Rad to shroud clearance

[Frankb]

There is about 1/8 to 3/16 gap between rad and fan shroud at the top where the two meet. Rad is Glenray and shroud is OEM Is this an issue? Should the top of shroud but right up against rad?. I could easily use some weather strip to seal the top. Sides are fine. Thanks
Frank

 

[zyzzyx]

Yes, you should glue a piece of black foam in the gap. The most important time to have all
of the air flow going through the radiator is when you're idling. When you're doing 45 or
so, there is enough air flow to keep things cool but when you're stuck in traffic you need
all the help you can get.

 

[Kilrbee]

No don't worry about it. There will be way more than enough air being drawn through the radiator to do its job. No sense cobbling something up that will look non stock

 

[69 Sleeper Bee]

I think it will be fine the way it is. Have you had any overheating issues ?

 

[Nxcoupe]

Mine is that way, with ac and I thought it might be an issue, but it hasn't been so far.

 

[moparedtn]

That's the way a lot of them came from the factory. Up to you if you want to "improve" things there...

 

[Cranky]

The ones on my Dakota and the diesel are better but that's not bad and like mentioned above, if there's no issues with temp, it'll be fine. Heck, I'm not even running a shroud on my other Dakota and it's doing fine even in this 102 crap....

 

[Frankb]

Thanks. Car not running yet so unknown on overheat issues. I doubt it will overheat either way. Gets real hot out here in the summer though. If filling that gap increases cooling efficiency then I'm good with it.
Frank

 

[Ccas]

The gap is normal but if you seal the gap all the way around the shroud, you'll eliminate pulling some of that really hot engine compartment air instead of 100% coming from much cooler air that's in front of the radiator. So you'll get more air through the radiator and you'll get more cooler air. It will make a measurable difference both in temps and cfm when sitting in traffic. Of course there is an aesthetic aspect that only you can decide whether it's bothersome.

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

OP I have the same gap on my repop shroud. I wonder why they did it like that originally? I tried squeezing in some foam (but didn’t glue) and it dislodged in not many miles. I would just leave as is.

What is the distance from your radiator face to the closest edge of the fan? I’ve read ideal is about 1” and also the fan 1/2 inside the shroud with the fan being more outside than in the shroud preferred. I’m wondering which is better for my setup - i have a 1/2” spacer and a 1” spacer. With the 1” spacer I am 1.5” away from the rad but 2/3 inside the shroud. With the 1/2” spacer it’s 2” away from the rad and 1/3 inside shroud.

 

[Frankb]

Fab blade leading edge to rad is about 1.5 inch. Leading edge of fan hub (clutch?) is much closer about 1/4" to 1/2" from rad. more of the fan (most actually) is inside the shroud. I have no spacers. Shroud is OEM

 

[Nxcoupe]

Mine is about 1.5" away from radiator since I bought the correct repro fan clutch. The fan is about 1/3 inside the shroud. Engine stays cool and ac is freezing cold.

 

[68 Sport Satellite]

I forgot to state that I have a fixed non-clutch fan so that's why I run a spacer.
I wasn't sure which affects engine cooling more - being closer to the radiator (1.5" vs 2" to leading fan edge) or the fan being less inside the shroud. For my 2 comparison examples it probably doesn't matter much.

 

[69 GeeTeeX]

I’ve had several cars in the past with that same gap and never had a problem. That’s how they were originally.

Looks like your new radiator is a 3 row, cant tell if you got the max cooling that Glenn Ray offers or not?

 

[Frankb]

Yes mine is a GlenRay max cooling