Radiator question?

[Gramps]

I need to replace the radiator in my truck, it's a 78 K20, with a 350, 4 speed manual transmission, nothing fancy, does not have ac, only power steering.

the radiator I took out is an after market, the guy at the radiator shop called it a CU161, it's aluminum with copper end tanks. (see pictures)

I was told it would cost about $365 to rebuild it, and the guy didn't think it was worth it as it's already been rebuilt or fixed before and would need to be re-cored. also looking at the picture, it looks to me like my old radiator is a 3 row? am I correct?

I want a drop in bolt in replacement, I don't want to do a bunch of mods to make something fit. but I also want a good radiator, and don't want something with plastic side tanks.

looking up the specs at LMC shows that it takes a single row radiator, so using that criteria, I went shopping and came up with the following two radiators which I think (I'm not 100% positive here) but I think these will be a drop in bolt in replacement.

I just don't know which one to get ...

this one? http://www.ebay.com/itm/190815925444
which is a single row, aluminum and copper (no plastic)

or this one? http://www.ebay.com/itm/171096951528
which is all aluminum, and is a two row which through some internet searching suggested that a 2 row would be what I want, and when I asked the guy the size of the tubes, he said they were about 2 inches, I had read on the net somewhere that if you go aluminum, you want a tube size somewhere around 1 to 1.5 inches.

any opinions here? which way do you think I should go? thanks in advance.

Gramps

 

[chengny]

The two dimensions to be most concerned with are the height and width between the points indicated below. Those points are what sit in the rubber mounts (upper and lower). If they don't line up from side to side, or if the vertical dimension is too short or long - you will be doing modifications:

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RockAuto has that VistaPro 433729 for $179.

But, for $60 more, they list a VistaPro 438161. For $242 you get a real brass tank/copper tube 3 row radiator.

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/raframecatalog.php?tab=search&mfr=VISTA-PRO&partnum=438161


That is the same radiator that Summit sells for $356:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/pli-438161

 

[Gramps]

I didn't notice that vista pro radiator, so is that 3 row going to be better than an all aluminum 2 row?

from what you just showed me, it kinda looks like I should go with the vista pro 438161

using the picture you posted with the red lines, mine comes out to be about 18.5 inches tall, but I have two radiators here, one of them being a 4 row supposedly out of a 78 blazer, and it's about 2 inches taller then mine and won't fit my brackets - see pictures

The two dimensions to be most concerned with are the height and width between the points indicated below. Those points are what sit in the rubber mounts (upper and lower). If they don't line up from side to side, or if the vertical dimension is too short or long - you will be doing modifications:

You must be registered for see images attach

RockAuto has that VistaPro 433729 for $179.

But, for $60 more, they list a VistaPro 438161. For $242 you get a real brass tank/copper tube 3 row radiator.

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/raframecatalog.php?tab=search&mfr=VISTA-PRO&partnum=438161


That is the same radiator that Summit sells for $356:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/pli-438161

 

[chengny]

The HD radiators are about 2 inches higher and use a special pair of clamps to accomodate that extra height. I don't know how they look on the 70's trucks but on a 81-87 the clamps look like this:

You must be registered for see images attach

The two bolts screw into the top of the radiator support and the shroud is attached at the single screw in the front.

On your radiator support, I don't see the holes and weld nuts that would be used with these brackets. They must use the same holes - the ones on the vertical surface - and gooseneck up somehow. They sell HD radiators for your truck so there must be some way to clamp the top.

You might have to go to a junkyard and look/pull the parts you need. The shroud may be different as well.

It might be easier to look for a standard duty radiator.

 

[HotRodPC]

Here's this all aluminum 2 row with 1in tubes. for $185 with FREE shipping. With no AC this should do the job. Should even do the job with the AC. With wider tubes and tubes closer together you should actually end up with more cooling capacity than a 3 row copper radiator.

