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Bigger radiator? I am thinking I would like to put in a radiator that is larger than stock size. Not just more or thicker cores but actually taller. It doesn't look like there is room to go any wider, but maybe a little taller by an inch or 2 if I do some cutting and rewelding. I think the stock core is 26.25 inches wide and 17.25 inches tall. I guess I could go 19 tall on the core making it about 22 tall over all. My truck radiator core is 19 inches by 28.25, the standard size. I would like to get a little closer to that if possible. It did a great job cooling down the old 454 as long as it was most of the way full of coolant. Reason is I have recently turned that old 454 into an aluminium head 489ci 11:1 compression engine and it's new home is going to be my camaro. Plus I live in new Mexico where it gets freaking hot and I don't want to melt my engine just driving it around. I don't think that a thicker radiator with more cores will do the job when it's real hot out. Any ideas as to what kind of vehicle used approximately a 26.25 core radiator that is about 32 inches wide overall and is around 21 to 22 inches tall over all? I know I could get something custom made but I would like to be able to order a replacement without having to wait for it to be made. The big 19x32 truck radiator is 646 square inches, the standard truck radiator is 550. The camaro is 450 square inches. Going just 2 inches taller on a camaro radiator makes it almost 500 square inches, about a 10% increase. Seems like it wouldn't hurt. |
Re: Bigger radiator? I went with a Be Cool All Aluminum Radiator when I swapped in my 383; so far it works great. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.thi...fed02d1502.jpg https://www.summitracing.com/parts/BCI-62015/ |
Re: Bigger radiator? Just a thought - on my 70 Buick Stage 1, I dropped the radiator saddle down. Was able to install a larger (same width) taller radiator. I removed the spot welds on the bottom edges of the saddle - then welded in 2" extensions. Allowed the radiator top to remain at the same spot - I was also able to use the stock shroud. Was a very simple process - has been that way for probably 20 years - don't forget if you mount the radiator in rubber mounts you should ground it. Regards, Byron |
Re: Bigger radiator? I have the smaller of the 2 radiators they put in the old suburban. Maybe I should see if there is any way it could possibly fit. Then if that doesn't fit try something a little smaller. I am not worried about keeping it original, more worried about the $1,100 each aluminum heads cooled. |
Re: Bigger radiator? Summit racing 31x19, two 1" row core, with a late 80's ford taurus 2 speed elec fan, and a B&M super cooler trans cooler in mine with a 11:1 355, was a daily driver for years. Longest drive in the summer was a 6 hour non stop (other than for fuel) drive from GA. to MS. in 94* to 104* outside temps. |
Re: Bigger radiator? I think this is the most important aspect when it comes to cooling. (with a late 80's ford Taurus 2 speed elec fan). The correct fan and fan "on" temperature with the correct thermostat to compliment that "on" temperature can even keep a car with a stock radiator cool in the higher HP ranges. If you do not have those set properly to keep the car at lower temps it wont matter how tall, wide, or thick, the radiator is. |
Re: Bigger radiator? [QUOTE=oil pan 4;6068497]I am thinking I would like to put in a radiator that is larger than stock size. Not just more or thicker cores but actually taller. It doesn't look like there is room to go any wider, but maybe a little taller by an inch or 2 if I do some cutting and rewelding. I think the stock core is 26.25 inches wide and 17.25 inches tall. I guess I could go 19 tall on the core making it about 22 tall over all. My truck radiator core is 19 inches by 28.25, the standard size. I would like to get a little closer to that if possible. It did a great job cooling down the old 454 as long as it was most of the way full of coolant. Reason is I have recently turned that old 454 into an aluminium head 489ci 11:1 compression engine and it's new home is going to be my camaro. Plus I live in new Mexico where it gets freaking hot and I don't want to melt my engine just driving it around. I don't think that a thicker radiator with more cores will do the job when it's real hot out. Any ideas as to what kind of vehicle used approximately a 26.25 core radiator that is about 32 inches wide overall and is around 21 to 22 inches tall over all? I know I could get something custom made but I would like to be able to order a replacement without having to wait for it to be made. The big 19x32 truck radiator is 646 square inches, the standard truck radiator is 550. The camaro is 450 square inches. Going just 2 inches taller on a camaro radiator makes it almost 500 square inches, about a 10% increase. Seems like it wouldn't hurt.