mikeirocz1

iTrader: (1)

Installed 3 core Champion radiator and fan shroud with the dual 12" fans and my temp is running 240-245. My car use to run around 180-195 with the stock radiator and fans. I installed a 3500 lockup stall, 4.11 gears and and derale transmission cooler with built on fan and it ran around 200-210. I figured I would upgrade the radiator and fans to try to get it back down to around 200. I live in south Houston Texas and it's gets really hot. So I have the 3 core radiator and dual 12" fans now and I also took the derale tranny cooler off and put a smaller one on the front of the radiator with no fan. The derale took up almost the whole front of the radiator and I thought it was causing it to run hotter. It's 80* today and it's running 240-245 so when it gets 100* in the summer I for sure won't be able to drive it without it overheating. I also added some of the Royal Purple Ice additive to the radiator thats suppose to help run cooler. I have a new autometer temp guage installed. I checked the temp with a temp gun on the front of the heads and the passenger side was 200 and the driver side was 220. I have a temp guage mounted to the intake and it was also reading 220 but the guage on the inside was reading 240-245. I hit the sending unit in the head and it was 232-234. Is it normal for one side of the engine to run hotter than the other. I looked in the radiator with the car running and could see the water flowing through the cooling fins so the water pump is working. I don't know if it's not pumping as good as it should. I figured with the upgrade it would run cooler not hotter. It's not boiling when I turn it off but I don't feel confortable with it at 240-245, my guage only goes to 250 and it's almost pegged out! My fans are working and the air deflector under the car is on. I have a 160 thermostat but am going to put a 195 and see if it helps. Also, not sure if my hoses are collapsing or if there is air in the system. How do you get air out of the system and would it make it run that much hotter? Here's a little info on my setup if it helps.....

350
292H cam, 244 dur/501 lift
Dart Pro 1 Aluminum heads, 2.02/1.60
700R4 with 3500 lockup stall
Mighty Demon 750
MSD 6 Digital Box and Pro Billet Dist.
18-20 initial timing with 18 mech. advance, total 36-38
4.11 rearend

Apeiron

With the engine off and cold, fill the overflow to the cold mark, remove the radiator cap, fill it to the top. Start the engine, keep adding coolant periodically as the level drops, until it starts expanding and spilling out the top. Put the cap back on.

mikeirocz1

iTrader: (1)

Yeah, thats what I did when I did the install so I should be good there. Any other ideas?

mikeirocz1

iTrader: (1)

I forgot to mention that the temps drops a little when stopped and rises when cruising. Isn't it suppose to run cooler while cruising since your getting more airflow?

Pab's

iTrader: (2)

What kind of mix are you running is it straight water 50/50 or what

91 1LE

iTrader: (1)

Maybe your shroud/fan combo is too restrictive to airflow. That makes sense why it cools off at idle. You could also try drilling 4 small holes (.010) on the flat part of your thermostat. This will help trapped air escape to the radiator.

hukeumhawk

iTrader: (1)

Check your thermostat if its open your car will never cool down. If your running a 160 its probably open after it warms up and stays there...I also have never had any luck with advanced or autozone stats.. You want the water to stop in the radiator to cool so if it is constantly open it would be like your not even running one...check the stat first..try the 195, but keep an eye on it.. I run a new stat in hot water to see if it will open before taking the time to install..

mikeirocz1

iTrader: (1)

I'm running 50/50 mix with the royal purple ice. I put the 195 thermostat in and drove it a little and got to 210. I'm going to take it out tomorrow and see how it does. I spent $400 on the radiator and fan setup so hopefully the fans and shroud isn't the problem.

jkrustchinsky

#1 i guaruntee you have air pockets in your cooling system
#2 you need to check to make sure your air valance is still intact under the car and is directing air where it needs to be
#3 you need to verify the thermostat is opening and closing when its supposed to be

mikeirocz1

iTrader: (1)

I've done all these things and they are good. You think the tranny cooler on the front is taking up to much surface area and making it run hot? I was also thinking maybe it wasn't running this hot with the stock setup because I had the tranny cooler with the built in fan pushing some extra air.

jkrustchinsky

are the fans pusher or puller fans

mikeirocz1

iTrader: (1)

They are pullers, 2 12" fans. They are hooked up right.

one92rs

iTrader: (5)

wow that is running warm. i live here in league city so i know what the temps outside are. running that warm isnt good. is all the air out? is it a new thermostat? are you running the bypass hose that goes from the rad to the intake? what temp do the fans come on at? i have a big tranny cooler and mine runs really cool. you saying that is runs warmer when moving to me is that the bottom air dam is not there. i also have 4th gen fans installed and they cool it down quick. what kind of shroud is it?

jjlabinski

what is your radiator pressure when hot?
Does your new radiator have the same number of water flow paths as the original?
Are your fans turning on soon enough? Tweak the bin. if need be.
Is your car lean? rich?

