Best radiator fan kit -Alloyworks?

[Brysonsproject]

Hi all,

I'm looking for a new radiator and I found this one (screenshot) on Alloyworks. I want to convert to the electric fans and get a 4 row for an engine swap in the future. My truck seems to have these two upper mounts as if my truck came with a smaller radiator but was fitted for a bigger one as well. I measured the radiator bottom to top at 18.5 inches. Does anyone know if this Alloyworks radiator will fit the upper mount or if there is a better option somewhere? Thanks.

 

[Broken85]

I recently purchased a Cold Case Radiator. Expensive, but while I will normally very quickly complain about cheaply made junk, I am actually very impressed with this unit. It is solid and they make two heights, the shorter one should work with your the location of your current radiator. I have two fans wired to turn, one at 185 degrees and one at 195. The second fan will almost never turn on unless I am using the AC and even if it does, it usually keeps the temp around 180.

My biggest complaint is that there was no good way to secure it in the original location. Cold Case sells a universal mount kit but it was basically just a set of L-shaped brackets for $60. I put my son’s mechanical engineering degree to work and had him 3D print new grommets that will work with the original radiator mounts. Granted, I had the taller radiator, so you don’t have the same solution here. I had to cut and modify the original brackets to accept my new 3D grommets, but it is a stock mounting at least and I have more confidence than the L brackets which just look like you did a Mickey Mouse install. You can see the line I cut with the dye grinder and I then used the bolt that used to attach the fan shroud to the original brackets to hold my new grommet in place. If you go with the bigger radiator, the brackets are like $10 at LMC and your radiator support is probably already threaded for them.

 

[Bextreme04]

Hi all,

I'm looking for a new radiator and I found this one (screenshot) on Alloyworks. I want to convert to the electric fans and get a 4 row for an engine swap in the future. My truck seems to have these two upper mounts as if my truck came with a smaller radiator but was fitted for a bigger one as well. I measured the radiator bottom to top at 18.5 inches. Does anyone know if this Alloyworks radiator will fit the upper mount or if there is a better option somewhere? Thanks.

Somebody swapped in a smaller radiator at some point. My 1980 K25 had a 4-core brass radiator in it originally and it fit in those upper mounts on that top flat panel. I have swapped in an aluminum stock 97 K2500 Suburban Radiator and stock 2014 2500 pickup electric fans.

 

[ChuckN]

I replaced my stock radiator with a cold case as well. Beautiful unit. I think they make sizes for both stock configurations (19.5 and 21.5” tall).

I made the mistake of buying one with a 1.75” lower outlet. Don’t do that unless you want to go your own way in getting a lower hose. All the stock replacement hoses for the lower outlet are 1.5” (the water pump end will still be 1.75” but finding one with both ends 1.75” is unobtanium).

The quality is there 100 percent. They even stamp the tanks to look stock so you can paint them black and they will blend in nicely.

 

[Ricko1966]

Hi all,

I'm looking for a new radiator and I found this one (screenshot) on Alloyworks. I want to convert to the electric fans and get a 4 row for an engine swap in the future. My truck seems to have these two upper mounts as if my truck came with a smaller radiator but was fitted for a bigger one as well. I measured the radiator bottom to top at 18.5 inches. Does anyone know if this Alloyworks radiator will fit the upper mount or if there is a better option somewhere? Thanks.

Electric fans are not recommended for 4 cores or towing.

 

[CalSgt]

It was about double the cost of the unit you posted but I went with the Griffin combo. I can’t testify about long term use but it has performed well so far with only 70 miles on the truck.

It fits like a glove, a little trimming of the rubber isolators and a piece of rubber trim glued on the core support to support the entire bottom of the radiator. Looks like I have a different upper radiator bracket than you have though.

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[Frankenchevy]

I replaced my stock radiator with a cold case as well. Beautiful unit. I think they make sizes for both stock configurations (19.5 and 21.5” tall).

I made the mistake of buying one with a 1.75” lower outlet. Don’t do that unless you want to go your own way in getting a lower hose. All the stock replacement hoses for the lower outlet are 1.5” (the water pump end will still be 1.75” but finding one with both ends 1.75” is unobtanium).

The quality is there 100 percent. They even stamp the tanks to look stock so you can paint them black and they will blend in nicely.

I believe the 6.2 diesel radiator has a 1.75” outlet, so theoretically a lower hose for a truck with a 6.2 should work. I’ll measure mine when I get a chance.

 

[Frankenchevy]

Electric fans are not recommended for 4 cores or towing.

I’ve always read the same thing, but never tried it. I believe a mech fan on our trucks call pull close to 8000cfm. The best spal fans are 2000-3000ish cfm each. I’ve also read that you can’t trust most fan’s claimed ratings, but spals or OEM fans tend to pull the most.

That said, Eric’s fan is out of a 2014 2500. Even if it’s only from a gasser, I’d imagine they are rated to gross more than a square, right?

 

[Ricko1966]

I’ve always read the same thing, but never tried it. I believe a mech fan on our trucks call pull close to 8000cfm. The best spal fans are 2000-3000ish cfm each. I’ve also read that you can’t trust most fan’s claimed ratings, but spals or OEM fans tend to pull the most.

That said, Eric’s fan is out of a 2014 2500. Even if it’s only from a gasser, I’d imagine they are rated to gross more than a square, right?

I'm wondering if he is 4 core. The other bad thing about the electric fan ratings is they are rated in an open situation like a window fan.Not actually pulling air through a restriction.And no standardized testing. At least some electric fan manufacturers come right our and say,they are not intended to draw through the restrictions of a 4 core radiator. Some O.E. mechanical fans pull 11,000 cfm. We went round and round with one of these trucks with electric fans not too long ago,the fix in that instance ended up being a mechanical fan.Read from post 7 until resolution of overheating.

Carb at high alt

I’m looking at doing some high altitude overlanding in the Sierra Nevada mountains. I live at 2000 feet MSL, and I’d like to drive up to 10,000feet MSL. Are there any quick hacks I can do to keep the engine alive at that altitude? it’s a 383 with an edelbrock 600 carb

www.gmsquarebody.com

I was taught in the mid 80s an electric fan cannot match an mechanical fan for maximum cooling capability. Maybe things will change someday but I think a grab any random electric fan,or grab any random mechanical fan I think luck of the draw still favors the mechanical fan.Are there any production 3/4 or 1 ton trucks running exclusively electric fans. I don't think there are.The fan motors themselves block air flow, shrouds without windows and flaps block air flow further, and driving faster than the rated air speed of the fan,now the fan blades actually start to slow the airspeed coming through the radiator down.

 

[Brysonsproject]

Electric fans are not recommended for 4 cores or towing.

I'll never be doing towing and I either read or assumed that 4 core is better than 3 core (I think 4 is more expensive). So with 4 you get more surface area on the coolant for it to transfer heat, but also more air flow restriction on the electric fans right? So does it really end up making a difference?