As some of you may remember I am building a 454 and hope to get it done and in in the next few weeks. I thought I may be okay with my stock SS small block radiator, but it might be better to replace it now than have to tear the car back down later on down the road. I'm trying to save some $$ though, and was looking at just some Summit Radiators, like P/N SUM-380331. I'm wondering if you guys had anything to say about them, if they work well and if they fit in the Chevelles no problem. The engine is a 454 block with aluminum heads and intake and SRP pistons. Thanks for the tips.
Summit radiators
OUChevelleSS
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As some of you may remember I am building a 454 and hope to get it done and in in the next few weeks. I thought I may be okay with my stock SS small block radiator, but it might be better to replace it now than have to tear the car back down later on down the road. I'm trying to save some $$ though, and was looking at just some Summit Radiators, like P/N SUM-380331. I'm wondering if you guys had anything to say about them, if they work well and if they fit in the Chevelles no problem. The engine is a 454 block with aluminum heads and intake and SRP pistons. Thanks for the tips.
Hey Taylor,
I installed one in my elky, and am very pleased with the construction and its ability to cool my 383 stroker. I was having some cooling problems with my stock radiator. The Summit radiator fixed everything and looks great too! I ordered their bracket kit and use it to mount the radiator. I went from using two electric fans to just one. My temp never went above 200 in stop and go traffic and extensive idling. Last trip to the track, I had trouble getting the engine to heat up to 180 deg, as the out side temp was around 50 degs. This should really help me out during the Summer racing season as we see temps of about 100 degs down here in south Texas.
I installed one in my elky, and am very pleased with the construction and its ability to cool my 383 stroker. I was having some cooling problems with my stock radiator. The Summit radiator fixed everything and looks great too! I ordered their bracket kit and use it to mount the radiator. I went from using two electric fans to just one. My temp never went above 200 in stop and go traffic and extensive idling. Last trip to the track, I had trouble getting the engine to heat up to 180 deg, as the out side temp was around 50 degs. This should really help me out during the Summer racing season as we see temps of about 100 degs down here in south Texas.
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Thanks for the tips.
djgaleana--I guess this is probably a no brainer but these work fine with with just a shroud and clutch fan right? What dimensions were yours? Why did you need brackets, what is different?
SS_Sean--Do you by any chance remember the part number, or how you asked for one? We have a big radiator shop in my town and I could probably ask them for one. Was it as easy as just asking for a four core radiator that fits in a Chevelle?
Thanks..
djgaleana--I guess this is probably a no brainer but these work fine with with just a shroud and clutch fan right? What dimensions were yours? Why did you need brackets, what is different?
SS_Sean--Do you by any chance remember the part number, or how you asked for one? We have a big radiator shop in my town and I could probably ask them for one. Was it as easy as just asking for a four core radiator that fits in a Chevelle?
Thanks..
I chose the universal radiator with dimensions of 25.75in.wide and 19in. tall. I believe that they make one that is wider, It's around 26" or 27". That one would have also fit. The brackets are necessary as these radiators do not have any way to attach them to the stock mounting holes. The brackets are not expensive. The radiator should work just fine with your set up. Electric fans are not necessary. Make sure that you use distilled water. I use distilled water and a bottle of Water Wetter. It rarely freezes down here so antifreeze in not needed.
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djgaleana,
Please use Antifreeze!!! I has lubricants for your water pump and does have some cooling properties and will help prevent some cavitation which will pit the waterjacket side of your cylinder sleeve and eventually rot through the cylinder wall. It also has a higher specific gravity than just water.
In the old days Antifreeze was called "coolant" or just Ethylene Glycol. Known for it's coolant properties as well as it's resistance to freezing. Recommend 50/50 mix.
Thanks
Dan Mueller
Mueller and Sons Engineering
Street Rod Customs and Audioworks
Chesapeake, VA
Please use Antifreeze!!! I has lubricants for your water pump and does have some cooling properties and will help prevent some cavitation which will pit the waterjacket side of your cylinder sleeve and eventually rot through the cylinder wall. It also has a higher specific gravity than just water.
In the old days Antifreeze was called "coolant" or just Ethylene Glycol. Known for it's coolant properties as well as it's resistance to freezing. Recommend 50/50 mix.
Thanks
Dan Mueller
Mueller and Sons Engineering
Street Rod Customs and Audioworks
Chesapeake, VA
I don't remember. I went in and told them the year, make, model, and said I wanted a four core instead of a two. The were able to look up the part number no problem. As I recall it was like $150 for it.
