Replacement Radiator Suggestions

[Parrothead87GN]

I have a mostly stock (95%) low mileage (21,000) GN and upon inspecting it after the annual hibernation I noticed that my radiator is leaking. Not surprising since it is the original radiator from 87. Obviously I need to replace it. I would like to replace it with a stock appearing radiator to keep the car looking original. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[Anthony P]

why not locate a good radiator shop near you and have your original radiator re-cored, if that is what is needed?

 

[Charles Young]

I have a mostly stock (95%) low mileage (21,000) GN and upon inspecting it after the annual hibernation I noticed that my radiator is leaking. Not surprising since it is the original radiator from 87. Obviously I need to replace it. I would like to replace it with a stock appearing radiator to keep the car looking original. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Dude, do a search. There are many posts on this subject with about every possible answer/opinion already posted.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[fast NY Six]

Mine was leaking around the top nipple and someplace at the bottom of the core. Radiator shop charged me $50 to repair.

 

[Dennis Kirban]

Kirban 2 cents worth

we are about a month out having a all aluminum radiator for $399.95

I supplied the original...company that makes the Pypes exhaust is doing them Nick Micale has been testing it for several months in Arizona...

Has 2 over sided cores in it....weighs 10 lbs less everything bolt sup....actual unit will be on display saturday at my open house.
Cheaper out is get your repaired if it can be fixed...that is the key if it can be fixed.

denniskirban@yahoo.com

 

[Ttype6]

Kirban 2 cents worth

we are about a month out having a all aluminum radiator for $399.95

I supplied the original...company that makes the Pypes exhaust is doing them Nick Micale has been testing it for several months in Arizona...

Has 2 over sided cores in it....weighs 10 lbs less everything bolt sup....actual unit will be on display saturday at my open house.
Cheaper out is get your repaired if it can be fixed...that is the key if it can be fixed.

denniskirban@yahoo.com

2 rows of 1" wide cooling tubes?
Oil cooler?
Inlet and outlet tubes same diameter as stock?
Petcock in stock location?

 

[MCH86GN]

I was going to have my re-cored, cost was $400. I went ahead with an Alradco unit for like $100 more. Very pleased, still running stock fan and my temps stay around 170 during the summer heat. I got great service from Alradco as well, a few fins were bent on the bottom row and I sent them a picture and they refunded powder coating charge.

 

[fast NY Six]

+1 for the Alradco. Mine was damaged during shipping, they sent another one immediately, no questions asked. It fits perfectly too.

 

[Dennis Kirban]

2 rows of 1" wide cooling tubes?
Oil cooler?
Inlet and outlet tubes same diameter as stock?
Petcock in stock location?

All cooler outlets the same same threads petcock also the same 2 cores wider than stock...aluminum good thickness to retain shape...this company is a major supplier to the muscle car era I supplied the original to copy.

Nick Micale who is very well known in these circles has one in his car...last several months.

it has a $399.95 retail price tag....be tough to beat....

Again I am not knocking other options merely making you aware of this option that will be available soon. As it has been pointed out it can be very costly to repair your original depending on how weak it is.

Coldcase is the brand parent company is Max Performance who also owns Pypes Exhaust who started in the GTO business about 25 years ago and I have known him personally for at least that long....

He bought my GTO business 2-3 years ago....

denniskirban@yahoo.com

 

[Ttype6]

All cooler outlets the same same threads petcock also the same 2 cores wider than stock...aluminum good thickness to retain shape...this company is a major supplier to the muscle car era I supplied the original to copy.

Nick Micale who is very well known in these circles has one in his car...last several months.

it has a $399.95 retail price tag....be tough to beat....

Again I am not knocking other options merely making you aware of this option that will be available soon. As it has been pointed out it can be very costly to repair your original depending on how weak it is.

Coldcase is the brand parent company is Max Performance who also owns Pypes Exhaust who started in the GTO business about 25 years ago and I have known him personally for at least that long....

