Aluminum Radiator

[danimaltheanima]

I have a 78 Cobra and was wondering if anyone new where I could get an aluminum radiator that would work best for it. Best fit, cool the motor down the most etc. I have a 302 punched 70 over so I'm gonna need to cool this baby down.

 

[dmoody]

You bored the engine 70 over? I think Griffin makes an aluminum radiator that will work with the II. Personally I've never installed one however I've seen it done before.... perhaps somebody else will chime in...

david

 

[itsaMustangtoo]

.070 over? what block? Do not quote me, but I thought I read somewhere about using a v-8 explorer rad? Seems like it would fit. anybody?

 

[parthos]

I've got a custom made griffin radiator, they have the plans for the II, but non on the shelf. You order it, they build it. I bought mine with the trans cooler built in. Not cheap though was I think about $500 after everything. It works though!

 

[78CobraII]

Summitt Racing has "Universal" aluminum radiators listed from $200 - $300 in varying sizes.

I would measure a MII V8 radiator then order the nearest size that Summitt sells that has the inlet and outlet in the right locations. You still have to figure out the mounting, but they sell parts for that also.

 

[Dano78]

What's the part # and manufacture of the pistons?? I've gotta know, cuz I've never really seen a .070 302 piston unless it was an aftermarket block, and even then you still never go over .060 overbore.

I've built a couple .060 302s and they do run a little hotter, especially if you're pushing 300+ hp through it. Hate to see what 350+ .060 engines generate for heat.


If you really bored that stock 302 .070....... carry a tow rope, a bag of kitty litter, and keep your favorite tow truck driver on speed dial.

 

[parthos]

Wow, that is a large overbore, I go .040 or I junk the block if I need more... BUT you never know, I say run it till it dies!

 

[Blue Thunder]

.040" on a stock 302 block is a good safety limit.
.070" is grenadeville.

I've heard good things about Griffin. From personal experience, don't call Fluidyne.

 

[Dano78]

.040" on a stock 302 block is a good safety limit.
.070" is grenadeville.

I've heard good things about Griffin. From personal experience, don't call Fluidyne.

If you don't mind me asking, how deep $$ were you into the Fluidyne radiator in you car?

 

[Blue Thunder]

If you don't mind me asking, how deep $$ were you into the Fluidyne radiator in you car?

With shipping, and mr. gasket electric fan, it was about $700, bought back in 2000.
I don't recall there being a big selection of aluminum radiators back then as there is today.

I called them 3 months before I needed it, while on vacation in cali, sitting in a motel, reading a car mag with an article about Fluidynes radiators. The sales guy said, "We're not quite ready for production of those rads yet, but will be ready in 3 weeks." I order one, I pay for it with credit card. I wait a month. The sales guy says soon. I wait another month. I keep calling and they keep stalling. 4 months later, in NOVEMBER, I finally get it. I ordered the same 4 row one they supposedly run in the NASCAR vehicles, but with mounting setup for old falcon/mustangs, since I run a 1960s style water pump and bracket setup. I fabricate some mounts for it, install it, and it leaks.. argh. Unwelded hole in one corner, the size of a pencil lead. Dude, I was some pissed off. I just spent well over 11 grand on my motor and Dyanamic C4, waited months for the final piece(the radiator), it was almost winter, and then the rad was leaking. So I took a picture of it, and wrote a colorful letter to Fluidyne. There was no way I was about to send the rad back for repair, because I wanted the car running before it snowed! I wasnt set up to weld aluminum, so I called a buddy, who stopped by after work, welded it and dropped it off the next day, for $20. He said the weld points all sucked when he examined it, so he touched them all up. Gotta love quality control.
It gets better.
The fan they sold me wasnt big enough for the motor, although the sales guy told me it would be overkill. Yeah, ok. So I ordered up another mr. gasket fan(by the way, these are the finest fans you can get) and I set it up so one fan pulled, the other fan pushed. Still barely enough, because the radiator isnt enough for the motor, either. Even now, with the front bumper removed, it's just enough on a hot day, and both fans run quite a bit. (they draw about 24 amps) I did solve one big issue I was having, by punching out the guts of the thermostat. Before I did that, the motor was making so much heat, so fast, that when starting in the morning, the coolant would begin to boil against the water jackets before the thermostat had a chance to open. (the engine will come up to operating temp, literally in one blast down the street) So the temp gauge would suddenly shoot up, I'd shut off the car for about 10 mins, restart it, and it would run at a normal temp the rest of the day. Tried drilling holes in the thermostat, tried various temp thermostats, nothing worked. Tried "hi flow" thermostats. Just the shell of it now works great, because it lets coolant move quickly so the motor won't get the chance to boil it, and it runs between 160 and 190 degs, depending on weather and what the motor feels like doing.

Anyway, a couple weeks later, I got a handwritten letter from the president of Fluidyne, saying how sorry he was for all the nonesense I went through, and he gave me a check for $50 to cover the welding, and another $100 for my taking the time to write the letter, bringing it to his attention. (I still have that letter, it was pretty cool) But I still would never, ever, buy fluidyne stuff again. Mr. Gasket fans do kick ass, though, trust me, and yes, they are Made in America.

Unless the president of Fluidyne is now welding those radiators up himself, don't buy one.

 

[Dano78]

Well... that's nice to know! I've got a 3-row 1/2" tube Modine in my fastback now. It's ok, but I think some of my heating issues may lie in the poor tuning of the Tunnelram. Just was curious as I may have to venture down the Aluminum Radiator road if I can't get this licked. Thanks for the info!

 

[MUSTANG J]

We sell almost every electic fan. I ran the numbers before I bought my fans. The store I work at is a ten store chain. The MR Gasket fans had a zero return rate and a zero warranty return rate. I bought two, they have been on the car for 10 + years and they work very well

 

[Dano78]

I was looking that this dual fan unit. Seems like it would fit perfectly on the II radiator and still clear the waterpump.
http://www.spalusa.com/fans/automated/highperformance_11_dualpull.html

It's retailing for $314.95, but have seen it a helluva lot cheaper on-line elsewhere. This is also the exact same unit that BeCool uses..... just rebadged Spal units.

Right now I'm running just a single 16" Permacool fan. It was the hightest CFM and thinnest fan i could get my hands on at the time. It seems to do ok, just as long as i'm moving a bit and not sitting in traffic.

 

[Wart]

We sell almost every eclectic fan. I ran the numbers before I bought my fans. The store I work at is a ten store chain. The MR Gasket fans had a zero return rate and a zero warranty return rate.

Tell us about the fans that DO have a return rate.

 

[Blue Thunder]

Right now I'm running just a single 16" Permacool fan. It was the hightest CFM and thinnest fan i could get my hands on at the time. It seems to do ok, just as long as i'm moving a bit and not sitting in traffic.

The way the cooling system is designed, the fans should only need to be used when speeds drop under 20 mph for more than a few minutes, or if you're running the A/C on high. Once you're rolling, the radiator should have sufficient capacity to keep the motor at the thermostat temperature at all times, even in summer weather. So far, I havent had any luck with that on my II. heh
My old '72 big block F250 almost didnt need the fan, that was nice.

 

[MUSTANG J]

Tell us about the fans that DO have a return rate.

I don't want to be too specific, but Flex-a-!@#% had a bad run of motors recently I would shy away from those if I were you

 

[jspagna1]

I went with a Griffin for mine and have never had a problem with it. I'm also running a 160 thermostat in it.