Hey guys, I've searched, and wasn't able to come up with anything usefull, so I'll post this question, I can't find any high-flow rads available for a third gen (mines a '90 GTA) I'm already experiencing some rampant cooling issues, despite a full rad flush, I'll soon be installing a 383, and need a very capable rad. www.jegs.com doesn't have anything, and neither does Hawks.
I've also checked www.fluidyne.com , and still nothing....

is there a website I've missed? or whats the best place to go online? (and what do you guys suggest?) thanks a lot in advance.

 

I'vebeen told that beecool (sold through Summit???not sure) is prety good but also expensive.

 

A stock dual fan system with the shroud from a 4th gen LS1 and a 3rd gen. Summit brand radiator(made by Northern) should take care of your cooling needs. There have been some recent posts about making the conversion which is easy, looks and works great. There are a lot of 383`s running this system and have no cooling issues. On the cooling forum, there are some modifications done by "Willie" and they work very well.

 

I have the dual fan system already on my 5L, and it still has severe overheating problems. Perhaps I just need a new rad, but I'd like to upgrade for sure. THanks about the Summit racing rad, I'll check that out now

 

yea, summit has the "BeCool" ones, be ready to drop 500 to 650 bux depending on trans. they are 4 core, so good luck using it as a "drop in" some fabbing gonna be required!

 

Graham M., from what I have found out, the key to better cooling is the 4th gen dual fan shroud. I just got one from Hawks. Also, if you have not serviced your cooling system lately, you may want to. I found that replacing the factory fan switch with one that comes on at 185 works well with a 170 thermostat. I also use 30% anti freeze to 70% water and 1 bottle of water wetter. Replaced my cap and cleaned out the area between radiator and condenser and replaced some hoses and installed a spring in the lower hose so it does not collapse. If you are boiling your thermostat may be stuck closed.

 

Thanks a lot for the reply, well I just replaced the thermostat with the AC Delco one, and still the problem persists, the hoses are in tact, but that 4th gen fan shroud idea sounds great. Actually, this poor car sat in a farmers field for three years, whereas the mice chewed the wiring for breakfast lunch and dinner... so the fans didn't work anymore. I wired them via a switch in the cab, so they can be on all the time, and that only slows down the enivitable over-heating in stop and go traffic. When I shut the car off, you can hear the wild bubbling going into the reservoir tank, and it starts pissing coolant all over the asphalt. I thought it was either the thermostat, or the rad cap, but I've replaced both with the AC delco ones, and their both not at fault.

I'm not to sure what else to do, should I put a smaller pulley on the water pump? Usually I have the windows down and the climate control set to hot, with the fans maxed, whereas that should help a little, but only by a bit.
Were these cars just designed with poor cooling systems? or would a proper high-flow rad be the answer to all this?

EDIT: Come to think of it, it never used to do this before sitting for three years. Only after that whole ordeal did it start with these persistant cooling issues.

 

I got mine from Southwest Speed. $130. Its beautiful. But its not meant to fit in your car. They're for stock cars. (racing) It doesnt fit perfect, its just a tad tall, and you have to measure the dimensions to order it. Ones with a tranny cooler cost alittle more.

 

How is the cooling now? did that solve any of your cooling issues?

 

Graham M., it sounds like flushing the radiator did not do any good. If you are using the same radiator that was in the car while it sat for 3 years, corrosion has probably plugged most of the water passages. You might check out how much a radiator shop wants to boil it out but even that may not get everything out. They would have to remove both tanks and rod it out. The last time I had that done, it was cheaper to buy a new radiator. GM did engineer these cars to run hot, 234+/-, but it is not too expensive to get them running cooler. I think your best bet is a new Summit direct fit aluminum or good quality stock type radiator. My stock radiator and dual fans does a good job of keeping my 383 cool. The # 1 problem with cooling our cars is air flow. I have 1 new fan and the other new one is back ordered, so when it arrives I will install them with the 4th gen fan shroud and I will let you know how much better it cools. My car has been running 220-240 in 100+ heat when sitting in traffic, too hot for me but ok for the factory.

 

My car runs around 180-190. Its a 500hp motor. Stock water pump. Stock single fan. 160* stat. Make sure your lower air dam is intact. That little black strip of plastic underneath that some people call a "snow pusher".

 

i run a summit "northern" aluminum rad with tranny cooler, a single electric fan, aluminum weiand water pump, and a water restrictor and the car runs 160 all day with no issues. i sometimes don't have to run the fan when driving around town either. the rad is suppose to be built for 82-92 camaro but it needs a little negotiating to go in and a little bit of fab work to get it in there.

 

Call AFCO racing. They custom built my radiator for my 1992 car (with a built in oil cooler). They rate them to 650 hp and will build you what you need. The prices aren't too bad either (figure around $380-400).

 

^ Awesome, thanks a lot guys, do you have Afco racing's phone number off-hand at all?

 

800-632-2320 Ask for Rodney and tell him that Kevin with the 1992 Camaro (from frrax.com) sent you. He was outstanding to work with and they built me a very nice radiator. I can't say enough good things about them.