Thread: Rangey Heat Problems?

So I have pulled the radiator out of the car, it seems to be a little blocked on the inside so im taking to the radiator shop to have it serviced, the cooling fan runs well off the engine and stops when the engine does.
I have noticed that the air conditioner cooling radiator like thing is in front of the actual radiator and i hadnt noticed it. It looks a little corroded, has anybody experienced this obstructing the flow of air over the radiator? because it looks likely that this could be happening.

So it has aircon?
If so the fan should/will work when the aircon is turned on.

Early ones like that did not also have an overheat function also but it is easy to rig up a switch with diode protection so that the aircon does not go on when you want to use the fan only.

It should have a humungous Kirby compressor down low on the left side of the motor.
the aircon condensor should not worry a nice clean radiator with a functional viscous, however if you are worried you can fit a 4 core radiator out of a later model.
Regards Philip A

shine a light through it & if it looks blocked then blow the air con condensor out with compressed air while the radiator is out, then fit some fly wire in front of it.

also fit a filter to the top radiator hose. i've done this on both of mine as there's so much rubbish floating around in the cooling system that the radiator will be blocked & running hot next summer.

regards, adam

yeh its got a massive york compressor,
i know somebody wrecking an 88, i was looking at the radiator out of that but it look like it could be a complicated job.

I must admit I have not tried it , but as long as you get the shroud with the rad it should fit.

On my 77 I had enough cooling by running a switch onto the condenser fan. It never overheated with a new 3 core radiator even with aircon on.

The biggest problem I had was that the idler pulley for the aircon sat very low and the bearing was always failing through water/crap.
Regards Philip A

Originally Posted by PhilipA

I must admit I have not tried it , but as long as you get the shroud with the rad it should fit.

On my 77 I had enough cooling by running a switch onto the condenser fan. It never overheated with a new 3 core radiator even with aircon on.

The biggest problem I had was that the idler pulley for the aircon sat very low and the bearing was always failing through water/crap.
Regards Philip A

My 76 had the York aircon compressor with the idler pulley hanging down low. The bearings are dirt cheap from your local bearing supplier. I made a small shield that screwed to the chassis in front of the idler that stopped most of the mud and water from hitting the idler. I always carriede a couple of spare bearings in the toolbox.
Use a 74 or 77deg thermostat in hotter climes and you dont need antifreeze/antiboil. Glycol is sugar based and crystallizes forming a coating on the inside of your rad. A 5% blockage will reduce the cooling by around 20%. Your local radiator specialist will pull your rad apart and rod it. should only cost $100 if thats all that needs doing. Use only an organic corrosion inhibitor, ask your rad man what he recomends.
If you have more cooling problems consider an oil cooler as 1/2 your engine cooling is done by your engine oil!

I always carriede a couple of spare bearings in the toolbox.

Yeah, but it still was a PITA when the belt seized on a climb and I had to cut it to stop the aircon freezing . The bearings are alternator bearings and about $10. I too made a shield from a shock washer.LOL.
Regards Philip A
On reflection I was mixing up two things, one when my thermostat died causing the compressor to go 100%. Then I cut the belt. The second was when the idler seized and the belt broke.

The 88 radiator wont even come close to fitting any Pre-efi (72 to 85) .Totally different in the mounting arrangement , its 2 inches wider.and 1 inch taller !! The early radiators are side mounted in the chassis corners , the EFI ones are center (bottom)mounted , The two side upper mounts are also in the wrong place both by height ,width and mounting arrangement. Ive got a supa doopa Fine 5 core out of my 83 carb RRC that I thought might be nice in my 88RRC . Without de-soldering/brazing all the side mounts off and swapping them over at a new height , then the top and bottom plates to get the mounting pins in the right place , and drilling to holes in the chassis to except the pins ,and still the shroud will be in the wrong place it wont even come close to fitting ! What a pity ! just,try to get a Fine 5 core these days . anyone want a good as new Fine 5 core to fit a pre-efi RRC ? (Sorry, mike 90 RRC , didnt want to spend another afternoon doing it myself )