LS4GXP

iTrader: (2)

i installed this radiator, with 2 16" zirgo fans (no shroud obviously) 3000cfm each, my car goes from 195 down to 160 in about 20 seconds. Whats your cfm on the 2 12" fans? Am running pusher/Puller

mikeirocz1

iTrader: (1)

I'm in San Leon, about 15 minutes from you. Yeah, new thermostat. The fans are on a manual switch and it has a brandnew bottom air dam. The fans and shround cam with the radiator setup. I don't know what kind of quality they are though. They claim to be 1400 cfm each so a total of 2800cfm. I'm running the Spal dual 11" fans on my 91 RS and they work really good but it just has some bolt ons.

mikeirocz1

iTrader: (1)

I don't know what the pressure is. This radiator is a all aluminum 3 core and old one was stock. The fans are on a manual switch and I turn them on right away. What do you mean tweak the bin? The car does run a little rich.

mikeirocz1

iTrader: (1)

The fans are rated at 1400 cfm each, 2800 cfm total but I don't know if the fans are quality. There was no paperwork or info in the fan boxes. They are pullers.

LS4GXP

iTrader: (2)

that should be enough cfm if that what your running. If the flushing dont work i would change the fans. Even with my stroker i think i would be fine with 1 zirgo fan. they are $150 a piece but well worth it if you have cooling issues

UnderCover89TBI

iTrader: (25)

I think you should change the thermostat. What is happening is the stat is never closing. So then the coolant is just making a constant cycle through the engine and radiator. Therefore not staying in the radiator long enough to cool it.

mikeirocz1

iTrader: (1)

I'm thinking about putting my dual Spal fans from my 91 RS on it to see if it helps before buying new fans. Just from putting my hand in front of the fans my spal fans feel like they are pulling more air than the 12" fans that came with the radiator setup.

mikeirocz1

iTrader: (1)

I put the 195 thermostat in and it runs 230. I think it should still be running cooler than that.

LS4GXP

iTrader: (2)

i have yet herd 1 good thing about those chinese fans they sell with the champion radiator

Pab's

iTrader: (2)

I got a champion rad without the fans I feel like they have quality radiators but the fans might not be up to par I got myself a 16" zirgo 3000 cfm that way I know what is going on my car

mikeirocz1

iTrader: (1)

Yeah I'm thinking the fans might be the problem. Won't be able to switch the with the spal fans from the RS till next weekend.

Pab's

iTrader: (2)

swap em out and if that fixes your problem contact champion and see if you can get the extra cash back and just spend that cash on some quality fans

mikeirocz1

iTrader: (1)

I doubt I'll get any money back. When I ordered the setup I got the radiator in about 3 days and had to wait a month to get the fans and shroud. I wasn't informed when I placed the order that the shroud had to be made and wasn't in stock. He told me that I was pretty much paying for the shroud because the fans were like $30 his cost. The shroud fits good to the radiator so I would like to find a couple of 12" fans that are good that I can mount to the shroud I have on there now. I couldn't find 12" Zirgo fans. I found 14" and 16". Does anyone know how the Spal fans compare to the Zirgo fans? Is there a good 12" fan to run that can put up with the heat here in Texas?

UnderCover89TBI

iTrader: (25)

I'd run dual ls1 or lt1 fans and call it a day!

one92rs

iTrader: (5)

if i were going to use two fans of 12" i would go with flexalite singles or derale singles. i didnt like the way my zirgo fans were.

Apeiron

Then it's not staying in the engine long enough to warm up, either.

UnderCover89TBI

iTrader: (25)

I gusss so!

Zirgo Fans are garbage.

mikeirocz1

iTrader: (1)

I found some Spal 12" fans that pull 1630 CFM each, 3260 CFM total. Waiting to hear back from the guy. The dual 11" Spals on my 91 RS work really good.

mikeirocz1

iTrader: (1)

Well, I put the 2 12" Spal fans on and a 180 thermostat and it works perfect! Doesn't go above 185*. So I would recommend the Champion radiator and fan shroud but get your own quality fans. The shroud looks really good on the radiator but the fans it comes with aren't that great, at least for my application. Might work great if you had a V6 or something not pushing alot of power.

one92rs

iTrader: (5)

cheap fans are just that. cheap. a 12 dollar fan will not push 1600cfm,s.

i have always trusted derale and flexalite. more on the flexalite fans since i have had three vihicles with their system on it with no problems.

mdotcamaro 84

hey how did you mount 2 16 inch virgo fans to your radiator, i would like to mount two 16 inch virgo fans to my champion radiator!!! I'm in vegas so i want those fans to be beefy!! do you have a pic of your setup