable for the small change. The drive ability and acceleration are acceptable to me as it is. I do not see bigger tires in my future as the 44 and 8.8 can't handle much more. I would install an Atlas before I did an axle gear swap.

I probably have the standard duty fan clutch as I can't hear a noticeable sound when it warms up.

Yea i agree about gears

 

[RockRanger]

Duel core radiator showed up this weekend.

20160904_165555 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

I also had gone to the junkyard and got a duel core fan shroud. Here you can see the difference in the single vs duel core shroud. The single measures roughly 4.5" deep and the duel is 3 inches.

20160904_165646 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

I also got a new lower radiator hose as they are different. Pretty sure the one I took off was original.

20160904_164929 by Matthew Dresselhaus, on Flickr

Got it installed but can't bleed it till I finish my saginaw power steering pump swap.

 

[2stroke]

That double core radiator will do you well. It should have been standard equipment, the single row's just don't work well. You could upgrade the fan, but once you are moving at a good pace, it wouldn't do anything. I never had a problem with the standard fans, Mine could idle or crawl all day and stay at the same temp. Maybe its different if temps get over 90. I just don't see the purpose of having a clutch that works 90% of the time. You would be better off with a solid mount IMO. My personal preference is actually for electric fans, but if you end up in deep mud or water, a solid mount metal fan from an f150 would do well.

There isn't really anything to do besides the big radiator.

 

[BKennedy]

Subscribing. I have the same issue; only seems to get hot when driving up long grades at highway speeds. Any other time, temp is normal to low. I replaced the entire cooling system several years ago; radiator, hoses, fan clutch, water pump, fan, etc. Only helped a little. If I run the AC, it gets real hot, real fast up long grades. It seemed to get worse after the SAS. Maybe removing the inner fenders effects air flow across the engine at highway speeds?
I was thinking of re-routing my trans lines so they don't go into the radiator. The way I understand it, the lines running into the radiator is to heat up the coolant faster on very cold days, which I don't get much in San Diego. I have a large auxiliary trans cooler.

 

[natenkiki2004]

I was thinking of re-routing my trans lines so they don't go into the radiator. The way I understand it, the lines running into the radiator is to heat up the coolant faster on very cold days, which I don't get much in San Diego. I have a large auxiliary trans cooler.

I highly doubt the trans is heating up the coolant a noticeable amount to warm the engine up quicker. There's not a lot of flow through the trans lines compared to the amount of coolant in the radiator. Plus you'd have to be driving hard right after a cold start, getting the torque converter working to heat up the fluid. It works the other way, the coolant cools the trans fluid. The coolant is the coolest liquid, that's why oil and trans lines go into the radiator, those oils are a lot (or can be a lot) warmer than the coolant is, at least in the radiator.

If you have a larger than factory auxiliary cooler, you're probably fine bypassing the radiator but I don't think it will do much to help your cause. Though, if you prove me wrong, I'd like to know about it

 

[Southern_Pride]

I have 2 electric fans on my mine and it never even comes close to getting hot even in florida with the ac on. The outside fan for the condenser is from an 01 or so kio rio. The inside fan is a condensor fan motor and blade assembly from an 03 or so 3 series bmw with a fan shroud from an 08 town car cut to fit inside the stock explorer fan shroud. It works awesome. Downside is I have at least 40 amps worth of fans drawing juice at idle.

 

[Jason94sport]

40 amps!
I have the auto dual core on my 5 speed & the 10 or is it 11 blade fan? Plus the severe duty fan clutch, & my needle only gets higher the the N sitting in traffic in the hot summer days with the AC on. And yeah that fan sounds like a jet plane after...

 

[jd4242]

Shoot..the Taurus and Mrk fans pull like 60 amps on start up..i use bosch 75 amp relays..ive blown about everything else

 

[Rhett]

Dual core radiator and a heavy/severe duty clutch (automatic trans application) should cure your problems. I switched my single core out for a dual after one of my Mojave Road trips and pulling the long grade out of Baker, CA. Did the trip again after that and it stayed much cooler.I have had a "supercool" fan clutch from Ford for years but I think any aftermarket HD clutch should be just about the same.

You will need a shroud from an automatic if you switch to a 2 core, they are different thicknesses.

I run the same setup as Brian1...Dual Core rad and the Ford "super cool" clutch.

RockR. I think your truck will do better with the setup you're getting.

 

[malohnes]

I have a single 16" Derale brand pusher e-fan that pulls 25amps. Shouldn't need such high amperages to pull air especially, twin small fans vs single large fan. Granted I'm using cheap brass temp probe in the rad fins rather than a proper unit, but the point is heavy duty doesn't have to be so brute.

