Upgrade: Installing the longer 2WD 3/4 ton 454 radiator

[1low4x4]

I too have that same radiator. Even before I installed electric fans, the engine never rose in temp. And I tow every weekend. I e also got the tru cool 40k trans cooler online with it.

I also have one of those license plate steps if anyone wants to snatch it up

 

[yevgenievich]

I too have that same radiator. Even before I installed electric fans, the engine never rose in temp. And I tow every weekend. I e also got the tru cool 40k trans cooler online with it.

I also have one of those license plate steps if anyone wants to snatch it up

I looked for the license plate step on ebay the other day with no results. How much do you want for yours? I am in college station.

 

[austinado16]

I've got 2 complete radiator set ups if anyone's interested. The catch is that the radiators are for the 6.2L diesel. The good news is that both radiators should really be cleaned and rodded out prior to use, so if you have an existing 4 row radiator, you can simply have the tanks from that, soldered onto the 6.2L radiator core, in order to get the correct diameter hose fittings. So not really a big deal, since the radiator shop will be taking the tanks of the 6.2 core anyway.

So I have both top mount brackets w/ pads, the top closing panel, and the fan shroud, along with the matching 6.2L radiator.

Shoot me a message if interested. I'll try to keep the price reasonable.

 

[Camar068]

Something I came across when looking for it again. Swear I found the plate for $50 somewhere, now I can't find it.

http://www.pickupspecialties.com/Hitchmate/tire_step_by_hitchmate.htm

Might be one of those things to keep an eye out for at the yard. Honestly shouldn't be that hard to make one with the right tools.

 

[Camar068]

Thanks again for posting. Hopefully march time frame I'll be installing the 5.3. I just noticed it has oil cooling as well. Definitely gotta get one of these now. Nice that the trans cooler is beefed up a bit as well. If the 4l80 trade doesn't work out and I have to use the 4l60, that will definitely help.

 

[austinado16]

Found an '89 Suburban in the yard last week. It was complete, perfect, and still a runner. Unfortunately, the radiator was missing, but I harvested the shroud and top closing panel, along with the reverse rotation 454 fan, and then while looking around I noticed a vertical steel panel on the driver's side of the core support. This is used to force the air coming through the extra holes in that end of the core support (the holes that I had to make in my support) through that "extra" area of the radiator. I grabbed it and installed it yesterday while replacing my destroyed radiator and water pump. Here's how it looks installed, and the mounting holes for the screws were already in the core support.

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[da_raabi]

Dayum dude. You've got this mod down pat!

 

[austinado16]

It's more like; continuing to learn via the school of hard knocks.

Turns out that using a 3" fan spacer eventually puts so much load on the water pump shaft that it sheers off at the front bearing, send the fan assembly into the radiator (on the freeway on a Friday night with passengers on board, 100mi from home). I actually had this spacer on for about 2yrs prior to installing the big radiator 6mos ago:

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So I'm now in round 2 of this mod, and this time I'm not using a spacer and I've installed a reverse rotation fan from a 454:

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[Camar068]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RADIATORS-8-379-6-2L-DIESEL-18-3-4-HIGH-FITS-BLAZER-JIMMY-full-size-437099-/142222488818?hash=item211d1ef4f2:g:zFcAAOSwnHZYVam9&vxp=mtr

Found one on ebay for $126 shipped. I won't be able to get one for a while, so enjoy if someone gets it .

Verify with seller that it has the engine oil cooler. I'm guessing it does, but if it were me I'd make sure.

 

[bucket]

So how's it doing without the spacer in there? The fan blades are supposed to be into the shroud about half of their depth. You have a bit of a gap in there it looks like.

 

[austinado16]

It's fine, and yes, you are right, I can't run the fan exposed like that. The weather has just been miserable here for nearly a month, so I haven't had a chance to get over to the yard and shop for fan shroud that I can mod, in order to add to my existing shroud's depth.

Either that, or I'm going to take a section of aluminum roof flashing (sold at the hardware stores on a roll, and comes primed brown) and make a "band" that attaches to my existing shroud with fasteners and fender washers.

 

[MikeB]

Glad you got the problem resolved. Hate that the new radiator was destroyed.

What is the water pump shaft diameter? Small blocks pumps are available with 5/8" or 3/4". Is that also the case with BBC pumps?

 

[austinado16]

I don't know what the water pump shaft diameter is, and I simply ordered a GMB high flow replacement based on year/model/counter-rotation. I'm sure it'll be fine since I won't be running the 3" spacer any more.

If you have part numbers or other info for the pumps, can you post it?

 

[1low4x4]

Dude you need electric fans and a good wiring harness stat! You wouldn't believe the drag it takes off the engine!

 

[gmachinz]

Dude you need electric fans and a good wiring harness stat! You wouldn't believe the drag it takes off the engine!

Like this one....! It's a beast to be sure-rated at 6000 CFM total it'll pull squirrels out of the trees!