Hey guys. I'm looking into getting a new radiator for my 86 Trans Am (305 TPI) since my old one just sprung a leak out of the side. I'm just wondering what my best options would be for new radiators? I think right now it has a single core radiator in there. I'm not 100% sure on that because I haven't taken the time to make sure, but that's what it seems like.

I guess my real question is... what would fit in there if it is a single core? I'd really like to get a dual core at least, but it seems like it's already tight on space. Any advice would be great! Thanks!!

 

If it leaks from the tank, those can be replaced.
If you have to have a new one and your running with a stock engine, get an aluminum stock replacement radiator. That's all your car will need.
If you have to have a "big shiney new radiator" pick whichever one you can afford. It'll be overkill so it won't matter what brand you choose.

And the number of rows is only an issue with brass radiators. Aluminum radiators use wide flat tubes and cool much better than their multi-row brass counterparts.

 

Check out

Be Cool Incorporated

Pretty good stuff and some drop in bolt up type stuff too.

 

Thanks guys. The plastic part on the side had a crack in it, so I replaced that and am still going on the old radiator. I've also replaced the thermostat but it's still running a bit over 220 before it goes back down. I put a new 195F in there, and I don't know that it'd do much good to put a cooler one in there. Is there anything I can do short of wiring up a switch to turn the fan on myself? I know it's got a sensor that I could try replacing... but any suggestions beyond that?

Thanks.

 

I have somewhat of the same problem but I haven't cracked my radiator yet. I picked up a 160 degree thermostat, aluminum radiator from Be Cool that I bought through Summit and even went so far as to buy a swtich that will allow my fan to turn on at 195 instead of the stock 220. I've yet to put them in though, this weekend turned out to be busier than I thought it would.

I would start with a newer radiator and go with that. If that doesn't change enough, swtich thermostats. /shrug Maybe a manual fan switch is what you need also. It's really hard to say. Cheap way is the themostat. 20 bucks at autozone. Then fan swtich from Jet performance Products is 50 and the radiator I bought ran 600...so it's really up to you where you want to start.

 

Let me know how that works for you. I've been thinking of exploring some of those options, but I don't want to spend the money until I'm sure it's going to work. I've got other things I need to do to the car too

 

Amen to that! lol I HAD other things I wanted to do. lol

 

haha, I've had the car for about a year. I'm finally getting the money to start fixing things up and this happens. I know I need a new timing chain (which could have something to do with overheating) and just a general tune up... so I've definately got my hands full for just some weekend work It runs real great though, you wouldn't imagine this car has close to 180,000 miles on it.

 

I'm one of the guys that thinks that as long as your not running anything more then a 350 making 450+ horsepower that a factory radiator will do fine, and I have a dual 1" core all aluminum radiator in my camaro.

 

My radiator in my 88 305 camaro with a single elec. fan is also leaking from the plastic tank below the lower hose. Where can I get just the plastic part without replacing the whole radiator. And what's the process to take out the radiator? Is there a write-up that someone may have done on this site? I never removed one but all I see to detach is the lower and upper hose and two metal lines and another smaller hose. Anything else I sould be aware of like ac stuff?

 

Check this out.

82-92 Cooling

Our board sponsor tpiparts has an on at 200 and off at 185 switch for $25. I just bought one from Summit and the total was close to $50. Summit pops you $10 for 'handling'. You also might try the 170 degree t-stat instead of the 160. The 160 might be a bit too cool for tpi cars. And while you are at it, replace the cap if you are still running the original. I was having a slight overheating problem and I did notice that my cap had a crack in the gasket.

The fan switch is not hard to change out. All I had to do was bend the blade type electrical connector down so my socket would fit. I also hit it with PB blaster a few times before I tried.