Hi all, It's been quite a while since I've checked in here. I've got a nagging issue with my car that I'm finally trying to solve. The temperature creeps up when I'm in stop and go traffic and at idle. So the story with the car is it's a Non-A/C '68 Wildcat that had a '71 455 transplanted into it. I replaced the radiator, the block was flushed and all the coolant passages were clean, yet still the problem persists. I did a little research and found that the water pump pulley setup is the original larger pulley from the '68, and I'm willing to bet that the waterpump itself is 5 vane pump for the '71 455. From what I've read, the original 430 water pump was a 6 vane pump that could move more coolant with the larger pulley. The symptoms all agree with too little coolant flow at idle. My question is what are my options? I can't seem to find any 6 vane original pumps. It seems 5 vanes are the only aftermarket option. This makes me think that many people are in the same boat as me. Are there any recommended high flow water pumps? Is there a reduced sized water pump pulley available to speed up the 5 vane pumps? Does one of the grooves on the double groove A/C version waterpump pulley line up with the non-A/C groove? If so, than that looks like a viable option for a smaller pulley. Does looking into electric fans that can keep the coolant cooler at idle help solve this issue? Your thoughts are welcome.
It has the short neck pump and pulley for the '68. But the pump is an aftermarket pump that I'm 99% sure is a 5 vane pump. The fan is a 4 blade fan with no shroud and no clutch. It's pressed about as tight up to the radiator as it could possibly be.
No shroud? Theres your answer:laugh: With no shroud, the fan is just stirring the air around the engine compartment, its NOT drawing it thru the radiator. Get the correct shroud and a thermal clutch and proper fan. Ask on here about those three items, Im sure somebody knows the right parts
Sounds like you wont have room for a shroud or clutch fan. Your only option may be electric fans and that could lead to an electrical upgrade for the charging system.
I didn't think that the 68 had a shroud. But yeah, no room for a clutch. I'm actually 99% sure I'm switching to dual electric fans (ordered them last week) but only yesterday discovered the issue of the oversized pulley on the non-A/C 67-70 BBB.
I would think there would be plenty of room for a shroud and fan clutch in a Wildcat? Didn't they come that way from the factory? I would not go to electric fans. A good fan and clutch with a proper shroud gets the job done.
Post a picture of your fan setup. I'm willing to bet that with the 4 blade fan and no clutch he's got that giant solid spacer on there. Look to get a 7 blade fan and thermal clutch AND A SHROUD. TA Performance sells a new water pump - its pricey but its so much better than the parts store WP's http://taperformance.com/proddetail.asp?prod=TA_1537BHP
Yes the 6 blade impeller cooled better then the 5. But these cars often left the factory with cooling issues. I am almost willing to bet it has a small ID crank pulley with 2 grooves? Water pump pulley might be a larger ID? 67's were were also bad for have under drive pulley's also. It was kinda common to see under drive crank pulleys until 71. Those factory 4 blade fans actually move a lot of air. If It cools fine on the high way and not around town it has enough Rad and RPM to move coolant etc. a 160 T-stat also helps band aid by giving the system bit of a head start on recovery. If you can, measure the ID of crank and WP pulleys I can help you get some better pulleys if using U/N drive crank pulleys. I think you are correct that these 68 big cars had no shroud with no A/C?
I found these pictures of a 1968 Buick Wildcat. Looks like this one has a shroud, but it clearly has A/C as well. https://classicrecollections.com/2012/09/12/feature-1968-buick-wildcat/ https://classicrecollections.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/dsc_3221_72.jpg https://classicrecollections.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/dsc_3252_72.jpg https://classicrecollections.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/dsc_3257_72.jpg
Thanks guys for all the feedback, it's got the 6-3/4" WP pulley and 6-1/4" balancer pulley that were stock for the non-A/C '68. Here are some pictures. If I were to go the shroud route, I'd want to pull the fan back from the rad. I'm still leaning towards installing the electric fans to start and see if the situation improves, and then take my time getting the details of improving the mechanical setup.
If you think you need a better water pump this is the one: http://www.flowkoolerwaterpumps.com....html?osCsid=45335a2b177fca30ad27bd51c95f4a31 This thing helps cool my 462 supercharged BBB with and intercooler in front of the radiator. I also run some large electric fans. It runs 160 to 172 in 90 degree temperature.
I would get a fan shroud and a clutch fan from a AC equipped 68 Wildcat. That fan spacer you have now is at least 3" . That is more than enough room for a fan clutch. Your set-up now is what the car would have come from the factory with being it is a Non AC car.
That sill won't fix it. It has a under drive crank pulley and to big of WP pulley. Install Big ID crank pulley, small ID WP pulley, New TA water pump and 160 t-stat. You can also get the Long TA pump and matching pulleys with a clutch fan and shroud.
Based on the pulley sizes you posted 1:1, I'm wondering if getting a larger crank pulley to water pump pulley ratio, would give you that extra water flow and fan speed to keep things cooler. Edit:I gotta apologize to the OP, my mind fixated to the shroud or lack thereof. After re-reading, everything that was said in the 1st post, sorta answered your own question. In a nutshell, you're trying to cool that 455 with parts intended for the 430. Why not give the 455 what it wants?
He needs a large crank pulley and a smaller water pump pulley and a good water pump. This is a very common problem that is often over looked.
Have you ever had a BBB with a "Factory 4 blade fan Gary? They move a lot of air. I also am not a fan of 180 stat's in a situation like this unless it is running to cool. It does give it some wiggle room in traffic.
I disagree on most of your post here or I agree to disagree. I have fixed way to many of these coolant issues caused be people chasing there tail and this does nothing to help the Poster, this is why I usually do this through PM's. I respectfully back out here and the poster can PM me and I will only be to happy to help him.
To start with if its just in need of more RPM to feed more air then why have so many gone with bigger rads, shrouds and big fans and still run hot? What about people that have issues that remove the T-stat all together and run into over heating? Or you can stick a 4 core custom rad in a 67 GS with big clutch fan etc and it still runs hot around town until you swap out the under drive crank pulley and over sized W/P pulley, also 6 blade impeller factory water pumps cool better and the TA water pump is good for 20* improvement. He should also be looking at timing because it could be retarded, And today's oils have great additive packages that eliminate moisture etc in the oil also. A factory 4 blade fan moves a lot of air, nothing like the after markets out there.
