Need a radiator
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Cargo Master
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 2,387
Likes: 138
From: Northern California
Figured I would take some before & after pics... See how all this works out. The rad is out & in the back of my suv ready to go.
You can see the wet spots where the JB weld gave out... I got 3 years from it so I consider it money well spent.
And finally the brand new coolant. Was gonna reuse it until the bottom of the rad drained. The photo makes it look like oil but its just rusty sludgy coolant stuff. Guess it needed the flush anyway...
You can see the wet spots where the JB weld gave out... I got 3 years from it so I consider it money well spent.
And finally the brand new coolant. Was gonna reuse it until the bottom of the rad drained. The photo makes it look like oil but its just rusty sludgy coolant stuff. Guess it needed the flush anyway...
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Cargo Master
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 2,387
Likes: 138
From: Northern California
Well they boiled it and brazed the cracks only to find the header is cracked... Can't be fixed. At least not for less than it can be replaced.
Do the aluminum radiators cool as well as copper? Gonna just replace it. I like those champion 3 rows found on ebay best...
Do the aluminum radiators cool as well as copper? Gonna just replace it. I like those champion 3 rows found on ebay best...
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Cargo Master
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 2,387
Likes: 138
From: Northern California
Thanks for the feedback... I'm going to go with the aluminum champion three Row listed for $220 on eBay.
If money were no issue I think I found the radiator thought I would go with. The flex-a-light 52000R is a universal fit radiator that bolts right in with their adjustable brackets. It runs about 520 bucks and can be upgraded with a whole host of options such as an electric fan that is made specifically for it.
Flex-a-lite Product Catalog - Powered by PageTurnPro.com
If money were no issue I think I found the radiator thought I would go with. The flex-a-light 52000R is a universal fit radiator that bolts right in with their adjustable brackets. It runs about 520 bucks and can be upgraded with a whole host of options such as an electric fan that is made specifically for it.
Flex-a-lite Product Catalog - Powered by PageTurnPro.com
Senior User
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 347
Likes: 0
From: Skyway, WA
I would have had my original radiator reconditioned, but the shop I knew about that did that got shut down by the EPA. Apparently doing that kind of work can produce toxic fumes. I still have the radiator sitting around in case I found somebody to fix it. In the mean time, the Chinese radiator seems to fit fine, and cool well. As far as plastic tanks, all my newer cars and trucks have them.
New User
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
wel i have a 79 with a inline 6 my radiator took a crap an a new one was going to cost me $300 so i looked around an found a new alum. 4 core in speedway mag. for $125 the only bad thing is because its a 6 the inlet and outlet are diff from a 302 so i had to use a chev radiator
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Cargo Master
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 2,387
Likes: 138
From: Northern California
Thanks for the referral to speedway... Short of a universal fit they didn't list anything for my application. To many adapters would be needed to make it work... Its too bad as they look to be made with exceptional quality for just about every other application imaginable; good prices too.
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New User
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 8
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there not bad but ya there universal i just got there mounting bracket kit an made a few mods ant its as good as new the only other thing i can think of is LMC truck but there costly and its all reprobuction parts for ur make and model its were i had to get a lot of stuff to rebuild my 79
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Cargo Master
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 2,387
Likes: 138
From: Northern California
Would you all do anything to protect a nice new shiny aluminum radiator? I saw some honeycomb stuff that goes in front to protect from rocks... Not sure what its called but I was also thinking about some heavy mesh welded to the core support; not trying to make a war wagon out of it though so this would be painted and done nice to make it as unnoticeable as possible.
Mesh like this...
Mesh like this...
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,398
Likes: 6
Would you all do anything to protect a nice new shiny aluminum radiator? I saw some honeycomb stuff that goes in front to protect from rocks... Not sure what its called but I was also thinking about some heavy mesh welded to the core support; not trying to make a war wagon out of it though so this would be painted and done nice to make it as unnoticeable as possible.
Mesh like this...
Mesh like this...
Wire mesh, Hardware cloth, Wire Screen, Wire Cloth,
Postmaster
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 2,553
Likes: 10
I like to paint aluminum radiators... provides some protection and blends in better. Clean the smooth parts with lacquer thinner and scotchbrite then hit it with radiator paint. Radiator paint is thin so it doesn't cut down heat trasfer much and sticks to aluminum. Eastwood and maybe your AP store have the paint. 2 spray cans should do it.
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Cargo Master
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 2,387
Likes: 138
From: Northern California
Paints an interesting suggestion I hadnt considered... Didnt even realized there was a pain made specifically for radiators.
I am torn as on one hand I would like to show it off but on another, the paint would certainly hide what it is... Probably protects it from the biggest threat - theft. Out of sight out of mind. Fancy radiator wont do no good if its stolen. I think I will do this. Thanks!
I am torn as on one hand I would like to show it off but on another, the paint would certainly hide what it is... Probably protects it from the biggest threat - theft. Out of sight out of mind. Fancy radiator wont do no good if its stolen. I think I will do this. Thanks!
Elder User
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 850
Likes: 0
From: Florida
All it is is a very thin lacquer paint. The black will help radiate heat from the metal underneath, but too thick of a coat will insulate the metal instead. Just fog it in a couple of light coats to take the shine off of the fins and tubes, maybe a little thicker on the tanks
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