Northern Tracks Forum

Performance Forums => V6 or Straight 6 Engines => Topic started by: rackaholic on January 13, 2008, 09:33:42 pm

Title: engine temp
Post by: rackaholic on January 13, 2008, 09:33:42 pm
I was wondering what temp should a flat head 6 run at?
Title: Re: engine temp
Post by: gror on January 14, 2008, 06:56:52 pm
Not sure but mine runs around 200 f in 3rd gear, but drops down to 175 quickly in second. Seems hot to me but never boils over?
Title: Re: engine temp
Post by: grfishmaker on January 23, 2008, 11:09:24 pm
I don't have a flat head but a 300 6 in my 53'. Most all motors in bombadier's have always run hotter than you would normally desire, but that said, they just keep ticking like the little annoying pink rabbit. I think it is pretty normal for them to run at 200 or a little higher. I changed the thermostat in mine to a160 degrree and mine usually runs around 160-180 degrees and will reach 200 if the going gets tough. 100% of the machines around here are used for work purposes and some people install extra fans on the side motor doors.
Title: Re: engine temp
Post by: the old trucker on May 07, 2010, 04:16:52 pm

   Grfishmaker when your ford engine reaches 200 degrees does the fan cut in automatically do you have it mounted direct to the pulley ??               
                                                                                              OT.
Title: Re: engine temp
Post by: marcdds on May 07, 2010, 05:59:04 pm
251 ind should run at 160 this motor is made to run whith a none pressure systeme or you blow head gasket do not use pressure cap
Title: Re: engine temp
Post by: grfishmaker on May 07, 2010, 06:51:45 pm

   Grfishmaker when your ford engine reaches 200 degrees does the fan cut in automatically do you have it mounted direct to the pulley ??               
                                                                                              OT.
My fan is run direct off the pulley. I was told by someone last year to stay away from the clutch fans. This past winter I installed a new carburator, new maifold, new water pump, stainless steel thermostat and a five blade fan. After I did all this, the snow melted and never got to put her to work. One thing for sure, I now have motor fumes in the cab (never had this problem with the old four blade) and will have to block off the tunnel next fall. So for sure, there is no comparing the air movement with this fan. Now as soon as you open the motor door, the air movement is very noticable.
Title: Re: engine temp
Post by: Averyman on May 07, 2010, 10:27:24 pm
I put a 190 degree thermostat in my 251, sure helped with the heater output and it hasn't boiled over yet ! I don't use a pressure cap on the rad.
Title: Re: engine temp
Post by: grfishmaker on May 08, 2010, 04:54:22 pm
I also have a large school bus heater in the front of my machine. So if I turn on all three fans on the heater, you can see the temperature on the gauge drop if you have them all turned on.
Title: Re: engine temp
Post by: the old trucker on May 08, 2010, 06:29:01 pm

  Grfishmaker, with your bus fan on, the temp drops. Where do you think the extra heat is going to ?? I would tend to think it is going out through the motor doors. That makes me think if I had a heavy duty electric fan that pushes the heat out through the rad instead of pulling in, the cooler air will come in through the motor doors. Maybe there is such a thing as reverse fan that can bolt to the pulley. OT. just thinking out loud again.. !!

Title: Re: engine temp
Post by: grfishmaker on May 08, 2010, 07:06:20 pm
Ok there Mr. OT, I'm going to think like an Eastener. The excess heat is being blown off by the fans through the heaters rad. Or am I misuderstanding your question.
I don't know about reversing the air flow through the rad. How does blowing hot air through a hot rad cool the motor. I would think that sucking minus temperature air through a hot rad would be more efficient than what you are suggesting. That is why a exhaust fan on the motor doors works so well; as you are simply getting rid of the hot air as the rad fan sucks in more cold air. There, now I'm getting confused.
Title: Re: engine temp
Post by: the old trucker on May 09, 2010, 04:40:49 am

  Just thinking out loud.... next time I'll think low...
Title: Re: engine temp
Post by: grfishmaker on May 09, 2010, 08:25:25 am
I've heard that somewhere before (about reversing the air flow). Is there some other type of machines machines out there that do that? I know that the faster you get the hot air to exit the engine cubby the cooler your temperature will be. Most people simpy tie the motor doors open, but electric fans on the motor doors does the same trick at the flick of a switch and you can quickly turn them off and on as needed.
I see the Hydro has always installed electric exhaust fans on all of its engine doors of their bombers.
Title: Re: engine temp
Post by: fisher on May 09, 2010, 06:51:01 pm
had to break a road across the lake last winter in the deep snow when it was fairly warm out. Powdery snow filled the engine compartment when I tied the side doors open all the excess water shorted the electronic ignition. My fan pulls thru the rad and blows out the sides and under the floor depending on where u want the heat. If u reverse the airflow won't the flying snow problem be worse. I would like to figure out a cooling system like they have on liquid cooled snowmobiles to use in addition to the radiator system. Possibly run coolant thru the back pipe of the frame to melt ice build up, pipe it like another heater with an ajustable regulating valve of some kind. Still in the planning stages. Maybe use heat exchangers like snowmobiles?   
Title: Re: engine temp
Post by: grfishmaker on May 10, 2010, 07:54:59 pm
Fisher - Have you ever seen bombardiers that have electric fans mounted on the motor doors to help expell the hot air? With this setup you can at lest leave your motor doors shut to help stop the swirling snow entering the cubby.
Title: Re: engine temp
Post by: fisher on May 10, 2010, 09:46:36 pm
yep I've seen them. It would be nice to get rid of the ice build up too. Still in the planning stages anyhow.
Title: Re: engine temp
Post by: kpm on May 11, 2010, 03:53:42 pm
nothing wrong with a clutch fan,run one on my v8 wide,never have over heating problems...
                                                                                          kpm
Title: Re: engine temp
Post by: the old trucker on May 11, 2010, 08:18:02 pm

  Well I have 2 mechanics that think I am on the right track, & a tip for Fisher to check out.


