Extra wide diesel radiator application ?

[tarussell]

Got a question on the extra wide “diesel” radiator applications on the 81~91 squares.
I’m aware that all ( as far as I know ) 6.2 diesels come with the extra wide radiator but has anyone here seen this radiator in any gasoline applications in regular 20/30 series trucks?
I ask this because I have come across several Cab Chassis K-30’s with a 454 and the extra wide radiator but never seen it in the regular trucks - just the thick common four row radiator.
Was this just an option on big block Cab Chassis trucks due to their more severe workload expectations ?
I’ve seen the standard four core radiator in 454 Cab Chassis as well but just wondering if anyone knows if the diesel radiator was a C/C only option with the big block?

Attached are two different pics of examples of 454’s with the big boy radiator in Cab Chassis K-30’s.

Thanks, Tom

 

[nvrenuf]

It would be interesting to find the cooling system RPO's of the big vs extra big radiator.

@tarussell do you still have access to these trucks to take pics of the RPO stickers to decipher?

 

[83ChevyK5Blazer]

What was the application for that fan I borrowed @nvrenuf

 

[nvrenuf]

What was the application for that fan I borrowed @nvrenuf

It was standard rotation, right? That would have been a typical big block 7 blade fan. An original application would be an @tarussell old truck - ‘83 K30 crew cab dually w/ 454 / 4spd / 4.56 gears however this truck had a standard width 4 row radiator. Note: this truck had a fan clutch that was a step above the usual “HD” part, the deep gear ratio dictated a severe duty part that only fit 454 + 4.56 trucks.

 

[obijuank5]

The gm parts catalog lists which RPO got which part number of you got a catalog handy.

 

[nvrenuf]

I would love to have a catalog but I don’t. At one time I had GM microfiche but it was really difficult to navigate (compared to Toyota), I’ll look for it.

 

[tarussell]

I don’t have an RPO code for a Cab Chassis application - my 83 ex-Fire C/C truck’s SPID sheet was long gone when I got it and the other truck is a pic from the “Crew Cabs & worthy rigs” thread which appears to be an add listing.

My old other 83 crew cab DRW did have H.D. cooling with the badass fan clutch but , as John said, came with the usual thick 4 core radiator that was normal width. Years ago I read some GM literature that stated the seven blade fan on those trucks had a steeper pitch to go along with that fan clutch.

I’ve seen some RPO codes that listed “extra-capacity cooling” before - I wonder if that’s the lingo that GM used on the 454 cab chassis trucks?
My 83 Cab Chassis truck has the same seven blade fan and clutch as the other did.
If anyone knows or has the book listing please let us know - just curious about the limited options.

 

[CT-BLAZER]

I think the width will be limited by the vertical posts in the radiator support....

 

[tarussell]

I agree - my 83 C/C has a radiator support that looks identical to any of the 6.2 diesel ones that I have ever taken notice of.
My 83 crew cab had the top support with the extra bolt holes for multiple radiator bracket positions just like so many others but had the standard vertical pieces.

 

[nvrenuf]

I believe that when the 6.2 was introduced (I don’t know the year) all of the core support upper tie bars had the dual width bolt pattern.

The extra wide radiator is 6” wider than the vertical posts in the dual pattern core support.

 

[tarussell]

I believe that when the 6.2 was introduced (I don’t know the year) all of the core support upper tie bars had the dual width bolt pattern.

The extra wide radiator is 6” wider than the vertical posts in the dual pattern core support.

That would make sense.

1982 is when the 6.2 came upon the scene.

John, any luck on the GM slides for the RPO code info ?

 

[tarussell]

I believe that when the 6.2 was introduced (I don’t know the year) all of the core support upper tie bars had the dual width bolt pattern.

The extra wide radiator is 6” wider than the vertical posts in the dual pattern core support.

I found RPO code “VO3” as extra-capacity cooling but I got no idea if that particular code applies to our squares or any other GM vehicles.

 

[83ChevyK5Blazer]

I couldn't remember if that fan and clutch were part of anything special, that joker moved some air tho, so I figured it was a "hd" cooling system special part

 

[nvrenuf]

I found V03 via google but so far I’m only seeing V01 and V02. The GM slides are tough, it’s there’s a map key that I haven’t found that explains a lot of non RPO codes / designations.

 

[kennyw]

My guess would be the trucks originally had a diesel but sometime swapped the 454 in without changing the radiator. This is the RPO sticker for the last Cab/ Chassis 6.2L RV that I stripped down. It also came with an extra HD cooling fan. V02 RPO code here.

 

[kennyw]

Here is another V02 on my 86 GMC K2500. Also a 6.2L bit only has the standard 5 blade fan.

 

[kennyw]

Here is another V02 on a 1990 Suburban V2500 with a 5.7L TBI. It does NOT have the wide diesel radiator.

 

[kennyw]

The B3J for diesel equipment is likely what brings in the wider radiator. The V02 may be the difference between a 3 or 4 core radiator.

 

[kennyw]

For comparison, here is a 1978 C10 with the Olds 350 diesel. Still uses B3J, but not V02.

 

[kennyw]

Another 6.2L diesel Suburban K10. Also uses the B3J but not the V02. This one had a 3 core radiator.