He bought my GTO business 2-3 years ago....

denniskirban@yahoo.com

How wide are the cooling tubes?
Is the petcock located at the bottom of the passenger side tank pointing toward the ground?
What are the diameters of the inlet and outlet tubes?
Does it have an oil cooler?

 

[Dennis Kirban]

kirbqn update

both coolers same threads petcock same place no idea on tube size no way I can measure it they are oversized which is a good method for cooling...

nice thick aluminum that wlil retain its shape in the heat....

denniskirban@#yahoo.com

on display at my open house tomorrow over 150 people expected.....

 

[Anthony P]

I saw Kirban's new radiator at his open house yesterday. Looks like a nice piece. Use your original radiator cap. I could not determine the exact design type of the oil and trans coolers...plate/frame like OEM or finned tubing. Nick Micale would have to comment on this as apparently he's been testing one for the past year.

I'm not a fan of powdercoating radiators - the coating is an insulator. But I'm sure the "experts" will debate the delta T and the mil thickness of the powercoating in conjunction with coolant type, water impurities, etc.

For me, a light spray of Eastwood radiator paint from a spray can is all that is needed if one wants a black radiator.

for those interested, here are the pics...

 

[forzfed]

Being that it is a low milage car I would opt for a re-core. I did that to mine and turned it into a 4 core high efficiency finned unit. Cost me $200 cdn which is like $120 US. The 3 core was around $150.

 

[Ttype6]

Being that it is a low milage car I would opt for a re-core. I did that to mine and turned it into a 4 core high efficiency finned unit. Cost me $200 cdn which is like $120 US. The 3 core was around $150.

Relatively speaking,the 4 row re-core is inefficient,but should be good enough. If a person want's to retain the oil cooler,this becomes a more viable option. If this is important to you,I would choose the Alradco first then the Kirban then the re-core. If the oil cooler doesn't matter,my first preference would be an aluminum radiator from ebay,probably Champion, that has 2 rows of 1" wide cooling tubes. My second choice would be an F body radiator.

 

[robertf]

I saw Kirban's new radiator at his open house yesterday. Looks like a nice piece. Use your original radiator cap. I could not determine the exact design type of the oil and trans coolers...plate/frame like OEM or finned tubing. Nick Micale would have to comment on this as apparently he's been testing one for the past year.

I'm not a fan of powdercoating radiators - the coating is an insulator. But I'm sure the "experts" will debate the delta T and the mil thickness of the powercoating in conjunction with coolant type, water impurities, etc.

For me, a light spray of Eastwood radiator paint from a spray can is all that is needed if one wants a black radiator.

for those interested, here are the pics...

View attachment 302031 View attachment 302032 View attachment 302033 View attachment 302034 View attachment 302035 View attachment 302036

That is nice. I feel wider cores allow better flow.

 

[Ttype6]

That is nice. I feel wider cores allow better flow.

I think you meant to say wider tubes. Wider tubes allow for more uninterrupted contact with the cooling fins. The most efficient radiator will have 1 row of 2" wide cooling tubes (Nascar),but that isn't a realistic option for us because of the price. With 1 wide tube you have contact with every bit of the cooling fins. When you have 2-4 rows of tubes,you have spaces in between the rows where the fins aren't contacting any tube and there is turbulent air created between the tubes as the air passes through the open spaces. This all speaks to efficiency. For the average Joe,2 rows of 1"wide tubes is the best cooling radiator.

 

[Anthony P]

If anyone decided to re-core an factory radiator, you must know and review your replacement core options and specs with the radiator shop. Who makes the core? 3-row or 4-row of what size tubes? Then the cost options can be wisely reviewed with the purchase of a new radiator.

I believe the OEM radiator core was 3 rows of 3/8" tubes. Pictured below is a 3-row replacement core using 1/2" tubes sold by Detroit Radiator. And a pic of what the original coolers look like inside the end tank. Pics are from Ebay, Sep 2016 for a restored radiator using original end tanks with this new core.



I don't know what size tubes a 4-row core contains. there are many choices regarding cores - from tubing size to who makes it and where it comes from. All TBD with local radiator shop. The OP does not identify where the leak is.

