Hey Guys…Check the distance of the fan-clutch vanes to the radiator. I had the original fan-clutch that came with the car when I purchased it. I decided I should get a new fan-clutch so I took the old one to NAPA and we went through their fan-clutches and found one that matched the one I had. Come to find out the original fan-clutch I had was incorrect. Installing a thermal fan-clutch with the vanes of the fan-clutch 1/2 inch away from the radiator solved my 28 year old overheating problem.
I’ve had my 1965 300L with A/C for close to 30 years. When I first purchased the car it had a flex-fan and it was very noisy so I went back to the original fan and fan-clutch. I then started having overheating problems. At 60-65 MPH the temperature ran right around 190 degrees; if I tried to keep up with freeway traffic 70-75 MPH the temperature would shoot up to 230-235 degrees. I would then slow back down and temperature would go back down. For 28 years I messed with this problem. I live in the San Diego area and over the years I have made countless trips to Phoenix AZ, 700 miles R/T, to the Carmel Meet, Placerville Meet, Alamogordo Meet, two Las Vegas Meets. All the time driving 60-65 MPH. I installed Hi-flow water-pumps, four-row radiator, centrifugal-clutch then went back to OEM configuration. The engine was rebuilt 23 years ago with a salvaged Imperial 413 block. Same problem. For 28 years I drove 65 MPH!
Just before the Pasadena Meet the thermal fan-clutch went out. I got pretty good at changing fans, water pumps and fan-clutches. I got a new thermal fan-clutch from O’Reilly’s and installed it. The vanes on the old clutch were over an inch away from the radiator. The new clutch vanes were 1/2 inch from the radiator (same as my '64.) What a difference! The car no longer overheats! I drove to the Pasadena Meet 125 miles at 70-80 MPH and temperature never went above 210 degrees.
300 Regards...George Ver Berkmoes
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