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6 in a row twice is far superior. LONG LIVE Rolls-Royce Phantom III.


THE GREAT GRAND WIZARD

I'm sorry Rolls-Who? Never heard of the them.

My experience is with Packard and Studebaker V8s, but drove them, with air conditioning almost daily while living in the California desert for six years (29 Palms). Out there I passed many modern, brand X cars sitting on the side of the road due to overheating. Usually those people were tourists, inexperienced with operating in the desert: refused to shut the AC off on long upgrades; cars were set up for operation in cooler climate, i.e. light duty radiator, or cooling systems needed a general tune up anyway.

Generally, overheating begins to be a problem when outside temps go over 90, and the problem just about doubles when it goes over 100.

The best place to start is making sure everything is working as it should be, and others on this NG have already covered those areas well.

After all is working right, a few modifications can also help. Mods I have used included larger radiator (five core), sirocco style (double pass) aluminum radiator, six blade flex fan, 16" electric fan in front of the radiator, smaller water pump pulley, lowering compression ratio, Mobil 1 oil (15w50), and adding a fuel return line from the carb back to tank (reduces vapor lock).

I might also add, as long as you can control vapor lock, there is no harm in engine operating temps of 200-210 (V8s at least). In the desert summer with AC on and temps of 100+, my V8s usually ran at 200-210, and I never experienced a heat related problem

Hope this helps.

Joe H

Quote:

"It's 8 in a V for me!"

Thanks guys. I did figure out the search engine and spent the time to read it regarding overheating. Wow so many possibilities. I completed the first half of the log on the original 4 bladed fan. I installed the new flex 5 bladed fan today and will start taking readings tonight and through tomorrow.
Big Kev - while Im not a computer genius I am retired and have time to help with your idea of a Trouble Shooting forum. Sounds like a great idea to me. Apparently I live in an area that doesn't have mechanics that will work on the old ones. Unless they can plug them into a computer and pump them out the door as fast as possible, they don't want to get involved. Please let me know if I can be of any assistance.
As to slow responses, I was just kidding. I've gotten more responses on this site to my questions in 3 weeks than I did on Classicars.com in 6 months. I broke a valve spring and didn't know what was wrong. There I got over 330 views and only 16 replies. 13 of them were mine. After a month of searching for a mechanic I gave up and my grandson and I fixed it ourselves. Only reason Im here is thanks to Turbopakman showing the way.
If Im asking too many questions - just tell me to shut up. It won't work but you are welcome to try. HAHAHAHAHHAHA

Ron,

No worries, remember the only dumb question is the one not asked.

As far as mechanics go in the Southern Califonia area, there are folks that will work on them, but they typically dont come cheap. Custom Auto Service in Santa Ana specializes in Packards.

Also some of the Hot Rod shops also have mechanics on hand that work on older engines. But they may have a long lead time in actually getting to your car.

Almost completed temp test - should have results late today.
Mal Ozstatman from Australia came by today and took some pics of the car to take back with him. Very nice man, wish he could have spent more time with us. Could have put some Bratz on the Barbie but he had to go.

TEMP TEST RESULTS
Between Original standard 4 blade and 5 blade flex fan on 1940 Packard 120 8 Cylinder.
All readings were taken immediately upon returning home, with engine idling and garage door open to outside. Note - engine block, head, and radiator had been flushed. All readings were taken after flush.

ORIGINAL 4 BLADE FAN -
Air temp 78 degrees - water temp 178 degrees
Air temp 94 degrees - water temp 196 degrees

NEW 5 BLADE FLEX FAN -
Air temp 78 degrees - water temp 172 degrees
Air temp 93 degrees - water temp 176 degrees

While the air temp was 1 degree cooler, a water temp reading was a full 20 degrees lower
I had to bite my lip installing the un-original new fan, after the tests Im glad I did it. I used a standard kitchen meat thermometer and let it rest in the radiator for 2 minuets before recording the temp.
The increased amount of air blowing across the engine and being sucked thru the radiator is dramatic. I have no way to measure it but it must have doubled.
Im considering PROBLEM SOLVED
Now on to the next problem

Joe, Thank you very much for all this information. While i don't have an overheating problem on my 47 It does get quite hot during parade or stop and go traffic in summer weather and this fan seems to be very effective. Can you tell us where you bought it?

Ron,

Now that I'm back in Oz, thanks for the kind words.

Blokes and Sheila's out there,(that's Aussie for Guys and Gals) I saw Ron's 5 blade flex fan, at rest. And it appears to be a non intrusive, and now from Rom's report on it's improved cooling performance, a very effective measure for a very prevalent problem,

Thanks again Ron for welcoming me and showing me your Packard.

By the way - call me Mal Harris - Ozstatman is a label used after it was bestowed on me by one of my son's for compiling statistics for my daughter and son's junior basketball games some years ago! However I'll answer to that as soon as most other names, within reason