So, here is the backstory to all the numbers I am about to present to you.
When I first started using my truck to ill my 7000 pound camper, the cooling system was shot. I know this now. The radiator was full of mineral deposits. The coolant was unknown. Etc..
I couldn't keep the truck under 230 towing at all. And close to that not towing at freeway speeds.
Last year, I changed the cooling system. Champion radiator, motorcraft water pump and thermostat. 65/35 distiller water to fleetcharge with purple ice additive. Added a coolant filter. New radiator and heater hoses. I also decided I would do the electric windstar fan conversions controlled by a dccontrols.com controller(which is awesome btw.).
It was cooling great unloaded, and ok loaded, unless you had to pull a steep grade at low speed.
I decided to swap the mechanical fan back on, which I thought still worked good, and it does.
I have logged all he average tips I would see on my gauge, located in the overheat port in the front of the drivers side head. Checked them at 55 mph and 70 mph, unloaded and towing 7500 lbs.
I found the results were quite interesting. Not what I expected at all, especially at speed unloaded.
Old crusty radiator. And mech fan
Outside ambient air temp-50f
55mph unloaded. 210
70mph unloaded. 225
55mph towing. 230
70mph towing. 230+
New system/electric fan.
Outside ambient air temp-85f
55mph unloaded. 195
70mph unloaded. 210
55 mph loaded. 210
70 mph loaded. 230
New system/mech fan
Outside ambient air temp-92f
55mph unloaded. 195
70mph unloaded. 195
55mph loaded. 200
70mph loaded. 210
I found it truly interesting the large difference at 70 mph, both loaded and unloaded. Perhaps the radiator shroud area on the windstar fan was blocking airflow?
When I first started using my truck to ill my 7000 pound camper, the cooling system was shot. I know this now. The radiator was full of mineral deposits. The coolant was unknown. Etc..
I couldn't keep the truck under 230 towing at all. And close to that not towing at freeway speeds.
Last year, I changed the cooling system. Champion radiator, motorcraft water pump and thermostat. 65/35 distiller water to fleetcharge with purple ice additive. Added a coolant filter. New radiator and heater hoses. I also decided I would do the electric windstar fan conversions controlled by a dccontrols.com controller(which is awesome btw.).
It was cooling great unloaded, and ok loaded, unless you had to pull a steep grade at low speed.
I decided to swap the mechanical fan back on, which I thought still worked good, and it does.
I have logged all he average tips I would see on my gauge, located in the overheat port in the front of the drivers side head. Checked them at 55 mph and 70 mph, unloaded and towing 7500 lbs.
I found the results were quite interesting. Not what I expected at all, especially at speed unloaded.
Old crusty radiator. And mech fan
Outside ambient air temp-50f
55mph unloaded. 210
70mph unloaded. 225
55mph towing. 230
70mph towing. 230+
New system/electric fan.
Outside ambient air temp-85f
55mph unloaded. 195
70mph unloaded. 210
55 mph loaded. 210
70 mph loaded. 230
New system/mech fan
Outside ambient air temp-92f
55mph unloaded. 195
70mph unloaded. 195
55mph loaded. 200
70mph loaded. 210
I found it truly interesting the large difference at 70 mph, both loaded and unloaded. Perhaps the radiator shroud area on the windstar fan was blocking airflow?
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