Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: raidator questions (Read 2650 times) previous topic - next topic

raidator questions

im currently in the market for a 3 core all aluminum radiator does anyone know one that will pretty much drop right in my car i got a 88 thunderbird sport with a carbed 351 in it.

raidator questions

Reply #1 –
I believe the mustang ones should be the same or any 80's early 90's car with the 5.0 would be fine.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

raidator questions

Reply #2 –
This is the one I bought last year. No issues at all, very sturdy and seems to be well made.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/79-FORD-MUSTANG-LX-GT-GLX-SVT-COBRA-MT-MANUAL-THREE-ROW-CORE-ALUMINUM-RADIATOR-/110929389358?fits=Model:Mustang&hash=item19d3e8272e&item=110929389358&pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

raidator questions

Reply #3 –
Vinnie,

Do you know what country is was manufactured in?  I am looking but I have had bad luck with the imports.

Darren

83 351W TKO'd T-Bird on the bottle


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

raidator questions

Reply #4 –
I have no idea. I can say, that it's still solid as a rock after a year (yes, only a year). The welds are clean and smooth, and it was well made. A lot better than I expected, especially for the price. It dropped right in. I am using a Taurus electric fan. I used the zip clips up top, and fabricated aluminum brackets on the bottom to support the weight of the fan. The next time I have to take it out, I may polish it.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

raidator questions

Reply #5 –
351fox, gonna hihack a little bit but it directly relates to your question and hopefully will help with your decision.  My current setup in the Coupe and the Bird is the tried and true F-150 3 core heavy duty from Autozone with a Mark VIII fan and DCC controller.  With the 306 in the Coupe it does okay but it will build some heat in traffic.  I had the same radiator but with a stock clutch type fan and stock shroud on the Bird when it had a 306 and it was okay for the most part.  With the new 351W that is now in the Bird I am getting a bit concerned it will not be able to handle the cooling requirements with the bigger motor.  I am also in the middle of building a 331 stroker (sold the short block out of the Coupe last week) and don't have a lot of faith in the current cooling system with additional cubes and power.  I am thinking of going with a Griffin Dominator radiator in both cars as a bunch of the Mustang guys run this radiator and say its drop in other than the top radiator clamps but I have an aftermarket holder on both cars which I have seen a lot of these guys use on this radiator.  The part number is 8-00165 and the specs are as follows:

Year: 1993
Make: FORD
Model: Mustang
Part: 8-00165
Overall Size: 29.50W X 18.63H X 3.00T
Transmission: MANUAL
Tubes: 2 Row 1.25"
Features: Filler / Drain
LS: NO
Inlet OutletTR-1.25 / BL=1.50

You can see it here on their website (first one):  http://www.griffinrad.com/Dominator_Series.cfm

I measured the radiator I currently have in the Coupe and by all figures this Dominator will drop right in as described.  However, my biggest concern is how thick it is (2.75" versus the existing 1.75" brass unit) with regards to the clearance between the Mark VIII fan and the water pump pulley.  I have been cruising the Mustang websites and there are a few guys there that say it will work so I think I will just bite the bullet and order it unless anyone here sees an issue.  I don't mind fabbing up a few parts to make it work as the heat here in Houston is a killer and the Bird is in SW Oklahoma so Vinny can tell you its been over 110 deg on a daily bases several times this summer.

Darren

83 351W TKO'd T-Bird on the bottle


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

raidator questions

Reply #6 –
hey thanks alot right now im in fort hood tx so i know all about the heat here. ill just give you a list of what i got and what my problems. ive got a 351 windsor in a 1988 ford thunderbird running off a aod tranny. the tranny has its on cooler. so im not worried about that but the radiator i have is a 2 core all alummium one. and im running a 18 1/4 inch flex fan and a half fan shroud that they sell at autozone. the car in the daytime runs around 210 if i dont get stuck in traffic and at night time about 200 but if i get stguck in traffic at all it will climb to 230 plus. i have a 180 thermostat in it and a brand new water pump i found a 3 core radiator that champion makes and it runs about 219 bucks im thinking about buying that they say it will drop right into my car does anybody think this will solve my problem. mainly my overall goal is to find a raidator  that will drop right into my car that will run less then 300 bucks

raidator questions

Reply #7 –
I have heard good things about Champion and bad things about Champion.  I just chalk it up to them being imports and the quality control being what it is over seas.  Most guys just deal with it and take a $200 radiator and make it work.  I am going to go with the Griffin unit for the simple fact they are made in the USA and they have a long standing reputation of being quality pieces and I have seen less complaints about them.