As was already said, for a stock, 20K mi car, I would conclude the OP would like to retain the originality of the car. So with all that has been said in these posts, compare the cost of repairing or re-coring the original radiator to that of a replacement. The factory radiator worked fine at stock or near stock performance levels, say when stock stuff is maxed out at 360bhp.

As far as core design goes, TType6 above is correct when considering the conductive, convective and radiation heat transfer in consideration of thermal efficiency.

1 row of 2 inch tubes = 2 inches, the optimal design.

2 rows of 1 inch tubes = 2 inches

3 rows of 1/2 inch tubes = 1.5 inch equivalent tube.

3 rows of 3/8 inch tubes = 1 1/8 inch equivalent tube.

the factory core is thinner than the end tanks. if re-coring, it would be ideal to find a core that would be as wide as the end tanks to get the best efficiency possible - tube size TBD. And when using distilled water with coolant, there would not be the mineral calcium buildup restricting flow.

Again, the factory core was fine when new and operating at stock or near stock performance levels.

 

[Ttype6]

If anyone decided to re-core an factory radiator, you must know and review your replacement core options and specs with the radiator shop. Who makes the core? 3-row or 4-row of what size tubes? Then the cost options can be wisely reviewed with the purchase of a new radiator.

I believe the OEM radiator core was 3 rows of 3/8" tubes. Pictured below is a 3-row replacement core using 1/2" tubes sold by Detroit Radiator. And a pic of what the original coolers look like inside the end tank. Pics are from Ebay, Sep 2016 for a restored radiator using original end tanks with this new core.

View attachment 302157View attachment 302158

I don't know what size tubes a 4-row core contains. there are many choices regarding cores - from tubing size to who makes it and where it comes from. All TBD with local radiator shop. The OP does not identify where the leak is.

As was already said, for a stock, 20K mi car, I would conclude the OP would like to retain the originality of the car. So with all that has been said in these posts, compare the cost of repairing or re-coring the original radiator to that of a replacement. The factory radiator worked fine at stock or near stock performance levels, say when stock stuff is maxed out at 360bhp.

As far as core design goes, TType6 above is correct when considering the conductive, convective and radiation heat transfer in consideration of thermal efficiency.

1 row of 2 inch tubes = 2 inches, the optimal design.

2 rows of 1 inch tubes = 2 inches

3 rows of 1/2 inch tubes = 1.5 inch equivalent tube.

3 rows of 3/8 inch tubes = 1 1/8 inch equivalent tube.

the factory core is thinner than the end tanks. if re-coring, it would be ideal to find a core that would be as wide as the end tanks to get the best efficiency possible - tube size TBD. And when using distilled water with coolant, there would not be the mineral calcium buildup restricting flow.

Again, the factory core was fine when new and operating at stock or near stock performance levels.

When we use 2 or more rows of cooling tubes we have a space or spaces between the tubes. Because of this the core gets thicker and thicker. The core of a radiator with 2 rows of 1" tubes will not be 2" thick. It will be more like 2.25" because of the wasted/unproductive/turbulent causing space between the 2 rows. The more rows,the more wasted/unproductive spaces there will be which creates less efficiency.

 

[marleyskater420]

I literally have a perfectly fine stock radiator that is sitting in my office taking up space.

dude just pay for shipping and pay for a nice bomber of beer, and we are square. Already has AN fittings on it and errythang.

Srs...stupid thing is taking up space that my swaybar should be sitting in!

 

[Anthony P]

just revisiting other radiator manufacturers...

Griffin (griffinrad dot com) still makes one with both oil coolers, using 2 rows of 1.25" tubing - part no. 6-70184. Summit sells it for $745.91

BeCool with both oil coolers is $929 through Summit - part no. 66062.

Alradco website is still down for maintenance. It's been like that for months now. Other car & truck forums noted the same asking if they were out of business. do a google search...Direct questions on Alradco's facebook page https://www.facebook.com/alradco/ going back to February ask the same questions. Does anyone know what is happening with Alradco (aka Red C5)?