Aluminum Radiator Swap - any stock replacments?

[bloodrunner83]

Im looking for performance Aluminum radiator to put in my 83 k10. Do they many any stock replacement radiators? Or are there any that come with new mounting brackets? Whats the best route to go about this?

 

[da_raabi]

Over at the Camaro forums I'm on they talk about a universal fit aluminum 3-row that works pretty good for about $120. You might need to do a tiny bit of fab work to get it in there, but even the big block guys said it works great! These are the part numbers on the other site:

Autozone Part Number: 438162 Less than $120
Advanced Auto Part # 433162 Less than $115
Summit Racing Part # PLI-433162 Less than $115

Reading through the rest of the post, everyone seems to like them, the only downside is they have plastic tanks but no-one has had any trouble with them. Its what I plan to do in my camaro, and probably the truck too when the time comes.

 

[chengny]

A lot of discussion about aluminum radiators over here:

http://www.gmsquarebody.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7512

 

[austinado16]

I just went through this a few months ago and wound up scoring and installing a big copper/brass 454 radiator. I know that everything for the last 20+ years has come with aluminum/plastic, and that it's tried and true, but when I local shop showed me the one they had for my Suburban, I said no thanks. It just looked and felt so cheap. And I know...tried and true and well tested, but man, I just couldn't pull the trigger.

I was getting ready to buy one of the big "custom" built aluminum radiators when I fell into the deal on the copper/brass one.

What I really want is the longer 454 radiator, but I've never seen one in person, and don't know what they were used in. Dualies? That'd make a killer radiator for towing in the heat and the mountains like I do.

 

[da_raabi]

austinado, just curious. What is the "longer" radiator? Do you know the size? I've got a C30 dually and I'd be curious if mine is the longer one.

 

[austinado16]

Sorry I don't know the size. I've only seen photos, like on ebay when someone has a truck for sale and show an underhood shot. But, when I look at my radiator core support (hood slam panel) I've got the mounting holes further out toward the driver's side to mount the longer radiator. They take a longer upper hose too.

 

[austinado16]

I have more info on the giant radiator.

Stumbled across an ad on CL for a 1990 Suburban and it had some underhood shots. Not the greatest, but enough to see the very thick radiator, extra long top hose, and that the radiator's driver's side top mount bracket was way over near the headlights.

So that got me looking at radiators at RockAuto.com. http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/moreinfo.php?pk=3611034&cc=1301588

Looks like 1990 R2500 (2 wheel drive, 3/4 ton) Suburban takes a 34" wide x 19" tall radiator. You'd need to find the long fan shroud, and there's a steel cover plate that spans across the entire top of the radiator that you'd need as well, along with the longer top hose.

The "normal" radiator used in the 1/2 tons appears to only be 28" wide x 19" tall and there appears to be a thin version, and a thick version. My 'burb had a thin version with a really deep fan shroud to span from the radiator all the way back over the fan. I installed a thicker version, with a shallow shroud and a steel top cover plate...probably from a 454 (shroud and top cover plate came from a wrecking yard, radiator was "nearly new" from a local radiator shop and had been sitting on their shelves for years.

Photos from the CL ad:

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[jux]

FWIW, I'm running the thin/smaller aluminum rad with plastic side tanks, and it does a great job of cooling the 350. It has been on the truck for about 5 years and I never get over 200*f, even in the summer. Usually stays at 185-190. I'm very happy with it.

 

[austinado16]

FWIW, I'm running the thin/smaller aluminum rad with plastic side tanks, and it does a great job of cooling the 350. It has been on the truck for about 5 years and I never get over 200*f, even in the summer. Usually stays at 185-190. I'm very happy with it.

Do you tow with it? If so, where/what air temps? Not dogging you, just wondering how they do for future reference.

Here's another shot of the longer radiator:

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[jux]

austinado16, I tow on occasion. I tow a 26' bass boat mostly in the summer, and a 14' double axle trailer, sometimes filled with heavy crap. Usually I'm towing within 150 miles of North East MD. Not the hottest place on earth but it gets downright humid and miserable in the summer time. I would estimate that most of my towing is in the range of 80-100*F, sometimes more sometimes less.

I too was suspicious of the small aluminum radiator, but so far have been pleasantly surprised.


EDIT: I just want to throw this out there for anyone shopping for radiators. Beware of the all aluminum Champion brand rads, I have heard a TON of bad stuff about welds breaking way prematurely lately.

 

[austinado16]

It's good to hear from someone "real world" and towing in the heat. That's the temps I tow in too.

Good to know about the failures in the all aluminum brand.