Is there a great improvement going from 3 baled fan to a 4 blade?  Or is there something else I should do as in slow speed the heat start to rise but does not over heat. 

I'm putting an 18" 6-blade, heavy-duty fan on my 55 Tbird. A bigger fan/w more blades will pull more air. Having a shroud that fits well will help to keep the air flowing through the radiator. Ted Eaton believes that more rows of tubes within the radiator can restrict air flow through the radiator. He prefers fewer, but larger tubes/w more space between them. Having said that, the 55-57 Tbirds left the factory with 3-row radiators. I intend to install a 4-row copper & brass radiator, but aluminum radiators are becoming more popular; generally, they are cheaper, people like them, but they can't be repaired if they leak. 

I know someone who is on his 3rd aluminum radiator. The first lasted 10 years. The 2nd, which was a custom application for a 302 Windsor-powered 55 Tbird cost $1,000 and lasted 3 years. The radiator he has now cost less, but too soon to call what it's life expectancy will be. All 3 have been effective in keeping it cool/w the first two until they failed.

If you don't care about originality, you might want to consider an electric fan. If you have a/c, you might want to run a mechanical puller fan and an electric pusher fan between the grill and radiator. Wire the electric fan, so you can turn it off when it's not needed.

I think it was Florida Phil that said he is running both mechanical and electric puller fans between the radiator and engine on his 55 Tbird. 

 

You don’t say the model of the vehicle. I fought a cooling problem with my 56 Victoria and tried many remedies and band aid fixes. It occurred when city driving in traffic. I use a Cool Craft brass-copper next one above stock replacement. 

56 Vic, B'Ville 200 MPH Club Member, So Cal.

If you folks install aluminum radiators, aluminum timing covers, aluminum heads, or aluminum intake manifolds, you should consider using anti-freeze that is designed for aluminum parts.  If you don't you will have a short lived radiator, or corroded aluminum engine part.  Joe-JDC

JDC

My "running hot" issues were fixed first by installing the Mustang fan mentioned above, and when I realized there was no thermostat, using the Napa #6 170 Degree High Flow thermostat.  That thermostat is a lot better than the others I tried.  A LOT.  

Good luck.  

As long as the effort of changing fans is contemplated, and originality not an issue, I suggest a clutch fan.  While it won’t really effect cooling (compared to a solid-mount example), power loss & risk of damage at high RPMs is minimized.

6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA

Clutch fans don't slip/fail? How do they minimize risk of damage at high rpm? They cost considerably more than a clutchless mechanical fan. 

Melly…..a test to see if your water pump is moving water thru the radiator is, when cold remove the rad cap and make sure the coolant is 1” low. Start the engine and allow for it to heat up to normal on your gauge or it using a temp gun check at the thermostat at housing for a higher temp than the thermostat. If an automatic car make sure it’s in drive with the e-brake on. 

56 Vic, B'Ville 200 MPH Club Member, So Cal.

If you're going to check for coolant flow while your car is running and in gear, I would make sure you've got someone sitting in the driver's seat while you do it.

Amen





54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