Which cores are doing the best

[turbo nasty]

Many vendors carry replacement high capacity radiator cores and they are within 20- 30 bucks of each other.

Cottons, CAS, Arizona GN(Nick Micale), or any others.

Or is there a good company to order the core from direct as the vendors do a save some bucks if so part #'s, site, etc.

I need to prepare for a FMIC and just doing some homework(will be getting ramchargers fans)

Which ones are you guys using out there?

Need one that will do the job with the south florida heat and a FMIC and a/c.


Thanx to all

 

[turbo nasty]

TTTTT
Come on

 

[tminer]

I have not seen a definitive test. I also don't recall reading about anyone that tried multiple cores on the same car. I'd say pick a vendor that you like and trust, and go with them.

I did go with Nick's "desert" core (~$180), and the RC fans but still don't have my car back on the road yet. Hopefully it works in "wet" heat!

There are a lot of threads on the subject, you might try a search on "radiator AND front" in General TB Tech.

HTH,
Tom

 

[Intercooler]

Be-Cool!

 

[tminer]

Originally posted by Intercooler
Be-Cool!

I did not realize that they made a replacement core for our radiators.

Tom

 

[OKTurbo]

Be-Cool = BIG $$$$

I used a (don't everybody slam me) CAS HE core. But that was years ago when you could actually call Tony up and get your parts within a week or so.

Give Nick Micale a call at ArizonaGN www.arizongn.com. He IS the radiator guy. If he can keep a GN w/ front mount from melting down in Phoenix, Florida will be no problem. He can set you up with just a core so you can use your stock end tanks and coolers....you'll have to have a local radiator shop put the tanks back on. Or, I'll bet he can set you up with a whole new radiator.

John

 

[turbo nasty]

great fellas thanx for the replies.

Anyone else???

 

[Steve Wood]

Go with Nick-his hd three row is the best bang for the buck and all that you will need unless you have a very restrictive front mount bolted in front of it...even then, dual fans will make a big difference.

 

[darkfa8]

i say Mr. Micale... great guy, great price, no bs and gets you stuff on-time without any trouble.... in my opinion

 

[GN ERGY]

Call your local radiator shop and ask them about recoring yours. They should be able to get cores with different amounts of fins per inch, thats how there rated. And go with a 4 core, thats what I did and it runs a lot cooler. Had mine done for around a $165.
Tarey D.

 

[darkfa8]

the 3-core is the best core for the size... in comparison to a 4-core, it cools better since the less-dense core thickness alows air to pass through a lot easier...

don't be fooled by the more-cores=better

If your water pump, thermostat and cooling system are in good shape, a 3-core radiator will work perfectly.

Nick, want to chime in ?

 

[Steve Wood]

two problems with four cores, as Dan says...

first, the tubes are small, and not only don't provide much area to the passing air for heat removal via the fins. (they also plug up easier, but that should not be a problem if you use RMI-25)

Secondly, as the air that does move thru the core passes over the first row of tubes, it picks up some heat, then it goes over the second row and picks up more, etc. By the time it reaches the 4th row, it is pretty hot and does not pull much out of it.

Seems like some of the data posted shows only about a 7% cooling at the back row. Most of the better four row units use a very low fin count to let the air pass easier, but, then, that reduces the area cooled, again.

The HD three row should out cool the four and five row units as the tubes are wider and release more heat into the fins as well as receive cooler air.

I replaced a four row unit with one of the hd three rows from Nick and it performed better. Now, I am not in as hot an area as Arizona but 100 deg days are pretty common down here.

 

[Mr.Buick]

Electric fans

I am in the process of converting my 1984 Buick GN from a 22" single core stock radiator to a 28" 1985 Olds 442 V8 3 core radiator. The swap went well requiring only a new top plate from the Olds and moving the bottom rubber support over. I removed the clutch fan and want to install an electric fan in it's place. I have converted the electric wiring (Caspers) over to 1987, which gives me computer control of the electric fan. My question to everyone is what electric fan should I get. Single or double fans? Who makes the best cooling fans? Easy to mount? Plug into the GM conector? Do the fans run after the engine is turned off to cool the radiator? Someone told me that it is possible to program the ECU to do that? Thanks for the help Mr. Buick

 

[Intercooler]

Be-Cool 2 row aluminum. Much lighter, built in oil cooler, perfect bolt in and I can sit on the thermostat @ 160 with Jack's FM and single stock fan. Absolutely love it!

 

[ULYCYC]

I have Nick Micale's radiator with a CAS V2 front mount( before his troubles) and Flex a Lite dual fans. Car never seen 190 even with the AC on and in traffic. Also Nick has great prices and service and is on the board.

 

[turbo nasty]

just got back in town ...thanx for the replies

 

[325DR]

Originally posted by ULYCYC
I have Nick Micale's radiator with a CAS V2 front mount( before his troubles) and Flex a Lite dual fans. Car never seen 190 even with the AC on and in traffic. Also Nick has great prices and service and is on the board.

Never seen 190? Do you leave the fan on the whole time, or is this without the fan on?

 

[turbo nasty]

looks like arizona gn is the one to get.

I thought so..thanx everyone