84 Riv t-type FAN CLUTCH

[sosuzguy]

Hello, on my 4x original mile 84 T-type car it's getting hot!

I can drive the car around town without the AC on and the aftermarket temp gauge fluctuates around 198 to 210~

I can also drive it on the highway with the AC on and it's still hovers around 203 to 210 or so.... but drive it around town and when you stop it climbs real quick to 215 and the highest was 225 then I shut off the AC. At that point it usually drops but not too quickly and doesn't usually drop below 212-215~

Numerous people have asked is the fan clutch working? I've also heard that the fan clutch might not kick in till it gets aroud 230? Does anyone have any input on this? Everything on this car is original 1984 stuff, yes the radiator seems to have sufficient flow and the radiator hoses are both hot so it's moving fluid. Thanks

[Guest northmn]

I don't like the idea of after market thermostats.I've had too many defective ones.I use only original equipment .The fan clutch could be acting up , the rad core could be partially clogged& the thermostat could be defective.I've had (so- called) flushed rads done at the rad shop that have still overheated & ended up putting in a new rad to solved the problem.If it where mine I would put new parts in.A rad core job shouldn't cost much- It's not that thick a core .I've seen excessive heat destroy everything (shake & bake is what we call it).

Bob.

[Guest pfloro]

Hello Jason:

I had a very similar problem with the '84 Toronado a fews years back. The problem was the fan clutch... They are not that expensive (~$50) and easy to install. I'm not sure what the clearances are on your T-Type Riv but on the Olds, I had to loosen the radiator shroud & remove the fan clutch, fan and shroud as a unit. Then I transfered the fan to the new clutch & placed the shroud around the fan. Slipped the entire unit back behind the radiator, aligned the clutch to the studs & tightened everything up. The cooling improvement was dramatic.

If the problem still exists, I suspect the radiator has marginal capacity due to many tubes being partially clogged. Rather than have it rodded out, I would replace the original brass & copper radiator. If you're not concerned about originality, you can get the type which has been used in both domestic & foreign cars for the past two decades. I installed one of these aluminum core/plastic tank radiators in the Olds last December & have been totally pleased. The fit was perfect too. The radiator shop could only offer me a one year warranty on a new OE style brass & copper radiator but a lifetime warranty on a aluminum/plastic unit. The alum/plastic one was also less expensive! Due to it's core design, the manufacturer claims a 10% increase in heat transfer capacity over the brass/copper OE design. I can idle in gear after a highway run with A/C on in 100+ temps with the temp gauge needle rising only slightly above it's cooler weather point. I am using a premium Stant 195 degree thermostat.

Hope this information helps...

Paul

PS: My trusted radiator shop also indicated that the brass used in the replacement OE radiators (made overseas) just doesn't hold up.

Edited July 20, 2009 by pfloro (see edit history)

[HurstGN]

Another problem with the radiator could be the fins are no longer pulling the heat out of the tubes. The tubes can be clean as a whistle, but if the heat cycling has taken it's toll on the bond between the fins and the tubes, they won't conduct the heat out of the tubes and you'll get this situation. My 86 GN started getting a bit warm like this. Checked and most all of the tubes were flowing, but not all. I decided it was an original rad and should be replaced by a more efficient 4 core unit. When I pulled the rad out, the find were literally falling out of the radiator. They were no longer attached to the tubes. The rad wasn't leaking, but the fins were just weren't connected anymore. A Saturday to recore the rad and I was back in business.

Just another item to look at......

[RivNut]

My wife and I just returned from a 3,000 mile trip through the desert parts of Utah and Nevada. Temps were constantly over 100 (got a picture of the dash "ext temp" readout read 104.) The only cars that were along the side of the road with any kind of heating problems were over 15 years old.

As HurstGN pointed out, and what I think a lot of folks don't buy into, is that we're working with old cars. Things wear out and need replaced. I made the same basic trip with my mom and dad in '64 in their '63 Wildcat. All the way across Utah and Nevada with the windows up and the air on. Not one single problem. The Wildcat was new then.

I had problems with my '64 until I switched radiators. Just like the radiator mentioned by HurstGN, there was a section about 12" by 8" where there were no fins at all, just tubes; didn't leak, but it also didn't cool. My solution was the same. Old tanks, new core, and the temp light has never come on again. I did find some narrow trunk weather strip and wedge it over the radiator side of the shroud to make sure that any air that was being pulled in was being pulled through the radiator.

Ed