Obviously I'm replacing my radiator soon (running a tad hot in stop and go). Is anyone running this one? Suggestions?

 

I have a similar one in my '63 f350. I don't really have any miles on it yet but I was impressed with the fit and finish and the price was unbeatable.
Heres the rad in my 63 Gauranteed Fit, 1961 - 1964 Ford F-100 F-250 F-350 Pickup 3 Row AR Radiator | eBay

 

nice! Thank you for the info!

 

Note that it's only a 2 row. Champion makes 3 and 4 row units also.

My next one will be a 4 core, with a high-flow Pump and thermostat. Things get hot down here in the cactus patch. My 3 row radiator can't quite keep up when it's 115 or more.

 

I have the three row Champion in my truck. The install was easy. I got the rad and the two 12" electric fans with wiring cheaper than I could get my original rad re-cored up here. I will say that their electric fans do not move enough air to keep the truck cool if your stuck in traffic. I would definitely recommend the rad.

 

I forget what engine you have, but the FEs will run hot is stop n go traffic. Your answer is dual electric fans. IMO

 

I don't know what engine or radiator you currently have but there are a few other things to keep in mind for cooling since these trucks have often been modified by now...
- make sure you have the right pulleys (bigger crank pulley and smaller water pump pulley will pump the coolant faster and run the fan faster to help cooling).
- consider a better fan if you still have the factory.
- check your timing curve. Some cars/trucks may have left the factory with no vacuum advance or with ported vacuum advance but full vacuum advance may help you run cooler at idle. Sometimes an adjusted curve will work better than factory settings depending on any modifications that may have been made to the engine (e.g. cam swap, head work, etc). For instance, if you have an FE with aftermarket heads and a cam swap then you can throw the factory timing curve out the window. In fact, it's worth a try even if your engine is all stock.


I have a 180 t-stat in my FE and that's about where it sits...little lower if it's cool outside and little higher if it's 90's and I'm towing something. It has to be at least 85 outside or it will cool 5-10 degrees when I leave the freeway and crawl in stop an go traffic. I've never driven in 115 heat...yikes !

 

imho get a 3 row minimum if you are running a little hot now .
My 66 Mustang with a 289 did the same , always ran a little on hot side , put a 3 row radiator in it and temp is perfect now .

 

I run the Champion 3 row for my 351w, no electric fans. Works great, temp good and install was straight forward. I've had the radiator about a year now.
Kenny

 

The truck has a 360, and the rad looks original.... its old. Thanks for all the info!!!!

looks like i will go 3 row and see how it does.

 

If you haven't already, it wouldn't hurt to verify your engine temp with a probe or heat gun and compare against your dashboard temp gauge.

 

i have not, and that is a good idea. But besides that after 25 years of driving old cats i can kind of smell and feel whene a car is running too warm if that make sense.

 

Don't forget to flush out the system real good. Especially in the engine block. The cooling passages inside the engine are prolly all gunked up with crap and sediment. Which takes up space coolant should be flowing. There are 2 drain plugs to do this screwed in to the block. In between the motor mounts and the oil pan. One per side. Once you pull those plugs the sediment will prolly plug the hole a few times. You'll have to poke a screwdriver in there to open the holes back up.

 

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