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Low dollar, BIG cooling

48K views 96 replies 32 participants last post by  rel3rd 
#1 · (Edited)
Just thought I’d share some of my experiences and pics all in one place with part numbers and a little how to……. I’d also like to thank everyone here that helped me along the way.

Before: 3 hole top plate, 21 inch wide copper core radiator.. with electric fans taken from an LT1 Camaro. Temps exceeded 220 often.

After: 4 hole top plate, 29 inch wide Aluminum radiator and the things below…. I couldn’t get it to 190 no matter how hard I flogged it, 102 outside temp.

Parts list:
• 4 Hole chrome top plate Ebay = 20.00
• 19 inch XT1 -7 blade fan - U pull it = 10.00
• Hayden 2747 HD clutch = 49.99
• Murray 433322 -29 in wide, 18 inch tall Aluminum radiator (specs on their website are jacked up, trust me it drops right in) I paid = 140.00, Listed at 159.00 right now.
• Shroud 1971 BB (one piece) from Summit OPG-00T218R = 59.95
• Upper hose Gates 21204 15.00
• Lower hose 21324 lower 12.00

Total 307.00, rounding up.

I gained a brand new free flowing aluminum radiator with 8 extra inches in overall width and a car that I can’t get to run over 190 with it being 102 outside.

There are actually 4 perch spots on the core support for different configurations. 29 inches being the widest.....





Then I welded the 3 holes shut on the top of the support and welded in 4 new mounting points for the MUCH wider 4 hole top plate.








Then I cut over 5 inchs out of the driver side of the core support...





 
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#2 · (Edited)
CONTINUED:

The rest dropped right in :)





 
#3 ·
Hey nice work Darren! Thanks for the pics & info, I'm gonna be going through the same process later this year going from a small to big block. Trying to decide if I want the front runner system and then finding a reverse 7 blade clutch fan. Putting a lot of thought into all that SWHEATON has been posting in the cooling issue threads.
 
#4 · (Edited)
Thanks Skip, if you are going from a 3 to 4 hole top plate please take note that it’s NOT centered on the core support. . It’s actually off to the driver side about 2 inches. I would suggest re-positioning the lower rubber perches, setting the new radiator in place and positioning the top plate on the new radiator to make the marks for your 4 new holes.

EDIT: and Scott is really passionate about cooling and from what I can tell a cool guy….. the stuff works!
 
#5 ·
GREAT NEWS!

I told you the clutch fan setup with hd fan clutch ,160 stat,proper shroud & proper type clutch fan would do the trick.

I bet you would have got almost as good a result with the old rad but new rad is definitely good too esp since you don't have much invested for great cooling like I tell everyone that setup gives you.

The lrg 7 blade clutch fan,new hd thermal fan clutch,proper shroud and new rad are what collectively reduced your temps from 220ish to max of 190 which is great .

You didn't list the stat your running,i bet its a 180 stat since it maxes out at 190 deg ,180 stat try autozones 15356/160 hi flow stat because I bet it will reduce your current 190 max temp to 180 ish which is what happens every time I have done gone from the 180 hi flow autozone stat to the 160 stat with the cooling system setup I rec you run when in hot summer temps.

BTW,Now what do you think of elec fans?

Scott
 
#6 · (Edited)
Well Scott you were right.. and your question above is kind of loaded. (Maybe, and probably not intentionally)

I think there are probably some 1000.00+ setup’s with electronic fans that will cool a car like mine effectively. BUT… taking into consideration, aesthetics, functionality, and PRICE….. For 1/3 of that or less I got where I needed to be, and I’m happy with that.

Edit, I’m running a 160 stat without the 2 extra holes…..

Edit again: It should also be noted that when I say flogged I mean multiple sets of tires in one day. Not your average …. Oh, I did a burn out… :) Something’s I expect to last.. Others I don’t.
 
#7 ·
============

LOL!!!

Sounds like fun!

Have a great summer cruising with confidence your motors not going to be running hot anymore like it used to with the old cooling system.

Scott
 
#8 ·
Good stuff!! :thumbsup:
I'll soon be converting to a 4 bolt plate and 4 row core radiator after installing Vintage A/C.
Got most of those items on hand already.
 
#9 ·
Bill please let me know how that vintage air works out for you, PM me or post here, whatever…. Probably my next mod :)
 
#10 ·
Omaha, NE to Waverly and back, first car show of 2013 (unfinished, primer class) 80 miles round trip, took her over 100 mph twice... never went above 165 (high was 72 degrees)



 
#13 ·
hmmm, when I check that link, it comes up at $189.99??