[/QUOT If you have that much invested in your engine then cash should not be the biggest issue. You need to run a 2 pass radiator for optimum cooling as you are going to be very short on room, even with ac cds removed. I would recommend the 2 pass radiator, minimum. as wide as you can stuff in and a pair of Derale fans. They are the best aftermarket fans on the market. Do not pay any attention to CFM "claims". They are mostly BS. Look at amp draw. More amps, more air. 21 amp minimum and use 2. I have a have a custom radiator I built for my car and custom fans shrouds that mount 2, 14" Derale's . They overlap the tanks but are shrouded to the point that it does not matter. 2nd, if you have not already done so, get rid of the thermostat bypass hose (assuming you have a belt driven pump) and ditch the thermostat. If you are running a heater, make sure you have some type of shut off valve. Both these items allow coolant to "loop" in the front of the motor with out passing through the radiator which will only aggravate any cooling issue you may be up against. I would also greatly encourage you to run a vacuum advance if this is for the street. You can get a lot more timing under light load steady cruise this way which will "always" help your engine run cooler. The aluminum heads are the best thing in the mix in your description so far. Also, get the trans cooler out of the radiator. This is just more heat your radiator does not need to have to deal with when you are dealing with a large displacement engine. If you are running an overdrive automatic, do not skimp on the external trans cooler. If you are running a 400, then doesn't take much too cool them unless you have a transbrake. If no trans brake, you can use a cooler mounted to the outside of the subframe and not have to run clear to the front with your lines and deal with going around headers and such. You would also not really need a fan cooled trans cooler if turbo 400 ( or 350 ) and could run a radiant tube cooler, again, Derale has these and they are reasonable as well as hard to hurt from road debris. I have an 850rwhp 91 z28 and also build custom cooling systems for a living so that's my 2 cents. Remember, the 2 pass radiator will have both hoses on the passenger side so you will probably need a swivel thermostat housing ( water outlet ). Spectra seems to be the most reasonable housing price wise and I have had no quality issues to date with them. I am currently working on a brand new build 41 willy's coupe with a 496 . There is no room so the radiator core was special ordered 3 rows of 1" tubes. I will be building a 2 pass with a Vintage Air monster fan (discontinued but I have figured out what components to duplicate ) and that fan pulls about 60 amp to start and about 35 continuous. It also moves nearly 3800 cfm! I have no doubts that I will have a victory on this project as I have on many, many before. I am very space limited and the core area is only 20.5 x 18 ( 369 sq in ) but I do have the advantage a fair amount of room front to rear so have to make the most of it with the big 18" single fan. More frontal is, however, better than more thickness but when the rooms just not there, no matter what you do, you have to work with what you have. Since this is a newly built car that overheats like a pig, the car was brought to me to solve the problem. If it was in build stage and not finished, I would have cut the frame stubs off and made room for more width but not an option. Let me know if I can help but I can assure you that the afore mentioned tips are gospel! (ps.... DO NOT RUN A RESTRICTOR IN YOUR THERMOSTAT HOUSING!! ) The folks who says this helps and are running a belt driven pump are very mistaken! |
Re: Bigger radiator? Yes I was going to run a vacuum advance distributor. No trans cooler in the radiator, got it. See if I can find a 2 pass radiator. |
Re: Bigger radiator? If you don't find what you need, let me know. I'm sure I have something that will work in a 2 pass. No direct fit in a 2 pass though. Have a 19" x 31" 2 pass for 176.06 if you are interested. It is a 2 row of 1" tubes overall width (length) is actually about 30.5. They can be made to fit if you're handy and have some tools which I assume is not a problem if you shoehorned a BBC into your 3rd gen. |
Re: Bigger radiator? |
Re: Bigger radiator? Just using aluminum heads on a motor will help with the cooling a lot because they dissipate the heat better than iron. |
Re: Bigger radiator?
Originally Posted by topradman
(Post 6075582)
If you don't find what you need, let me know. I'm sure I have something that will work in a 2 pass. No direct fit in a 2 pass though. Have a 19" x 31" 2 pass for 176.06 if you are interested. It is a 2 row of 1" tubes overall width (length) is actually about 30.5. They can be made to fit if you're handy and have some tools which I assume is not a problem if you shoehorned a BBC into your 3rd gen. |
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