Cooling Problem

[MalibuChile]

Here in Chile we close to summer and occasionally is quite hot in my city, Temuco, 93.2°F are common in summer.
My car has a 250 straight six with the stock radiator, but in summer even without the thermostat the temperature reach very high. 194°F or higher when im stuck in traffic, obviuosly this is killing the engine and specially the transmision, a TH200c.

Im looking for a new radiator, more capable that could work fine with the current engine and with a 383, my long term proyect, and that could keep my tranmission cooler than now. I have looking in summit racing but i would like and opinion from you, sine many of you had more experience than me in this.

Any help would be really apreciate...

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Before you do anything else, put your thermostat back in. Not running one is a sure way to cause overheating.

Tommy

 

[MalibuChile]

In this moment still have the thermostat installed. I have just returning from voting, Presidential elections here in Chile, and when i get stuck in traffic the temperature almost reach boiling point...

 

[bowtie81]

Could the T-stat be stuck open?

 

[MalibuChile]

I doubt it. You see when the weather is cold, winter for example, the engine temperature is OK, but in summer the engine warm up really fast and if you get stuck on traffic is even worst...

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Do you have a fan shroud?

Tommy

 

[MalibuChile]

No, the original engine, V6 229, have one. But when the previous owner swap the engine for the current 250 they eliminated the fan shroud due to an space problem since the 250 is larger than the V6...

 

[LS6 Tommy]

There's your problem. You can't run a belt driven fan without a shroud...

Tommy

 

[MalibuChile]

OK, but since the engine on my Malibu is adapted, where i could get a fan shroud.... and if i swap the engine for 383 in the future, i would need a new radiator?..

 

[LS6 Tommy]

You'll probably need a radiator when you drop in the V8, but right now, if you can't find a shroud to work with the inline six, you can always get rid of the belt driven fan & use "pusher" style electric fans in front of the radiator. It isn't an absolutely perfect fix, but it should work better than what you have now.

Tommy