Unfortunately, there are no O'Reilly's in Maryland, or within 100 miles of me. Maybe I'll see about getting one shipped, or just see if Summit can price match it.
 
#15 ·
Maybe you can print this off or screen shot it to help you in your price matching.
(You can also see how the listed specs are completely backwards)



Trust me, I measured it twice :D

 
#16 ·
I figured out what was happening.
"MY STORE" was listed as "online store", which evidently by default gives the $189.99 price. I entered a random Geogia store as "MY STORE" and the $159 price came up.

Put it in "MY CART" and it stayed at $159, so being that they offer FREE SHIPPING with purchase over $75 or $100 (one or the other), I went ahead and ordered it...:hurray:

Thanks guys! I already have a 4 row Harrison that does pretty good with the other cooling mods, but I'd consider a brand new bolt-in aluminum radiator an upgrade. :thumbsup:
 
#17 ·
That’s awesome Bob, please be advised you will also need the hoses I listed. One more note, the radiator comes with a rubber adaptor (on either the inlet outlet, sorry, can’t remember getting old) just remove it and toss it.. It’s not used in our application. (at least not with a SBC anyway) It will also absolutely not work with a 3 hole top plate.

I’d love to hear how it works out for you. I couldn’t be happier; I can actually DRIVE my car now and watch the road instead of staring at the damn temperature gauge all the time :)
 
#18 ·
I already have the 4 bolt plate because I have a big block.So I am hoping that the hoses I have will work. It arrived today so I will update by the end of the weekend...hopefully by tomorrow evening.
 
#19 ·
Finally swapped the radiator out....on a big block car it is a direct bolt in with no new hoses or mods needed. :)

Didn't get to drive it due to monsoon like rain here, but I actually can feel more air being drawn through the front of the grill area.
 
#20 ·
That’s awesome! Lots of great information here, I spent about 3 weeks researching all this. Not sure what constitutes a sticky but I hope this will continue to help others :beers:
 
#21 ·
I am curious to see difference, whether for the good or the bad, as compared to my (very heavy) re-cored four row brass radiator.

I will post back once I get some seat time.

Thanks again for the thread. It has great info, and part numbers are always a plus.

Everything I could find on this radiator said it would "not fit"...:noway:

But, as stated, it was a direct bolt-in on my 1971 big block, AC equipped car. :yes:
 
#22 · (Edited)
==========================================

"I am curious to see difference, whether for the good or the bad, as compared to my (very heavy) re-cored four row brass radiator. "

I am cursious too!

But keep in mind to make that compraison the radiator must be the only thing you change at the time,if you do any other change/s at the same time the apples to apples rad perf comparison test becomes apples to oranges because you intorduced a 2nd & or maybe even 3rd variable into the compraison test all at the same time.

And also keep in mind these things too when doing an in car rad comprairison :

* The outside airtemp temp should also be approx the same within a few deg for a fair comparison test too.

* And if your current 4 row copper/brass rad happens to be more then just a couple yrs old it may have lost some a little cooling capability over time if it got a little dirty/buildup inside rad tubes ect affecting/reducing it ability to disapate heat . So if thats the case comparing a fresh new rad has an unfair advantage right off the bat when compraing it to an older somewhat used rad.

So when you post the rad comparison results please state:

* WHAT WAS CHANGED,RAD'S ONLY OR ANYTHING ELSE AT THE SAME TIME?

* AGE OF CURRENT 4 ROW RAD.

* BEFORE DOING THE COMPRAISON TESTS YOU NEED DIVE THE CAR FOR AT LEAST 25-30 MINS PRIOR TO STARTING THE TEST WHICH IS IMPORTANT TOO.

WHY,THATS TO ENSURE YOU GETE EVERYTHING UNDER THE HOOD & MOTOR COMPLETELY UP TO FULL TEMP IN GETTING EVERYTHING HEAT SOAKED UNDER THE HOOD WHICH WILL TRUELY SHOW HOW THE RADS ARE DOING AT DISAPATING HEAT IN THAT SITUATION.

* WHAT WAS OUTSIDE TEMP WHEN TESTING BOTH RADS?

* STATE IF YOU TOOK SAME APPROX ROUTE & DRIVING COND FOR BOTH TESTS.

* STATE WHERE TEMP SENDER IS,IN HEAD OR INTAKE.


If there are no other changes made at same time along with 1st driving car 25-30 mins to get everything completely heated up under the hood and then driving car in same approx driving cond & outside temps for this 4 row (that to be fair isnt an older recore ) vs AL rad compair test.

