Cheap cooling improvement

[RustedRanger]

The other day it got hot outside and as I was waiting in line to take in scrap metal my Ranger started getting hot,not boiling over but enough to make the idle rough. I removed the grill first then took some 1/2" fiberglass backed foam insulation I had laying around and with some quick measurements I pieced the insulation in around the outside of the radiator to fill in the huge gaps so that most of the air from the grill only goes through the radiator,not around it. If your careful it almost holds itself in place,I only needed a couple plastic zip ties and some duct tape. My Ranger don't have AC so it doesn't have a shroud so I figured the fan was pulling some air from the gaps around the radiator. All I have is the stock temp gauge but it seems to be running cooler. I was able to seal the bottom and sides of the radiator to the core support,if I had some sheet aluminum I could've sealed the top also. I don't know if regular unbacked foam would work or not...I don't think it would get hot enough to melt it. I also plan on getting some of the aluminum duct tape and re taping where I used the regular tape....I don't think it's gonna hold all that well.

 

[jhammel85]

you need a shroud for your truck to cool correctly. Especially both halves.

Frankly, I don't have too much space between my radiator sides but if what you had worked, then it worked! That's always a good thing

 

[RyanL]

you need a shroud for your truck to cool correctly. Especially both halves.

Frankly, I don't have too much space between my radiator sides but if what you had worked, then it worked! That's always a good thing

The original factory supplied one for these trucks without AC is a little joke of a crescent shaped shroud which just somewhat covers the top of the fan ineffectively. Over the years I'm sure that many of these trucks have had them replaced with ones out of air conditioned rangers/bronco IIs.

 

[chandymanusa]

I have 1988 with 2.9 no a/c took crescent off installed a full shroud off a a/c model it lower my temp. to much even with higher temp. thermostat in it.

 

[Psychopete]

trucks without AC is a little joke of a crescent shaped shroud which just somewhat covers the top of the fan ineffectively

LOL my truck originally had one of those little turds

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

My non-AC '86 parts truck had a full shroud, but it was smaller to go with its smaller fan than my originally AC equipt '85.

So at least in that time frame, a AC fan to go with the AC shroud would be an improvement too.

 

[RustedRanger]

I know I need a full shroud...but money is tight,I should've bought the one from the junkyard when I got my radiator. Sealing the core support to the radiator also improves cooling efficiency going down the road. I think the stock "shroud" that's on there is more a finger guard than anything lol I am thinking my fan clutch is getting weak,I got it used also but I hesitate to replace anything I don't have to besides keeping the oil changed...after all it's a $500 truck and I already have more than that in it...BUT I will say that after several months of working on it after I got it in March of 2009 it has been a really good truck and very reliable My trucks radiator had 2 inches or more space on the pass side and at least an inch on the drivers side and bottom....I think at idle it might have been pulling air from around the radiator not through it.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

If everything is working right it should stay cool without dinking with anything.

 

[RustedRanger]

Little things can be improved. A huge gap around the radiator aint good regardless. Even if everything works like Ford intended, cooling will be improved going down the road by sealing the radiator to the core support...if it is really hot then this will help keep the fan clutch disengaged and reduce drag on the engine.

 

[lethal-threat-b288]

do a taurus fan swap

make sure you get 2 relay harnesses and 3 position switch.....on-off-on
like this

my 2.9L b2 never sees 200degrees.....


TOTAL COST OF EVERYTHING HERE, AROUND 40-50 BUCKS. I GOT THE FAN FOR $25 AT A JY AND THE SWITCH IS 6 AND THE WIRE AND RELAY STUFF IS AROUND 15-20


AND I GAINED ABOUT 5 PONIES FROM REMOVING THE MAN FAN:ICON_THUMBY:

 

[RustedRanger]

Yeah lethal I probably would do something like that if I had the money. I like that the Taurus fan has a shroud. I have installed an E-fan on a car before...years ago I put a 85 305 TPI into a 86 Monte SS, I used a Chevy Citation fan and it worked fine. As long as the fan is a puller and used for a puller the make don't matter...just get the stock plug-in to make it easier to wire up. Lethal...how did you attach the fan to the radiator? Did you use the tranny cooler type push through things? If my fan clutch gives up completely I might go this route.

 

[stevealvey24]

Or possibly this LOL

 

[RustedRanger]

Sure....take it off and mail it to me (for free) and I'll put it right on lol