Most of these aluminum radiators on ebay have the same mfr warranty, but they are blems in many cases. Blems as in they did not meet quality control specs and have some ugly welds. They hold just fine and don't leak, just that weld doesn't look pretty. So this is what I was told when I considered buying one myself. I didn't buy it cuz I ended up having a buddy giving me a used OEM 4 core that bolted right in and I'm still using it today running about 10-15 degrees cooler than my old 4 core that obviosly have some blockages in some tubes. Maybe worth a try at this price.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1973-74-75-...Parts_Accessories&hash=item232dd96193&vxp=mtr

 

[89Suburban]

Posted From Hell

 

[Gramps]

i plan on ordering something on monday when I get back to town, but i'm still a little undecided as to which one I should get, the 2 row aluminum or that 3 row like my old one that chengny listed, i don't have ac, so I'm sure a standard duty radiator would be just fine. I kinda like the idea of the all aluminum, but don"t know if that would be a better option or not.

the big thing for me is I just want something I can bolt in with my existing hardware and be off and running again, I don't want to be scrounging around for more parts to make something fit, i want to use the hardware I already have

 

[chengny]

the big thing for me is I just want something I can bolt in with my existing hardware and be off and running again


Have you checked the local salvage yards. A lot of these old trucks still have the OEM radiators installed. You might be able to get an exact replacement if you look around.

Even if you find a good one (externally) but when you look inside it's a mess - i.e. has deposits on the tubes, don't just pass it by. With the radiator removed from the sysytem, there are several easy methods to remove any mineral scale that has built up over the years.

A few good treatments with CLR or Barkeeper's Friend bring the copper back to bright metal without harming the soldered joints.

Just another option.

 

[Gramps]

I'd rather get a new one, buying a 30+ year old radiator out of a wrecking yard, is like buying a used light bulb, it may work, but you got no idea how long it's gonna last, I'd rather spring the extra cash for a new one.

I'm kinda leaning towards the two row 1 inch aluminum one right now, unless someone comes up with a better idea before tomorrow to talk me out of it.

 

[Swims350]

get one from your local chain parts store, very cheap compared to lmc and such, around $100-150 or so depending on the rows or cores.

You definately have a 3 row or 3 core.

If the truck ran good and cool and never overheated stick with a 3 row.

There's always a chance it has a 3 row for towing or what not or somebody had cooling issues in the past and it's now fixed with a bigger rad.

I have personally never seen nor heard of an alum/copper, it's always brass/copper or alum./plastic.

Alum. disapates(sp?) the heat better and faster thus, in theory, a 2 row alum one would outcool a 3 row copper brass, OR coool just as good as a 3 row.

We have a 2 or 1 core alum/plastic in an 84, no air, 350, mild cam, headers intake etc. auto trans and it's hooked to the rad. for trans cooling, no aux. cooler, aftermarket mech gauge so it's really more accurate then stock, and it never gets over the t-stat temp, which is like 160 or 180 I forget.

 

[Gramps]

ok, looks like the general consensus here is to go with a 2 row aluminum with 1 inch tubes, so unless someone can come up with a better idea and talk me out of it, that's what I'll order tomorrow.

 

[HotRodPC]

It's not only the aluminum discipates the heat quicker. The tubes are usually closer together so there are more tubes in each row. This can equate to the same amount of coolant capacity in a 2 row aluminum as a 3 row brass/copper or plastic/aluminum.

I see the point chegny is trying to make about fit and using the OEM hardware for mounting, but from what I've heard, those all aluminum radiators are made in a way they're supposed to bolt in with all the OEM hardware just like the OEM radiator should.

I'm still hoping to find a radiator shop to have one of my 4 cores repaired, cleaned and rodded out.

 

[dhamp]

Somebody on here used a Champion all aluminum and said it was a direct fit and only cost a little more than the Autozone specials. Gotta see if I can find that thread.

 

[HotRodPC]

Somebody on here used a Champion all aluminum and said it was a direct fit and only cost a little more than the Autozone specials. Gotta see if I can find that thread.

Yep, I member that too. Been well over a year now that. MIght take Retro magic to dig up a thread that old.

 

[Gramps]

I'm still hoping to find a radiator shop to have one of my 4 cores repaired, cleaned and rodded out.

that's the first thing I tried with my old radiator, but the radiator shop said it was completely shot and needed to be recored at a cost of $365, that's when I went looking for an alternative ...

I have a nice big low mile 4 row/core out of a 78 blazer, I bought it from my brother for 100 bucks, but it's the tall one that take them other brackets like chengny posted, I'll probably post it on craigslist and see if I can find a buyer for it.