I'm thinking about installing one in my '92 RS. I did a search and did some reading on the topic. Everyone seems to be pretty pleased with them. But my question is this, can anyone using one say that it definitely made a difference in cooling the engine?

I would like some hard evidence from the pros before I shell out $500 for one.

Thanks for your comments.

 

If you want to cool your car better and spend a ton less get a Griffin or a Modine aluminum.

I personally recommend the Modine radiators. I have used them in a few of my cars including the TA and they cool very well.

They make one that is stock replacement size for about $149. You can buy them or order them at Napa and other autoparts stores.

Forgot to mention these radiators fit in the stock mounting brackets and have the same connections so no modifications need to be made.

 

So what makes the aftermarket aluminums better than our stock radiators?

 

Aluminum transfers heat more quickly than the copper ones do. Another thing I have noticed is that the aluminum ones don't get clogged with scale on the inside over time like the copper ones do. The aluminum ones are also decently lighter than the copper.

Forgot to mention that a lot of the aftermarket ones like the BECool radiators have more rows in them than stock also which enables them to have more surface area to cool the water.

 

That makes sense.

I have been reading up on the boards about aftermarket radiators. Seems like most people are happy with the Griffin radiator. I might have to look into one of those.

 

The griffin is quite similar to the Modine. The Modine is just a bit less money and is available locally. Both are of good quality and cool nicely.

 

So the modine is a larger capacity?

 

If you set the Modine next to my original copper one, they are the same size dimensionally. The aluminum one just cools better. Not sure of the difference in rows.

Honestly you really don't need more capacity than Griffin or Modine would offer.

www.modine.com
http://www.griffinrad.com/#

 

I love my Be Cool,BUT if i needed one right now.This is the one i would get. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...479266930&rd=1 It looks alot better than a modine & its not $600 plus.My Be Cool went in with a near perfect fit & this radiator seems like it will fit the same.Has all the fittings already installed.Something you DONT get with the other aluminum radiators.

 

I contacted the seller reagarding their radiators. They stated that the rubber mounts need to be modified to accept the 3" tanks. If you don't mind doing that, it looks like a good deal.

The Be Cool custom fit looks uses mounting tabs on the tanks that fit the stock rubber mounts without having to cut or modify them.

 

NO big deal there.I see those rubber mounts at the junkyard all the time lying on the ground.Easy mod & easy to return to stock if needed.

 

I wouldnt just switch out to an aluminum rad without good reason. If your car is running stock temps and your not overheating then why change? You have a very nice looking car. It looks show quality. Most any aluminum rad you buy you will have to make a few mods to fit it in. Even the be-cools direct fit models sometimes need work to get them in. You can do a search of my name and find out about the mods I had to make on my griffin. There are threads about be-cool also. Not all of them are good. I went with griffin cuz its a mid range priced rad. Not as cheap as Modine and not as expensive as a be-cool.

 

I'd have to agree. I've been trying to justify spending money for an aftermarket radiator, but I haven't had any cooling problems using a stock type radiator. Believe it or not, I'm still using a stock replacement radiator I bought in late 92, and a 9 year old Edelbrock water pump and I don't have any cooling issues. Even in 100 degree weather, the car never gets over 215 in traffic. My fans are set to turn on at 170 degrees.

I believe you're better off money-wise managing airflow to the radiator, whether its having your fans come on earlier or going with a high flow fan setup, or even both.