fan shroud advice

[tdaver]

Hi folks,

I am looking for advice on fan shrouds. I have installed a Summit aluminum radiator in my newly rebuilt 440 which has nearly eliminated my overheating problems. Still, on a hot day, if I run hard, it will overheat. I want to add a fan shroud to the radiator. I am running a 20 inch stock 7 blade fan with clutch. Looking on the Summit website, the only shrouds for a fan this large are just semi-circular strips of sheet metal. The stock radiator shroud covered the entire radiator but these Summit shrouds just wrap around part of the fan blades. I am wondering if anyone has experience with these or if they are a waste of money?

I would rather not buy an electric fan kit at this point if I can make this shroud work for $37. Any advice or experience?

If you want to follow my overheating troubles, see the following thread on this forum where many suggested solutions were proposed and tried:

"440 overheating and tuning problems"

Thanks!

[wilks3]

The fan will only pull air from inside the "circle" through the radiator, might be enough to cool at idle or under 30 mph. Where a full shroud will let fan pull from all of the radiator core. Go to your local heating and cooling place and get a piece of scrap and make your own for nothing.
If it works then buy fancy chrome one.

[turbododge]

When is is overheating, low or high speed? If it is at speed, a shroud may actually hurt you by restricting airflow.

[cudabob496]

I have a 496 Cuda with an 2 inch aluminum radiator and a 14 inch puller fan without a shroud. Stays around 170 - 180 when I use a high flow 160 thermostat, and stays around 190 when I use a 180 normal thermostat. I'm gonna try a high flow 180 stat. I think not having a shroud allows more air to go through the radiator and provide better cooling. I only need to turn on the fan when stuck in traffic. But the big advantage I have is a vented hood, and a 4 inch front spoiler, so that allows more air through the rad. A sealed engine compartment restricts air through the rad.

[dodger1]

You might want to go find a junkyard stock fan shroud from any late 70's B or C-body and make it fit the new rad. Since you have the stock 7-blade clutch fan that might be an easy solution as they would be shaped to fit the fan.

[cudabob496]

Or you could buy a new fan shroud for your car that fits the fan size you have, then fab up some brackets to attach it to your radiator. That's what I did when I got my alum radiator before I went to electric.