The only time I've ever had cooling issues was at Hot August Nights, and that was because it was like 110* out, and I was cruising around at about 5 mph, stop and go.
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Water Wetter has all the lubes and anti-corrosion additives needed. It just doesn't provide any anti-freeze protection.
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Wetting water is only good for the temp by raising it's boiling point. I dont believe there are any lubricants in it nor are there any Sacrificial Zinc to prevent cavitation
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???? Here is why I use Water Wetter, also the track frowns on antifreeze in the radiators of racecars:
Red Line Water Wetter is designed to provide improved metal wetting and excellent corrosion inhibition when added to plain water or a glycol coolant. Proper cooling system maintenance is very critical for most modern engines which utilize more aluminum. Aluminum has a very high corrosion potential, even higher than zinc, which is very widely used as a sacrificial anode. The only property which enables aluminum to be used in a cooling system is that it will form protective films under the proper conditions which will prevent the uncontrolled corrosive attack of acids or bases. Poor aluminum corrosion inhibition will cause the dissolution of aluminum at the heat rejection surfaces, weakening the cooling system walls and water pump casing and weakening the head gasket mating surfaces. These corrosion products will then form deposits on the lower temperature surfaces such as in radiator tubes which have very poor heat transfer properties, causing a significant reduction in the cooling ability of the entire system. Red Line Water Wetter will provide the proper corrosion inhibition for all cooling system metals, including aluminum, cast iron, steel, copper, brass, and lead.
Water has twice the heat transfer capability when compared to 50% glycol antifreeze/coolant in water. Most passenger automobiles have a cooling system designed to reject sufficient heat under normal operating conditions using a 50/50 glycol solution in water. However, in racing applications, the use of water and Water Wetter will enable the use of smaller radiator systems, which means less frontal drag, and it will also reduce cylinder head temperatures, even when compared to water alone, which means more spark advance may be used to improve engine torque.
Most of the racers in my area use distilled water and Water Wetter in their aluminum radiators. Anti-freeze actually reduces the ability of water to carry off heat.
Danny
Red Line Water Wetter is designed to provide improved metal wetting and excellent corrosion inhibition when added to plain water or a glycol coolant. Proper cooling system maintenance is very critical for most modern engines which utilize more aluminum. Aluminum has a very high corrosion potential, even higher than zinc, which is very widely used as a sacrificial anode. The only property which enables aluminum to be used in a cooling system is that it will form protective films under the proper conditions which will prevent the uncontrolled corrosive attack of acids or bases. Poor aluminum corrosion inhibition will cause the dissolution of aluminum at the heat rejection surfaces, weakening the cooling system walls and water pump casing and weakening the head gasket mating surfaces. These corrosion products will then form deposits on the lower temperature surfaces such as in radiator tubes which have very poor heat transfer properties, causing a significant reduction in the cooling ability of the entire system. Red Line Water Wetter will provide the proper corrosion inhibition for all cooling system metals, including aluminum, cast iron, steel, copper, brass, and lead.
Water has twice the heat transfer capability when compared to 50% glycol antifreeze/coolant in water. Most passenger automobiles have a cooling system designed to reject sufficient heat under normal operating conditions using a 50/50 glycol solution in water. However, in racing applications, the use of water and Water Wetter will enable the use of smaller radiator systems, which means less frontal drag, and it will also reduce cylinder head temperatures, even when compared to water alone, which means more spark advance may be used to improve engine torque.
Most of the racers in my area use distilled water and Water Wetter in their aluminum radiators. Anti-freeze actually reduces the ability of water to carry off heat.
Danny
FYI On those Griffin universal radiators, the standard model has the bottom fitting pointing upward about 10 degrees from horizontal, reason unknown. If you want the fitting to come out straight, add a -S to the part number. Might want to run that by Summit to make sure they stock it, but I got that information from one of the Griffin guys at PRI so it should be a valid part number. Will make your hose fit better most likely.
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Sacrificial Zinc doesn't prevent cavitation, its prevents corrosion by acting as a sacrificial anode versus the metals in the radiator/block themselves. What prevents cavations is the system being at a higher pressure and the level of water in the radiator which all provide suction head to the water pump. Antifreeze (glycol) does have lubricants in it and does lower the freezing point of water, but it also lowers the heat transfer ability of water, Water with water wetter is better than water/antifreeze if you are in an enviroment where freezing is not a concern.
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