I have a 85 GN and I have a speraco intercooler on the front. Its a big intercooler with all the piping going back to the turbo. I have the belt driven fan still and a 160 thermostat. The thermostat is opening at 160 but eventually driven around town a little and she heats up to 180 and then 200 and so on. The hottest she has gotten before i park is 210...kinda pushing it. It takes her a hour or so to heat up that hot. Is the intercooler sucking up all the cold air? Should I be looking at getting a dual electric fan set up to replace that old belt driven fan? I also checked fan clutch is working perfect. Or do I have another problem? Bigger radiator? All suggestions or experiences would help. Thanks in advance guys. Other then that I am enjoying my GN in this nice Wisconsin weather!! Oh ya one more quick question how much does the intercooler add to the horsepower/torque numbers???? Thanks agian.
It gets that warm while sitting because that is where the thermistatic fan cluch engages. installing electric an electric fan will fixthe problem (with a 160* temp switch for it) I Believe the fan out of a fiero is a direcit fit(not 100% positive though)
I checked on a electric fan out of a fiero. Do i want the 5 or 7 blade fan. More blades the better? Also when i am on the freeway doing 70 mph the car is running at 195 to 200 degrees. Electric fan would help alot in town but what about when i am on the freeway? Is the intercooler killing all the air flow to my radiator to the point where it would run that hot? Is it possible that I have another problem. Would a bad bearing in the engine cause tempature problems. I hear a raddle sound every so often when i start the car but no other problems. it last for about a second or so. Is that a bearing or fuel rail or just the forged pistons? My tempature sensor is located in the stock port. I am using a VDO gauge. Sorry for all the questions. Thanks Nick
I'm not 100% sure either if it will fit but you may want to look into the 80's Cadillacs. It's been a while but I believe they were front wheel drive V8s and you know a Cadillac owner won't tolerate no A/C in the summer. In other words, I'm pretty sure it's a good fan setup. They seem to be the same size as our setups(86-87 anyways.) I never tried one but I almost had my dad talked into using it on his circle track car.
When was the last time you had the radiator cleaned out? It could be that it's old and dirty and no longer very efficient. I'm sure the front mount doesn't help things but with a good radiator and cooling setup, quite a few people seem to have no problems.Good luck.
thanks scott, Is more blades better when it comes to a electric fan from the junk yard. Or depends which car it came out of. I am going to try and find one out of a V8 that will fit in my GN. I am going clean the radiator out to I am not sure when it was last done. Probably never! Thanks agian.
nick
I'm not exactly sure about blade count. I know there is something to do with pitch on the blades too but I don't know anything for sure. I just figured if it could keep a V8 luxo cruiser cool then it should be okay for our use. I mean the factory would have the correct blade and pitch setup for best cooling, or atleast you would think. Just a guess though.
I would take the radiator to a radiator shop and have them boil it or dip it, whatever they do to it. That would be the best way I know of to get it really clean. Over time the radiators just lose their cooling efficiency, something about where/how they are held together. The heat transfer ability goes down. If this still doesn't help I'd contact Nick Micale at www.arizonaGN.com. He's who I'd go to if I ever needed cooling help. He's good at cooling cars in the AZ summer so I'm sure he can help you. Good luck.
Thanks a lot for the info.....I just hooked up my turbo link tonight and it is reading out the same temps to me......so she is having a problem keeping cool......when it is in park and just idling it runs right at 160 to 165......but if i go out driving around town a little she slow heats up.....weird....i will try a local radiator place and have it cleaned up and see what happens and maybe a electric fan, but i dont think the fan is it......but still add a little power.....thank again.....nick
Just a little more help on this subject......I took the radiator out and well it is in rough shape to say the least.....one hole corner of the radiator is missing the fins and that is there is the tubes that transfer the fuild. Can i use a regualar v6 radiator out of a regular regal? Is there a better radiator i might find that bolts right in or that my belt driven fan shroud might hold? Or an electric fan / radiator setup that might work good? Hopefully has some experience or has found something at the junk yard that look possible to pull off. Thanks i am going to pick up a used radiator and get her cleaned just wondering what is best to go with. Thanks agian guys!!!!!!!!!
Ugh, Nick Micale???
Buick switched from a 20" core to a 26" core sometime in 84/85. Which one is yours? Does the 84/85's have an engine oil cooler? If it's the larger one w/EOC and TOC, ACDelco 20269 is the stock (std. 3-row) replacement. Go-dan makes a 4-row hi-efficiency unit with EOC and TOC, #43-1290. It's about 2" wider and the EOC is on the other side, about $340 from Autozone. Best bet is to get yours recored with a 3 or 4-row hi-efficiency core and reuse your tanks.
Thanks alot for the info guys.....i was looking at the vendor list and i got a brand new replacement radiator from Holm's Radiator in Des Moines IA. My radiator doesnt have the oil cooler, just the trans. Nothing special about my radiator compared to 86/87. I think they switch to the 26" core in 86. I got the radiator for $130 plus shipping, it a brand new replacement. This radiator should drop my temp a good 20 degrees. First time I used the vendor list and I cant begin to thank you guys for having it. Man, what a pain calling around to people in my area that dont know what a turbo buick is and them saying ok ya that 4 cylinder with a turbo right? NO! Thats when I said goodbye and found the guys that know. Thanks everyone for your replys. This site is the best!!!!
Nick
I have an 84 T-Type with cooling probs also. At idle its ok. Around town is when temp goes up. Highway is fine also. I have aluminum rad. (Griffin) large 2 core 22 3/4 width core. Electric fan and 160 thermostat. I am running the Spearco front mount intercooler also. Not sure but maybe my fan isnt pulling enough CFM thru rad. I dont no. I was told copper core rad. would be better than aluminum rad. for these turbo cars. Is that true and why? I also went to auto shops to see about a new rad from an 87 GN. Thought would be larger core. All bring up same size from 84-87. 20 3/4 core. Is that an error? If so why do all the shops bring up the same size thru 87? I would like to fit a larger core rad in my car to help with cooling. One i did find was for an 86 Cutlass 442 it has 26 3/4 core would that fit in the core support? Thanks for helping out.
Ron
I put the Dual Ramcharger fans on my car and didnt have a problem since. It was still running at 195 on the highway though. But, in town or idling no probs...these fans are awesome for 87 bucks. I know a lot of guys are running the early 90's V-8 F-body(firebird/camaro) radiator from autozone or a local parts place.......for like 120 bucks.....it has plastic end tanks I believe. HTH Nick