Pontiac Cooling System Upgrade - Cool Winds

After attaching the fan-mounting brackets to the fan, it was time to innovate in order to mount them to the core. Though the arms would swing out wide enough to clear the radiator, a bridge had to be built from the core support outward. Electrical contractor strapping was purchased, along with 1/4 x 1-inch-long carriage bolts and lock nuts.

Conclusion
After examining and testing both coolant flow and airflow through the radiator, it was determined that any reduction in coolant flow brought with it increased coolant temps.

Airflow testing resulted in the addition of two key items that allowed significant improvements in cooling. The Ames Performance air conditioning seal kit allowed more air to be directed through the radiator and, although the PRC custom shroud was very attractive, it limited the volume of air passing through the radiator so the Tempest ultimately ran cooler on the highway without it. Fortunately, though low-speed performance without a shroud should have decreased, it didn't, showing just how strong the SPAL fan is in drawing air through the radiator. Performance at high-speed and on the highway showed the most dramatic improvements with a 20-degree reduction in coolant temperature.

In addition to significantly improving overall cooling system performance, we dispelled the rumor that electric water pumps are only appropriate for strip cars that see limited real-world usage. Anytime you can cruise the interstate for 50 miles at the posted speed limit and never exceed 190-degree coolant temps, you can be confident that you can hop in your Pontiac and drive to work or load up and travel a few states away to hit a national Pontiac event. With a rating of over 2,500 hours of continuous use, the water pump should last well over 75,000 miles and provide flexibility at the dragstrip to always be at or below your thermostat rating even if you are required to hot-lap your car for the next round of eliminations.

If your ride is in need of a cooling system upgrade, consider checking in with these vendors. In addition to quality parts at reasonable prices, they all provided timely and accurate technical support to make sure that the system was optimized.

Although the snow may be swirling and a football game is about to start, there's no better time than the present to prepare your Pontiac for next summer.

Two sections of the strapping were used for each side of the radiator. After bending each section level with the outermost edge of the radiator, the carriage bolts and nuts affixed the brackets to the core support and joined the sections in the center.

After centering the fan, the bolts and nuts were tightened with a 7/16-inch wrench and a cut-off wheel was used to shear off approximately 1/2-inch of the bolt that protruded past the lock washer.

Here is the final and most efficient setup for our cooling system. Note the seal kits are installed and the fan is mounted directly to the radiator support, sans the shroud.

Recommended Tools
Standard socket set
Standard wrenches
Allen wrenches
Cut-off wheel or grinding wheel
Drill and drill bits

Recommended Parts and Supplies
(20) 1/4 x 3/4-inch carriage bolts
(20) 1/4-inch lock nuts
Electrical strapping