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OK I have a 1954 with the 235 engine and am having issues with cooling while at long idle periods. I have done all the suggestions but nothing solves this issue. I can put a shop fan in front of truck and idle it a day so its and airflow issue with the fan I guess. I have read that the Flex A Lite 118 works on these trucks with a controller installed in the cooling fins. I just want to be sure before I pull the trigger and get this fan. ANY suggestions will be welcome thanks

Did all the suggestions include a Shroud around the fan? I looked for reviews on the Flex A Lite,but couldn't find any,other than from the Vendors selling them.

No I never did put a shroud around the fan I kind of wanted to eliminate the mechanical fan and put a electrical fan on it just wanted to know what others did.

Sucking fans are more efficient. One can make or have made an Al shroud that has a hole in the center for the fan, mounts to radiator so airflow from fan is all coming through whole radiator, put rubber flaps on inside so air can flow through due to vehicle speed-look at VW, etc.

Very efficient.

Ed

Do you ever intend to use the truck like it was intended to be used, or is it a Cowboy Cadillac that will never see any real loads? High engine speeds in the lower gears with a heavy load and low road speed will generate more heat than any electric fan can blow away. If it's never going to do real truck things, go ahead and go electric.
Jerry

What year 235 is in it? High mounted water or low mounted water pump?
Have you done any modifications to the engine?
Is the mechanical fan original to the truck?
What radiator cap are you running? 4 pounds is what is called for. A 7 pound cap (very commonly available and mistakenly used) will raise your coolant temperature.
Exactly what are the symptoms of the "issues with cooling"?
What is the duration of "the long idle periods?
You shouldn't be having temperatures above 190 degrees unless it is above 85-90 degrees out.
Carl

You would be supprised how much improvement in cooling you get when you add an overflow tank. Start with the tank almost full and in a few cycles of running and cooling off, it will remove all the air from the system. That and installing the correct shroud, and it will idle in summer traffic jams with no problems (160 degree thermostat).

It is the original engine unmodified And I will check the radiator cap I think it is a 7 lb and that's the first I heard of that suggestion cheap to try anyway. And long traffic lights in hot weather will make it go up to over 200

Oh and it has the original fan on it. And I do have a overflow tank but have yet to install it.

And I have tried 160 degree up to 180 degree thermostats with same result. I have a 160 in it now and if I let it idle for long after the engine warms up it will easily climb above 200

This old truck has done its work and is used to haul my granddaughter to get ice cream no high speeds or heavy loads that's what the Silverado is for now

It sounds like the block needs a good flushing.
Rust and sediment can block or reduce the cooling holes between the head and the block and can accumulate in the bottom of the cooling jacket of the block.
This reduces cooling and causes hot spots.
Remove the rear block drain and see if the coolant drains freely or if the block is all silted up.

There are vertical mount overflow tanks on many vehicles that fit well in an older engine compartment, if one does not mind a modern item in the engine compartment, after trying all other avenues.

Ed

There was an overflow tank offered as an option in the parts catalog as early as the 40's. It's a metal tank that mounts on the firewall. Mounted one (repop) in the '48 2 ton.
http://s1276.photobucket.com/user/jsdesign2/media/20151230_210553_zps8zaatrdc.jpg.html
Just ignore the instructions to install it empty and empty it occasionally ????? just the reverse of what you want to do.

"There was an overflow tank offered as an option in the parts catalog as early as the 40's."

Jim,

Is there a catalog that lists accessories like that? I have 1929-51 and 1938-64 Chevy parts catalogs and those catalogs don't list accessories.

I learned of an accessory 2-piece fan shroud for 1934-36 Chevy trucks from a service bulletin. It took about 40 years of searching to find both halves. I'm going to mount it on my '36 PU. My '36 has no overheating problem but that fan shroud is a piece of art deco beauty that deserves to be displayed.

What is the device mounted on the front of your rear carburetor?

I will see if I can locate the book I found it in.

That is a float bowl that supplies the Southwind gas heater.
The usually seen "carburetor" for Southwinds that mounts by drilling a hole in the carb and sticking the pick up tube into the float bowl, are becoming hens teeth. There were other options. This was for use on ford flathead V-8's. It has it's own float bowl.

Yar,
R.P.O. 271 Radiator Overflow Condenser
(part# 3690732)
The installation instructions are found on Section 0 sheet 17.00 of the 1947-54 truck factory assembly manual.

It is called a condenser because, at the time, The concept was to catch the steam from the overflow (zero pressure or very low pressure cap)and cool it back to liquid in the metal can and let it be sucked in when the engine cooled. They didn't have the concept of a purged air cooling system at that time. But it works like any "modern" overflow tank when you keep it at least 1/2 full of coolant.

One other thing to look at is the ignition timing. If it is a little slow at idle can cause heating issues.

The block flush is complete it took awhile to get flow from the port. Took the radiator to the shop had it cleaned out. Wandering which thermostat to run 160 or 180. And since the radiator is out to pull water pump no issues with it. I have removed the fan and pulley cleaned up and painted the pully. New hoses and belt will go on as will a new 4lb cap.

I did order a flex a lite 118 and fan controller going to try mounting it as a puller. Going to do away with OEM fan if I can if not I will mount it as a pusher.

Ok could not mount the fan as a puller had to use as a pusher. Would not even come close to going in that location. So I removed the hood latch panel and removed the X braces because it would not go there either with the brace. I mounted the fan to the radiator though the fins good thing mine has the vertical tubes. The horizontal tubes are bad to rub holes in with the though fun mounts. I tossed the plastic hardware except for the washers. Could not get a snug mount and they let the fan vibrate. I used 1/4" bolts and put the plastic washers on them after drilling out to fit bolt. I then snugged the fan up and put jam nuts on them. No more vibration. Thermostat open at 180 fan would cool it down way past 180. It ran idle for several hours like this.

What temp does it run while pulling a long hill with a heavy load in the bed?
Jerry

i put a basic electric on mine last year. On nice hot days it will climb when stuck in traffic but has never actually overheated yet. With a simple push of a button i can kick it in and watch the temp gauge fall.

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l170/mazdacub/1949%20Chev/IMG_2843.jpg

Im also running a flex fan on the pulley side. Going to make a nice s.s. shroud soon on the laser table to finish it off.

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l170/mazdacub/1949%20Chev/P1140241.jpg

Hey Wolffy, what year engine are you running? Looks like a 55.2 or later with the low water pump. How far low-of-center is the fan in relation to the center of the radiator? (Just curious about the dimensions.)
I can tell you this, if you put a fan shroud which covers half of the flex fan, and you park in front of the house, you will be able to suck the sheets through the keyhole. I have an original shroud from a big truck with a flex-fan and it makes a huge difference.
Carl

Wolffcub that's what I did to mine, but I did away with the metal puller fan. I will be putting a thermostat fan control on it this weekend with a manual override switch. The Flex a Lite
118 in the pusher position cools it off nicely now. I mounted it in the middle of the radiator and it pushes a lot of air through it.

HotRod Lincoln I do not haul any heavy loads with it. I got a new Silverado for that.