1981 grand prix

[84GP455]

I agree you should hook up the heater core, that acts like a little radiator even if you don't use the heat. I had trouble with my 455 running hot when i first put it in, here is what I did to keep it cool. New radiator aluminum core w/plastic tanks works great and cheaper than all aluminum, changed 195 thermostat to 160 degrees, big difference!, installed electric fan in front of radiator as a puller with a 12v switch inside for me to turn on and off when needed, huge difference!,changed water pump from cast iron to a high flow aluminum one, big difference! Installed transmission cooler, also big difference! The transmission lines go into a small cooler inside your radiator but it is not very efficient at keeping your transmission cool and it actually makes your radiator hotter. The transmission cooler eliminates the lines from going into your radiator and both the transmission and radiator will run a lot cooler. I also have a flex fan which works great and a complete shroud top and bottom are needed with no holes or cracks. All of these upgrades improved the cooling for my engine.

 

[joesch_1999]

Went to my local scrap yard guy wants 100 for the mark 8 fan good deal or?

I paid about $40 at pick and pull for mine; I would check online, you could probably find one cheaper than $100

Do i need the shroud off of the lincoln?

 

[dogsht]

Yes you want the shroud with it. Again proper fan to shroud fit is critical in order to get the right vacuum or suck to pull hot air out and cool air through the fins. Too much shroud gap or no shroud makes for little to no actual pull once the radiator gets hot. Too little gap and it stops pulling air but rather just spining in it as it can't move enough air. Mount it on the back of the radiator so that you are pulling cool air through it not on the front of the radiator where you are either trying to push air through which does not work well or pulling hot engine compartment heat through the fins which is also less efficient.

If the shroud does not cover the whole radiator that is not as big of a deal but mount it where it can pull the most heat off ie near where the hot return comes in and which way most of it flows. Generally in the gbody with most engines and horizontal flow radiators that would be the top drivers side corner.

A test you can do once the radiator gets saturated ie can't hold temp down to thermostat temp, see if it can hold/suck a piece of paper to the front of the radiator. If it can't you found your problem ie you need more suck from either a stronger fan or a better vacuum. If it saturates it with heat ie can't hold it down to thermostat temp but it pulls air through and holds the paper your problem it elsewhere ie insufficient radiator dirty film covered cooling system etc.

 

[joesch_1999]

Yes you want the shroud with it. Again proper fan to shroud fit is critical in order to get the right vacuum or suck to pull hot air out and cool air through the fins. Too much shroud gap or no shroud makes for little to no actual pull once the radiator gets hot. Too little gap and it stops pulling air but rather just spining in it as it can't move enough air. Mount it on the back of the radiator so that you are pulling cool air through it not on the front of the radiator where you are either trying to push air through which does not work well or pulling hot engine compartment heat through the fins which is also less efficient.

If the shroud does not cover the whole radiator that is not as big of a deal but mount it where it can pull the most heat off ie near where the hot return comes in and which way most of it flows. Generally in the gbody with most engines and horizontal flow radiators that would be the top drivers side corner.

A test you can do once the radiator gets saturated ie can't hold temp down to thermostat temp, see if it can hold/suck a piece of paper to the front of the radiator. If it can't you found your problem ie you need more suck from either a stronger fan or a better vacuum. If it saturates it with heat ie can't hold it down to thermostat temp but it pulls air through and holds the paper your problem it elsewhere ie insufficient radiator dirty film covered cooling system etc.

Thanks for the explanation helps alot!

 

[adumb]

i just junked my taurus sho so i saved the fans for myself. those are supposed to have good cfm i believe

 

[lesbaldridge]

just wanted to say my son and i love your car man. i just bought him an 81 grand prix and its all stock with 80,000 original miles, but it kinda still looks like a granny car with the wire wheel hub caps, V6 and brown paint. your car was one of the ones i showed him so he could envision what his could look like if we bought it. definitely helped me talk him into joining the gbody family 😀

 

[joesch_1999]

just wanted to say my son and i love your car man. i just bought him an 81 grand prix and its all stock with 80,000 original miles, but it kinda still looks like a granny car with the wire wheel hub caps, V6 and brown paint. your car was one of the ones i showed him so he could envision what his could look like if we bought it. definitely helped me talk him into joining the gbody family 😀

Glad I could assist lol. I wish my lid would get into it but he wont.

 

[lesbaldridge]

yeah, i almost lost mine to the "fast and furious" syndrome..LOL. dang riceburners . we were gonna hotrod his but the V-6 in it runs so nice and its so clean under the hood were thinking about turning it into a oldschool lowrider with the 100 spoke gold daytons and all. well see what happens. right now its his daily driver and seems to be running great.

 

[Kato Asmodeus]

Joesch,
Your Car Is Gorgeous, Bro!!...

-Kato...

 

[joesch_1999]

thank you very much.