Street guys: what rad are you running?

[karolko]

I currently have a aluminum rad i bought off of RedC5 on this forum and it is working, but i don't know if it is the best i can do. I am running a 55gph electric Miezere pump with -20 hoses and a big single blade electric fan and a full shroud. No thermostat or restrictor. water only. No additives.

I cannot seem to be able to keep the thing under 200-210*F while driving around the city. It seems that alot of guys who are making big power can keep there cars cooler in hotter weather than me.

Just wondering what you street/strip guys ended up using and what success you have had with which brand of rad.

I do have the massive RJC intercooler and a B&M transcooler infront of it so i know that isn't helping but everyone else has one of them as well...

Looking forward to everyone's input.

Adrian

 

[Boostian]

Stock recored rad for me. Trans cooler and a front mount blocking it. Dual slim Spal fans. 168-170 stop and go traffic. 175-180 70mph highway. That's at high summer temps (90*). The dual fans made the difference for me.

 

[Pronto]

Do you have all the radiator boxing in place?

 

[Eticket]

How hot is it where you are ? and are you talking with or without a/c?

With the a/c conditioning, the big aluminum radiator didn't do much of anything for me as compared to the f-body radiator. I think what actually probably help is putting an oil cooler back on the car. Once the oil is heat soaked, it doesn't seem that I can cool the engine back down at all down south.

 

[Mike E]

I use a summit universal radiator (Northern) that I modified the tanks to fit the car. Probably similar in cooling capacity to yours. Maybe you have too much water speed through the radiator. Try adding a restrictor and see if it helps. Adding some timing to the cruising part of your map may help also.

 

[Boost231]

Maybe upgrade the fan to a dual fan setup and box the radiator in?

 

[TurboTGuy]

Maybe upgrade the fan to a dual fan setup and box the radiator in?

^^What he said, and get some RMI additive from Nick Micale. The stuff works wonders.

 

[karolko]

I have the entire bottom boxed in but have yet to box In the sides. I hope that helps out a bit.

I will also be adding some sort of "water additive" but have yet to decide which is the best option. It seems like a lot of guys in this forum use RMI-25 but when I jump onto the bullet it is never mentioned.

As for the restrictive, I am still on the fence when it comes to restricted fluid flow helping cooling. It's worth a try.

 

[Turbo38V6]

Dual spal fans is what fixed my cooling problems after I tried F body radiator and RMI. Fans were a game changer on my car.

 

[Reggie West]

Get the dual fans from Alradco and wire them together so they are both are on. You wont have cooling problems anymore.

 

[karolko]

Guys,

i made a really nice fan shroud for my single fan and i don't want to give that up. With that said, how many CFM do the dual fans pull.

I am not willing to compromise the looks of the engine bay, so for me it will have to be one large fan and not two smaller ones.

Adrian

 

[Phoneguy]

The Dodge Intrepid fans look stock ...and do very well with the F body radiator. 175 degrees when outside temps are 90s without the AC on, about 205 with AC on

Bryan

 

[Pronto]

Finish boxing in the radiator.

 

[haywire4130]

^ what he said- very important to seal all around it so any air that enters the grill has to exit thru the radiator. You can stuff the side gaps with foam (available from a craft type store or from the depot, they sell long rectangle blocks to seal around window ac units). The gray foam is almost invisible unless youre looking for it. My car runs at 165-170 if its moving regardless of outside temp, fans never come on till im sitting still.

 

[TurboTGuy]

^ what he said- very important to seal all around it so any air that enters the grill has to exit thru the radiator. You can stuff the side gaps with foam (available from a craft type store or from the depot, they sell long rectangle blocks to seal around window ac units). The gray foam is almost invisible unless youre looking for it. My car runs at 165-170 if its moving regardless of outside temp, fans never come on till im sitting still.

Where do you live, Alaska?

It's friggin' HOT in Phoenix, 165 is temp at start up 7 months out of the year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[TurboTGuy]

Duplicate post.......

 

[Pronto]

I don't have a front mount but only have a stock GM replacement radiator. I have a 160* thermostat and it runs 170* most of time, actually cooler when the temps drop. It's been 90* for past 3 days and the temp never went higher than 170*. I have Intrepid fans and just redid my box in flaps. Got the kit from Old Buick Parts for under $25. Its nice and flexable. The old ones were stiff and most of the holes had ripped. 99% of the air entering is funneled through the radiator.

 

[Chuck Leeper]

My stage car had the stock, cleaned rad, and stock fan, set to run on hi. RMI25, 160 stat....
Never had heating issues.
A "standard" we use in the industrial engine world: Ambient + 100*. If the op temp is in that range, leave it alone.

 

[haywire4130]

Hahaha i live in northern mass. I have a big front mount but i dont have ac so im cheating a little, should have mentioned that. I think that may have something to do with me not driving it much when its over 95 out... ;-) im very pleased with my cooling setup though. I drive a lot in late fall, a lot of times shivering because i have very little heat

 

[rag231]

• ATR aluminum boxing around a Camaro radiator without oil cooler provisions. Intrepid fans from Pull A Part. External trans cooler and oil cooler making use of an old Kenne Bell dual scoop spoiler ( never could find the correct ducting). Restricting oil at the top of the motor. Deep sump pan with a large kickout toward the drivers side. Orange Prestone. Stage 2 heads on an off center block, gathering parts to add A/C back to the car.