aftermarket radiator and electric fan options

[hinkv10]

I've been driving my K10 a lot lately and fixing little and big problems as they arise. My truck doesn't overheat per say but the factory guage reads 200 all the time. I think thats what it always did and only goes up to 210 degrees in extreme heat. My buddy looked it a couple years ago with a laser thermometer or something similar and said it was running at 180 and not to worry.

I'm moving to NC where it is hot, a lot and still debating the engine swap but at $3k after exhaust etc I'm leaning to holding off till I get situated as labor should be considerably cheaper in NC vs CT.

Since it will cost the same I'm thinking of eliminating the factory fan and installing an electric plus new aluminum radiator. I can't do a Becool or some other 600-1000$ option but I'm looking at Jegs and Summit and some of their offerings are in the $180 range for the radiator and $80 for a fan kit. I like the idea of it kicking on at 180 or being programmable etc but money is an object.

We don't have very many junkyards in CT and even fewer pickaparts... the only K10's I've ever seen were rust buckets so I'm thinking buy new is my best option. Any advice or what to stay away from? Thanks

 

[hinkv10]

http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/PostAddtoCart?nextAvailableDate=0&calculateOrder=1&orderId=54504905&langId=-1&field2_1=10109&inventoryMessage=06/19/17&inventoryAvailable=N&partNumber_1=690-MMRAD-CK-78X&catalogId=10002&addCatEntryId=3653874&atc-qty=1&storeId=10001&quantity_1=1&ddkey=http:OrderItemAdd

This is one but its $268 but add their adjustable fan and its $600...

or this ?

http://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS-Performance-Products/555/52008/10002/-1

plus

http://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS-Performance-Products/555/52008/10002/-1

and harness etc. I already have a trans cooler that I could swap over. I want inexpensive as I'm not likely to tow but I don't want to have to upgrade in 2 years because it leaks or dies etc... I want Lexus on a Corolla budget ;-)

 

[Camar068]

If I was going to spend that much on a radiator, I'd get one that had the oil cooler in it.

 

[theblindchicken]

I'm gonna install a set of dual 14" Procomp 2053-S fans with a Flex-a-lite variable speed fan controller.

Fans were roughly $80-100 and the fan controller was about $150. Still need to make a shroud, but really not that bad for a set of electric fans that push about 1800-2000 cfms each.

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

Here's what a cheapskate has to say... I would break out the infrared thermometer again and point it at the cylinder head where the gauge sender threads in and see what you get. I'm really losing my faith with the temp gauge in mine. I put a new gauge appropriate sender from NAPA, and it worked a few days but then started reading wrong. So wrong that I put in two different thermostats before I could dig out my infrared thermometer and see it was running at a perfect 195*. If you are starting to run a little warm, see if you have any radiator shops around you. I still have the stock copper-brass radiator, and even though I had to drive fifty minutes to have a legit shop clean it properly, I'm glad I did. The radiator's saved, and I saved money from having to buy a new one down the road. Are you running the stock radiator or an aftermarket aluminum one? Either way, you may come out cheaper if you have a radiator shop close to you, and if you still have the stock one, you get to save it because they don't make them like they used to. As far as the fans go, that's really up to you. You can't go wrong with a good thermal clutch, and it won't rob too much power from you, but there are benefits to electric fans that you can't get with the old school stuff.

 

[gpmorgan]

I just installed a 3 row, all welded, all aluminum, KKS brand I found on ebay for 259.00. It has oil and tranny cooler provisions. They have some for about another 100 that have elec fans and shrouds. The radiator looks well built.

 

[hinkv10]

I just ordered an infared thermometer off amazon for $10. I think its a good idea of I'm fixing a non problem lol and getting ahead of myself. The stock radiator is in good shape and the temp guage doesn't move much once at temp. I'll double check the tstat I used but if I remember correctly I went with a fail safe one from autozone. I'll call and see if they can look up the temp but I think its standard.

I have too much free time on my hands and am starting to spend money I don't have lol.

 

[Camar068]

just an FYI, I'd found one recently that had oil cooling in the $160 range.

 

[HotRodPC]

I just installed a 3 row, all welded, all aluminum, KKS brand I found on ebay for 259.00. It has oil and tranny cooler provisions. They have some for about another 100 that have elec fans and shrouds. The radiator looks well built.

Nothing wrong with a 3 row aluminum radiator in place of one of the old 4 cores. Thing to remember about the aluminum radiators is they have more tubes per inch or core. So a 3 row aluminum probably has more actual tubes than a 4 core due to spacing. The other reason, aluminum dissipates heat much quicker than copper and brass. So all in all, a 3 row aluminum will actually be more efficient than the old 4 cores we are used to in our trucks that they came from the factory with.

 

[shiftpro]

First of all the infrared temp gun is a trouble if you don't know how to use them. You have to run a conversion formula depending on the surface you pint it at. Even the colour of the paint will effect the reading. the good ones have it built in like my Dewalt, but you still have to program it and learn how to use it.

Second, any electric fan that is cheapo from China is an overheating engine, unless maybe you don't live in a city where you sit at hot intersections looking at endless traffic... oh and yeah you only have a low compression small block. But running a BBC especially with mods like compression and you need a big ass rad, three core minimum and the ONLY fans to invest in are Spal.

And here my friends is THE cheapest place to buy Spal fans...
https://www.a1electric.com/index.htm

 

[HotRodPC]

I agree on the aftermarket fans if that's what you're going to do, but many here have had real good luck with OEM factory fans. Like from Buick Rendevous, Pontiac Aztec, Ford Windstar etc. Find you a good one from a wrecking yard and install the proper thermostatic wiring and relay and you're set. I didn't see the pricing on the SPAL fans link you posted. Certainly worth comparing costs for brand new vs wrecking yard used without warranty.

 

[theblindchicken]

I agree on the aftermarket fans if that's what you're going to do, but many here have had real good luck with OEM factory fans. Like from Buick Rendevous, Pontiac Aztec, Ford Windstar etc. Find you a good one from a wrecking yard and install the proper thermostatic wiring and relay and you're set. I didn't see the pricing on the SPAL fans link you posted. Certainly worth comparing costs for brand new vs wrecking yard used without warranty.

https://www.a1electric.com/catalog/cat_spal.htmhttps://www.a1electric.com/catalog/cat_spal.htm

If you click on the part numbers on the left they'll go to their individual pricing.

 

[74 Shortbed]

Prices are in the catalog, I'll stick with the OEM myself..

https://www.a1electric.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?

 

[Honky Kong jr]

OEM retrofit stuff generally offers better durability, more CFM and way better price. What you save on the fans will yield you a good fan control set up.

 

[gmachinz]

Well one option I like is to use the RF124 T-Bird dual speed fan mounted inside the stock SB or BB shroud. It moves approx. 4000 CFM on high speed-2500 on low. Use a Volvo dual speed relay control harness and there ya go.

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