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Question for those with aftermarket aluminum radiators

mrk5

mrk5

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I'm looking at replacing the radiator in the crewcab. I like the looks of the Summit Racing radiator, I believe it's the same one Ryoken and a couple others have, http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-380331.

I'm wondering what you guys did for radiator hoses since the inlet and outlet on that radiator are bigger than the factory radiator?

TIA
Scott
 
FWIW when my Dad went to an aftermarket AL radiator (with the larger inlet) he was able to take the junk radiator that was in there, cut off the inlet fitting, and use it as a hose adapter. This will only work of course if the radiator in there now has the dual size fitting. His copper/brass was obviously not factory, so it had it.

He did have the hose blow off once, which is why I don't like adapters. But to be fair, he didn't go back and verify the tightness of the hose clamp after it was heat cycled a few times, and the "adapter" didn't have a lip on the one side to keep the clamp/hose from just being pushed off.

I'm all ears actually, I have another make aluminum radiator for mine. I was able to find an A/G-body Monte Carlo (think I used a 1987 with 305 as the donor) lower hose that is the right diameter at both ends, but I haven't messed with the upper yet.

My post on a lower hose is here, with the Dayco number http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=297122&highlight=radiator
 
The Summit radiator has a 1-3/4" lower outlet to the pump. Although after reading your thread it would be interesting to see what it actually measures.

I'm also trying to figure out what the inlet diameter is on the typical water pump. It would be convenient if it were also 1-3/4". Then it would be easy to use one of those green-line universal hoses.

From what I found the outlet of the factory radiator is 1-9/16" diameter.
 
I think I used summit when I was starting to research hoses, as most if not all list the hose end diameters. Here is the Dayco I used http://www.summitracing.com/parts/dac-71131 It lists 1 3/4 and 1 1/2", so the pump must be 1 3/4" on the '87.

For some reason I think even the pump side changed as well in some applications, but not as common as the upper and lowers.
 
iirc, I ran the stock lower hose on my K5, might have had to stretch that one a bit, and the upper one I just ran marine hose. same size both ends... so easy enough..






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they are made by Northern, and I liked the quality... obviously the universal ones are a bit more work across the board than the replacement ones.. but the rads rival becool's, etc as ar as construction goes imo..
 
I may end up going with the Champion aluminum radiator. I hadn't heard of those until seeing it pop up in some other threads. But they are about the same price as Summit but should drop in. Which I like because for now I'd like to keep the mechanical fan and factory shroud in place. Mostly to save myself from one more project before having the truck ready for Blazer Bash.

Ryoken, did the slight angle up on the lower outlet of the Summit radiator cause in trouble?
 
nope.. iirc, it was just a bit of a stretch to get the hose over diameter-wise, but it's been yr's since I did that......

but that was the like $179 universal one, I'm sure the $250 made to fit one wouldn't have those issues...
 
Actually the Champion made to fit radiators are $170. The other plus is they include the cap and drain.
 
I have two northern universals and love them. Were cheaper than a factory cheap replacement with plastic tanks from oreillys and work great.

For hoses I used factory hoses. Put some grease on the radiator outlets and pushed them on. Very tight fit and almost impossible to get back off, I doubt I even need clamps:whistle:
 
I bought a 3 core Champion rad for my other car, a 67 Fairlane 2 years ago.
Build quality of it is awesome, beautiful welds, and since I bought an application specific rad, it bolted right up.

As for cooling capacity, I have beat the crap out of that car often, driving it quite a lot in stop and go traffic in 100°F heat many, many times. At an idle, with nothing but the direct-mount engine fan, the temp climbs a little bit over the 195° thermostat (up to around 215°) but as soon as I start moving at all, it drops right down to where it ought to be.

I actually have more problems in the winter with the radiator cooling the engine so much that my heater stops working hehe. I've seen the gauge hovering at about 145° even after a 4 hour drive in the winter...


When the time comes to replace the (still original) radiator in my 84 K5, I intend on buying a champion rad.
 
mrk5 said:
dhcomp just got one and installed for a weekend trip but he hasn't posted a report yet. http://coloradok5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=298869

Cooling System Overhaul - HELP Needed

I'm actually leaning toward a Griffin univeral radiator. Mostly because it's American made and from dhcomp posted the Checker drop-in isn't an exact fit. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/gri-1-25272-x
Click to expand...


The champion is a nice piece. You'll need to mod your brackets a little bit, as its so much thicker, and mod your shroud.

I just stretched my upper hose, and used the lower rad hose.
 
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