If those cond are met for a " fair in car rad test/comparison " it will be very interesting to see what amount of temp reduction you see with the new AL rad that by design is supposed to have approx 30% better cooling capacity given all else is = where possible in real case driving cond .

I have done that same exact test a few times in the past with the rads being the only thing changed and only saw a few deg dif between the 4 row hd cooling old school rad and new hi pef AL rad.

But i would think going from a 2 row or even 3 rod old school rad to new hi perf AL rad should show considerably more of a temp redctuion,but i have never had the chance to do that test so thats just speculation on my part.

Scott
 
#29 ·
I was able to get some decent seat time yesterday both with and without the old A/C running....

Very steady, non-fluctuating temps now with aluminum radiator.

At any speed....any traffic conditions...sitting at a red light or boogey-ing down I-95 at 75mph....here is what I saw.

A/C ON : 180 degrees
A/C OFF : 165 degrees
 
#31 ·
===============

I dont think it means a 30 deg temp reduction at all,i think what it means is for example you had 1 std copper brass rad and then another rad built of AL to same exact spec as the std copper brass rad (with all being = as far as surface area etc) thats where you would see the 30% more eifficient heat disapation of the AL resulting in reduced temp.

But also keep in mind if the cooling fan-s weather they be elec or clutch fan setup also needs the ability to move the required amount of air thru the rad core of the AL rad to reach its full 30% more efficiency rating for disapating heat too.

But if the clutch fan of elec fans cant move ample air thru rad core to do that for what ever the reason then the AL rad wont be able to cool as well as it normally would in traffic and or at slow road speed and not at higher cruise speed,same goes for the std copper brass rad too.

I did ask that question of Tom Dewitt in a prior post but dont know if he had seen the question and or ans it yet.

Scott
 
#34 ·
I didn't word my question correctly. I didn't mean to ask if an aluminum radiator would drop temps 30 degrees, I meant to ask if it would drop 30%. I think Tom cleared it up. The aluminum in the same size as copper would actually work like it was a bigger radiator, even though they had the same capacity. Is that right Tom?
 
#37 ·
===========

NOT TOM but i'd say yes it would in the case you describe!

Sott
 
#39 ·
It is a 2 row. I just popped the hood and verified. :thumbsup:

I was told 2 when I bought it.. guess I didn’t even look to verify. Doesn’t really matter to me if it’s a .5 core :D it just works really well, at least in my car.
I agree. Don't care if it was a NO CORE, it works better than my 4 row ever did.

SWHEATON said:
But like you said it doesnt matter if you have 5 row rad,your motors now cooling very well and thats what counts !

And no we know for sure that rad your using will work well cooling a bbc with a good clutch fan setup which is good info you passed along.
And it is a direct "bolt-in" on a big block car as well. Great info was shared on this thread.

SWHEATON said:
BTW,i looked up that rad on the O"riely site and it showed as $189.99 and not $159.00 like was posted,but even at $189.99 thats still a very good price for the cooling you get for the guys that dont mind running a non stock AL rad with plastic tanks .
Like I mentioned once or twice in this thread Scott, the website "defaults" to "Online Store" as your "home store", if you do not have an O'Reilly's in your state, which I didn't...

Just pick a store in Georgia, or somewhere down South, and the $159 price pops up...That's what I did, and it was $159 with FREE SHIPPING... :thumbsup:
 
#36 ·
I was told 2 when I bought it.. guess I didn’t even look to verify. Doesn’t really matter to me if it’s a .5 core :D it just works really well, at least in my car.
 
#38 ·
============================

" it just works really well, at least in my car."

You overlooked adding to that " along with a gm clutch fan setup using my rec upgrades & tweaks " which increases it's cooling ability reducing temp over what the completely stock GM clutch fan setup does without my rec upgrades & tweaks.

But like you said it doesnt matter if you have 5 row rad,your motors now cooling very well and thats what counts !

And no we know for sure that rad your using will work well cooling a bbc with a good clutch fan setup which is good info you passed along.

BTW,i looked up that rad on the O"riely site and it showed as $189.99 and not $159.00 like was posted,but even at $189.99 thats still a very good price for the cooling you get for the guys that dont mind running a non stock AL rad with plastic tanks .

But the elec fan crowd should be aware your avg moderately priced dual elec fan setup will not likely cool as well with that that rad as the clutch fan setup your running unless maybe they buy the super duty (pricey) dual fan setup like Dewitt's offers for vettes with thier AL rad.

Scott
 
#41 ·
Art, If you decide to try one please post your results here. The positive results make the time I spent researching this for myself feel like it was even more worth it.

Don’t get me wrong, if for some reason it works worse for you I’d like to hear about that too.
 
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