 

[Southern_Pride]

Well one fan is 8 inches and one is 15. I may remove the outside one. This whole mess started on mine because I could not a good fan clutch and it was making my ac high pressures spike to 450 psi and blow half the freon out. Now I've got steady at 175psi instead of near 300 like it was on a good day. And it blows so much colder at lights.

 

[RockRanger]

Ran up the mountain yesterday for a day wheeling trip. I was much lighter then past trips due to no passenger and no camping gear. It was also cooler. 60 vs 75 plus it has been. But the temp guage never moved passed N all the way up. I think the larger radiator solved my problem. It will be next spring before I will be able to fully test it.

 

[jd4242]

Ran up the mountain yesterday for a day wheeling trip. I was much lighter then past trips due to no passenger and no camping gear. It was also cooler. 60 vs 75 plus it has been. But the temp guage never moved passed N all the way up. I think the larger radiator solved my problem. It will be next spring before I will be able to fully test it.

Radiator is all you did correct? ? You didnt replace the fan or blades right?

If so i had a feeling that might solve it without loosing power or mpg from a heavier duty fan

 

[RockRanger]

New radiator, new lower radiator hose, proper fan shroud, and new coolant. That is it.

 

[jd4242]

New radiator, new lower radiator hose, proper fan shroud, and new coolant. That is it.

Awesome

 

[gmanpaint]

BKennedy & Turdle have me thinking about the 94 Ex.

I have the same issue as BKennedy with the A/C on. In this situation, the needle goes straight up, and fast. New rad & stat, pump, SD clutch, and flushed yearly. The lower hose is only 6-8 yrs old, but.... it is the oldest part in the system. This could be my problem, however, there are other factors that might be contributing.

I did remove that lower air scoop. I'm sure that contributes to loss of fresh air flow.

For those with a body lift (as I have) or have altered the core support. I believe the height of the fan to the center of the core support matters. For both the fan flow concentration area, and clutch activation. Body lifts change this orientation, as the core support is now higher, and air flow is not hitting the clutch center as with a stock design. This changes how/when the clutch is activated.

 

[malohnes]

Great to hear! Shouldn't have to mess with it for a long while now.

 

[RockRanger]

Should update this. It has been over a year with the new setup. It works awesome. Same grade as before I no longer over heat on. I put my foot to the floor at the bottom and let off on a few corners and the top and can hold 60 all the way up in 4th. But now I burn more gas going up the grade due to not having to back off the throttle anymore.

If you have a single core radiator do this change. Should have done this years ago.

 

[Jones R.]

While I have 93 ranger it does share a lot of parts with the explorer. I have a nagging overheating issue on long grades I want to get rid of. When I am going to the local trails I climb from 1600 feet to 5000 ft in about 12 miles. It is one
.long continues pull. I pretty much put it in 4th and hold my foot to the floor to the top to hold 50 mph. It will hold the speed but the temp gauge starts to climb. As soon as I clear the grade and get into the tight turns the temp comes right back down. It will get slightly warm around town when the outside temps are 90 plus If I drive it fairly hard.
I know part of my problem is my winch is blocking airflow to the radiator. Short of getting rid of my winch that wont change, so I need to deal with areas I can change. There are a few areas I feel that can be improved: Radiator, Fan, Fan Clutch.

I am currently running the factory single core radiator. My understanding is there is a duel core radiator that is out there that can bolt in. Is that correct? When I change from single core to duel core I need to change the shroud as well correct?

Listed on Rock Auto is a 9 blade fan ( I currently have) and a 10 blade heavy duty fan.Has anyone made this swap and noticed a difference? Anyone know the CFM difference between them?

There is a standard duty and heavy duty fan clutch listed on Rock Auto. Has anyone ran either of these and been able to notice the difference? What is the difference?

My truck never runs warm on the trail. It can be 100 degrees plus outside and I can leave it idling or pulling in double low with the temp staying nice and low.

92 manual transmission. After 26 years of deer and duck camp. Replaced radiator with dual core automatic radiator. At 100 deg F with A/C on the coolant temp does not rise. Should have replaced radiator 15 years ago.
Any opinions?

 

[410Fortune]

no plastic side tanks for me

Full shroud is SO important, i see so many conversions or engines running around with little to no shroud
Air will follow path of least resistance, shroud must force air through the cooling stack
Air is drawn through cooling stack by fan
full shrouding in front of (cover gaps) and over the fan is the only way to pull 100% of the air through the cooling stack

With that said, all aluminum tig welded 4 row radiators from Ebay for the win, this cools my V8 auto 1988 truck on 35's with AC and body drop
1985-1994 Ford Ranger Aluminum Radiator, 3 Row Champion, 2.8L/2.9L/3.0L/4.0L | eBay