Cool/Heat: Fan to Radiator distance, With and WithOut Shroud

[63looks59]

Fantastic Members----on a 56 champion, there is quite a distance from the fan to the radiator--there currently is no shroud.
I was thinking of installing a spacer to get the fan closer to the radiator, but someone told me that moving fan closer to radiator without
the presence of a shroud , wont do much enhanced cooling...Is this true----? AND, are shrouds avail to fit a 56 champion ?
thank U All...

[wittsend]

The negative of the shroudl-ess arrangement is that you are drawing some air from the engine compartment. It is hot air and not all drawn through the radiator. The shroud forces the (cooler) air to be drawn from outside the vehicle and almost 100% passes through the radiator. There is an optimal distance from the fan to the radiator for each situation but likely requires testing. On a shrouded arrangement I've heard something to the effect that about 1/3 of the blade depth should be sticking out of the shroud at the rear.

You did not state, but are you having cooling issues? If not then there is no need to alter anything. The fan spacers are generally cheap so little lost in trying one. Make sure to consider engine movement under heavy braking otherwise you will soon be asking about radiator replacements too! If you are having cooling issues and the system is healthy then I'd opt for a shroud. If there is nothing available as a factory item they can easily be adapted from a wrecking yard. It takes some fabrication skills but not much.

[Lynn]

Generally speaking, without a shroud, the closer the fan is to the radiator (safe distance) the better. It has been 47 years, but I once fixed an overheating issue on a Mustang by inserting four 1/8 inch shims behind the radiator mounting bolts to get the radiator closer to the fan. As wittsend stated, there are optimal distances for different situations. IDEALLY, a shroud would be best. Next best thing is to get the fan closer. There are draw backs though. On my 49 2R16A, I got the fan really close to the radiator, but that means I have to pull the radiator before I pull the fan and water pump.

[StudeRich]

Just checking if your: " '56 Champion" is a Sedan/Wagon or a Flight Hawk Six?
It seems unlikely that anyone would call a Hawk a Champion, but stranger things HAVE happened since the Engine COULD be!

Hawks, due to the extreme distance to the Radiator need a Shroud, but Sedans/Wagons never did.

Just be aware when shimming a fan closer to a Radiator, that the Bottom is closer due to Engine angle and if Engine Mounts are old/weak engine movement will happen.

Also, I see that I have New Water Pumps here for '39-'53 Champions and '48-'58 170 Engined Trucks with a Short Shaft and '54 to '64 170's have a Long shaft, I wonder if you could have the wrong Water Pump?

[altair]

My 54 has a factory shroud is there a big difference for 56?

[63looks59]

Fellas--- No cooling problem exists----it a 259/Wagon --- just thinking if I drive in heat and have issues, I wanted to already be looking at options......Regards

[StudeRich]

But, Post #1 is about a '56 Champion! .. ..

[62champ]

I was taught that at the closest point (on the very bottom of the rotation of the fan on your car) you should be able to get your finger between the fan blade and the surface of the radiator fins.

See photos all the time where the fan spacers have been tossed/lost and the cooling fans are too far back from the radiator.

Good luck.

[wittsend]

But, Post #1 is about a '56 Champion! .. ..

Yes, but when you go by "63looks59" maybe it doesn't matter.