  Grfishmaker, with your bus fan on, the temp drops. Where do you think the extra heat is going to ?? I would tend to think it is going out through the motor doors. That makes me think if I had a heavy duty electric fan that pushes the heat out through the rad instead of pulling in, the cooler air will come in through the motor doors. Maybe there is such a thing as reverse fan that can bolt to the pulley. OT. just thinking out loud again.. !!


Powdery snow filled the engine compartment when I tied the side doors open all the excess water shorted the electronic ignition.

hello claude   i was away for a couple days.i was looking at the discussion on nt about the engines running hot in the bombers.im inclined to agree with your
mechanic,i think that a reverse pitch fan would solve the cooling problem by blowing air out through the rad.you dont have much room to put an electric fan between the engine and the rad.the engineers that designs engines and rad systems are saying that the rad is not cooling the engine,it is removing heat from the coolant.the heat in the engine compartment isn't causing the engine to run hot.where it is almost airtight,by putting fans on the motor doors is really pulling more air through the rad.if you put a 6 or seven blade reverse pitch fan on your engine and bigger louvers in the motor doors more cold air would be drawn in through the doors and through the rad.you could also make up a fan shroud like the ones on tractor trailers so you would get maximum air through the rad.you would need to make sure your rad is in good condition inside and out such as partly clogged tubes and rotted fins.you may be able to put vents near the front of your floor tunnel that would help to cool the diff when the fan sucks air through it.you can get those fans new but i don't know where maybe from napa.a lot of industrial machinery uses them such as forklifts and big generators.the j5 also uses them.im sending 2 pics of my j5 fan so you can compare it to yours.one of the fellows said his ignition died when snow went in through the motor doors.his system must have had cracks somewhere because i have poured water on those systems with a water hose looking for high tension leaks and never had one fail.hope this helps.   

  http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m366/theoldtrucker/014.jpg

http://i333.photobucket.com/albums/m366/theoldtrucker/015.jpg
Title: Re: engine temp
Post by: Cranman on May 11, 2010, 10:50:48 pm
The j5 is a whole different animal. The fan pulls the cold air in through the rad which is mounted over the engine. I think it was primarily designed this way for summer use to keep the enclosed cabs cooler. I have had some experience with j5's in the dead of winter. They can be cold and if you go any speed at all you'll have snowbanks on your arms and down your neck. Out of necessity once a friend used one in mid winter and he had to use heavy grease on every crack and hole and the doors to stay dry in there. by spring we were calling him  SLICK because his green parka was shiny black. Myself I haven't had much overheating except the last few days of the season. By then I have the cardboard out of the door louvers. Normally I close those for Dec to late Feb. I like to run at 180. I was told that at 160 there is 2x the wear on the engine and at 140 there is 4x. I can only use a low pressure cap 4 lb. As someone pointed out you don't want to take a flathead too much more or you could blow a head gasket. I think the material in headgaskets is better now. I used to carry one behind the seat rest where it would be protected. If you torque them right they shouldn;t blow and if they do maybee your head is warped or somebody got too zealous cleaning the block between the cylinders.
     Anyway that's my 2 cents on this. Old Armand must have given it some thought. Otherwise, why do our machines always run hotter downwind?
Title: Re: engine temp
Post by: the old trucker on May 13, 2010, 03:42:15 am

  Cranman I was thinking about putting just the J5 fan blade onto the motor. Then the fan pushes the air out through the rad, instead of pulling like the J5. According to a owner of 7 J5's down here, he says you can put the J5 blade on 2 different ways. He have bought them from people saying she runs hot & seen that the blade was on backwards. What he means is one way it'll blow a small amount of air & the other way it'll blow alot more. Said it's due to the shape of the blade.
  I am not a mechanic by any means, I'm just trying to figure all this stuff out before I get too far ahead...     
Title: Re: engine temp
Post by: Cranman on May 13, 2010, 07:33:22 am
Yes you can put a fan on backwards and it won't pull as much but I still feel you want the air pressure going the other way to keep loose snow out. You should be ok with the multiple blade fan on the 300. I have had some success with fan shrouds if there is room and I saw one case where it solved the problem.
Title: Re: engine temp
Post by: the old trucker on May 13, 2010, 09:04:53 am
  Thanks Cranman. I have been around to different web sites & now I have an idea of how to build a shroud that should work. I will use the original clutch fan for now but will keep an eye out for a better one.
                                                                 One smarter OT.
Title: Re: engine temp
Post by: Cranman on May 13, 2010, 06:39:21 pm
A few years back there were quite a few rads set up to have a shroud running fairly tight to the fan. You might make a cardboard template of your rad around to the local auto wrecker and get lucky. I made one with heavy galv. tin and pop rivets but the heavy plastic factory ones would look better and work better too I suppose.