TC nose parts on a 5.0

Topic: TC nose parts on a 5.0 (Read 3344 times) previous topic - next topic

TC nose parts on a 5.0

May 11, 2013, 01:16:37 PM

I remember a while back a debate on the TC nose pieces parts being put on a 5.0 and the engine temp or air flow issues that can become an issue.
Mason and i were discussing doing lower air dam diflectors to push / direct air up a tiny bit to hit the bottom of the radiator.

It has been a verrrrrrrrryyy long time since i saw this topic come up.

can we discuss that or anyone share what they experienced?

MCassity is a member on the board and i mentioned to him that we need to confirm this issue before we move forward to the nose swap and paint.

We are trip by trip getting a single 88 blue TC torn down from a bone yard,, basically has never been touched except for the electric fan thats missing up front.

this past monday i went and got the hood, nose, bumper cover, all dash switches, cluster trim pieces , all the lights for the front,, total came to 250.oo

TC nose parts on a 5.0

Reply #1 – May 11, 2013, 02:59:28 PM

The TC nose on a 5.0 will cool fine as long as you run the factory black plastic air under the bumper. Even a stock TC runs the risk over overheating without it. On regular Thunderbirds almost all of the air intake for the radiator comes from under the bumper. Only a small amount of air comes through the grill.

TC nose parts on a 5.0

Reply #2 – May 11, 2013, 07:29:01 PM

mine was fine without any air dam. it would occasional get about 3/4 on the gauge, but I also have no overflow bottle.

TC nose parts on a 5.0

Reply #3 – May 11, 2013, 08:21:27 PM

Mine is great with the TC header panel. Never reaches the halfway mark on the temp gauge. I do have a three row aluminum radiator and Taurus fan as well. I also have a chin spoiler on the car. Still, no issues at all.

TC nose parts on a 5.0

Reply #4 – May 11, 2013, 09:00:36 PM

A TC will most certainly over heat at highway speeds if the lower air dam is missing and that was with both fans hard wired and running continually... I even swapped the radiator with no improvement, that little piece of plastic made all the difference in the world...

TC nose parts on a 5.0

Reply #5 – May 11, 2013, 09:34:52 PM

ok,,
what part are you all talking about,,
i have the bumper cover, i clearly understand the air flow from the openings in the bumper cover
is there a part i need to fabricate to dulicate the oem part,

jsut need a pic or i can dig through my shop manuals and see if i can narrow down what your talking about.

there is an odd thing going on with my son's car though,, his normal temp reading is like its running cold all the time. It never gets near the half mark, it stays wayyyyyy down low but
on the highway it will get just below the middle, i find this odd. His temp sensor is new and i think there may be a resistance problem somewhere because this isnt normal. back on topic though i dont want to have misleading readings going into this.

the nose parts go on in the next month or so then paint. i have time to plan this out correctly. I mentioned earlier about a diflector for air agregation down at the openings of the bumper cover,, hope thats the area you are speaking about tom??????

if i need to make something, i can do it.

TC nose parts on a 5.0

Reply #6 – May 11, 2013, 11:20:00 PM

The Air Dam isn't necessary to keep the car from overheating. My 88 TC never had the Air Dam from the time that I got it, and was always fine at highway speeds, cruise, or in stop and go traffic. Temp was always good other than during stop and go, had to turn on the cooling fan then. Plenty of air comes in through the holes in the in bottom of the bumper cover, but an air dam could direct a little more air upward and through the rad. TC50 probably had a slightly cracked head, which was pushing air bubbles into the water jackets. Makes it very hard to cool the motor like that, and nothing will help short of changing out the head. I had the same problem before. After changing out the head, mine stays cool now with only a 1 row rad installed. Only need cooling fans during S&G.

TC nose parts on a 5.0

Reply #7 – May 11, 2013, 11:37:20 PM

ill have a pic of the tc bumper I just pulled of and swapped to the base bumper cover because the air dam and vents were damaged.

TC nose parts on a 5.0

Reply #8 – May 12, 2013, 12:13:57 AM

mines not in good shape either, i have to plasic weld or epoxy all the little dividers back together.

you guys arent talking about the very bottom piece thats black on the exterior thats basically a striaght part pointing down,, its usually a black long strip along the bottom,, is that the part Tom's talking about?

if so, i have that part

TC nose parts on a 5.0

Reply #9 – May 12, 2013, 11:14:30 AM

yeah, that's the air dam. the lowers are nearly identical sans foglight holes.

TC nose parts on a 5.0

Reply #10 – May 12, 2013, 03:56:19 PM

Quote from: jcassity;414950

you guys arent talking about the very bottom piece thats black on the exterior thats basically a striaght part pointing down,, its usually a black long strip along the bottom,, is that the part Tom's talking about?

if so, i have that part

That's the part I was talking about, it looks the same on pretty much every vehicle of the time period. I'll be installing one since I'll have a Radiator, Condenser, Trans Cooler, and Intercooler, all sandwiched together inside the nose of my Bird. I think it will be necessary at that point, it's just not necessary for a stock 2.3T or 5.0 TC nosed Bird to keep it from overheating.

TC nose parts on a 5.0

Reply #11 – May 12, 2013, 08:58:05 PM

The TC I was referring to did not have a cracked head, once the air dam was in place the overheating issue ceased...

Note when I say overheating I don't mean boiling, just that the stock gauge was almost at max at highway speeds, once the air dam was in place it settled back to approx 2/3-3/4 scale which is where my others all tended to run...

TC nose parts on a 5.0

Reply #12 – May 12, 2013, 11:45:45 PM

I picked up a TC header for mine. I'm planning on upgrading the radiator and installing a new fan clutch before changing the header. My air dam is in place.

TC nose parts on a 5.0

Reply #13 – May 13, 2013, 12:39:07 AM

here's a picture of both of mine. tc bottom. I see no appreciable difference unless you want head lights.

TC nose parts on a 5.0

Reply #14 – May 13, 2013, 01:04:20 AM

haystack, wanna part with that bumper, should would save on blending paint.
i have a py red one i have to fix before preping.

ok, the bumper cover we have has the air dam,, i thought you all were talking about something additional on the inside of the bumper.