Darren

83 351W TKO'd T-Bird on the bottle


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

raidator questions

Reply #8 –
Just bought the Griffin Dominator 8-00165 off of Advance Auto Parts website for $237 with free shipping but I had to pay taxes which brought it up to $257.62.  That was as cheap as I could find one and it will be here in 3 days.  I am putting the heavy 3 core brass radiator that has been in the Bird for years into the Coupe. The 3-core in the Bird measures 2" across the core and the one that I currently use in the Coupe is 1-5/8".  I guess you can chalk that up to the old one being a Go-Dan brand that cost me $100 back in the day from Autozone and the newer one being from the net and overseas.  The Bird never came close to overheating with the 306, A/C, and NO2 so I think it will handle the 331, A/C, and no NO2 just fine.  The Griffin core measures 2-3/4" and will be going into the Bird to help out with the 0.030" over 351W, A/C, and NO2.  Hopefully I will get a chance to install the Griffin over the Labor Day holiday and take some pictures with the Mark VIII fan.  Kinda sucks as I had the old radiator and Mark VIII already installed but it would be even worse to have an overheating motor.

I will post up on the overall quality of the Griffin out of the box in the next few days with some pics.

Darren

83 351W TKO'd T-Bird on the bottle


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

raidator questions

Reply #9 –
I've got a 2 row, 2.25" thick aluminum radiator from Northern radiator (made in USA) in my T-bird. It replaced the stock 25 year old copper brass radiator that was having trouble keeping the engine cool on the highway in 97*+ heat with the A/C on. It cost me about $200. The car runs about 190* with a 180 thermostat, 9 blade HO fan, and a Police Interceptor fan clutch.
88 Thunderbird LX: 306, Edelbrock Performer heads, Comp 266HR cam, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, bunch of other stuff.

raidator questions

Reply #10 –
Just some thoughts!!! You know a brass radiator cools better than aluminum and an oval 2 row cools better than a 3 row unit. More rows does not equate to better cooling. Fin count is much more critical that the amount of rows. Normally a HD radiator has a higher fin count . More rows means nothing unless the fin count is known and most 3 rows are not what they are cracked up to be. Actually a staggered set of tubes is the best. Thanks
I spend money I don't have, To build  cars I don't need, To impress people I don't know

HAVE YOU DRIVEN A FORD LATELY!!

raidator questions

Reply #11 –
Wow...interesting thread.

That Mark VIII fan should be over kill for any fox setup.  That fan move a $hit ton of air(IIRC 5000cfm on high)...  Now with that being said, I have had great luck with explorer rad with the NPR IC I used to run with the 2.3T with 180 stat.  Below 70 outside the car would hardly get to 165 when driving down the road.  My small 1990 taurus 3.0 fan I had did great and was really easy to wire.  Now in the 2.3 world not to many of us have grills.  The 86XR7 does, 87-88TC are bottom breathers.  The rest of the fox tbird/cougars besides the 87-88 TC should always have excellent air flow through the radiator.  Hmmm

Now for my 351 turbo swap(getting closer to being complete).  I ordered a big 3 core aluminum off ebay.  With my newer taurus cooling fan (all the mustang dorks say its money) should work great.  I always wanted to try the big Mark VIII fan, just didn't want to deal with the power requirements.

Travis

raidator questions

Reply #12 –
Just a silly question!! What is the FIN COUNT???
I spend money I don't have, To build  cars I don't need, To impress people I don't know

HAVE YOU DRIVEN A FORD LATELY!!
 

raidator questions

Reply #13 –
Surface area (fin count), material and number of cores all play a role in heat dissipation.  Is isn't just the number of fins of course, it also has to do with fin thickness the number of cores, which contribute to the total amount of time that a given measure of liquid is exposed to radiant surface area, which potentially extracts more heat, e.g. the longer the exposure is, the more potential heat "loss"... a good thing.