Aluminum radiator
 

It's that time for a new radiator for my 1969 GMC 3/4 ton 4wd....i checked entropy and they told my radiator in my truck is their custom....which cost$550.....nope its not....i know i have the heavy duty one....anybody know where i can get one that will be a direct replacement?i checked Amazon and there is one advertised on there for like $160....and it says it will fit my truck....it is made by prime cooling ....

Re: Aluminum radiator
 

Try engineering cooling products.

Re: Aluminum radiator
 

Champion cooling. CC369 is a direct replacement.

Re: Aluminum radiator
 

I bought a KKS radiator and so far, it seems to be fitting the bill of my 250 I6 very well. It took some trips back and forth from Advance Auto to get the right hoses though.

Rock Auto may still have their Vista Pro 4 row brass and copper unit on closeout. It sits rather high for my truck but I could make it work I think, I ended up getting the KKS also and going with it but I will hang onto the Vista Pro. In fact, I might even get another one and sock that away too.

In time I plan to get my original OEM radiator recored although I know that will be very expensive.

Unless cost is your main hangup, why not get an American company (several on here) custom make you one? You might be able to get one to sit right on the rubber cushions and give you a horizontal filler cap. *I truly dislike the angled ones like my KKS.

Re: Aluminum radiator
 

I'm all for plugging board sponsors and such but, in support of others, I must say that my Champion 3-Row is looking The Business up next to what it is replacing here in my world. I bought the CC369 with fans. This all aluminum piece of kit is welded, polished aluminum boxes that look very nice. It test fitted nicely down into the factory lower perches and the factory upper mounts fit down on the welds just fine! It's definitely not exactly just like the stock 4 row BB radiator, but it will fit in there no problem. Once I have it all together, I have no doubt it will cool the BB.

Pics available...

-klb

Re: Aluminum radiator
 

The hose fitment problems I had with my KKS radiator were with the hoses fitting on the engine side....those fit the radiator fine. :eek:

I call it the Trump Effect.....even before the election I spoke with my old welding teacher and he said "we needed a new band saw at the college and because of Trump I want to only buy USA made from now on." That motivated me to once I get the truck running to either recore the original radiator or have a custom unit built stateside.

Ccas, I might give you a call. My truck is a 250 six cylinder, dad knocked a hole in the original radiator decades ago and no idea where that is. It had a small radiator in it from a junkyard that worked great but had several leaks sealed up my coolant impurities. I'll try and drop you a line. Mostly I want something to fit the brackets with new rubber (my lower brackets I bolted in so those can be moved and exchanged for 3 row), fit the engine outlets, and with a horizontal cap....I'd also like an overflow outset set to a direction of my choosing. Can you do that?

Re: Aluminum radiator
 

I have a cc369 in both my 68 and my 72, dropped right in. My 72 is a big block with AC. Been running cool and perfect for several years now. Their warehouse is in Lake Elsinore, about 30 mins from me. I bought them over the counter. They have very good customer service and I will buy one again if the need arises on my other vehicles. I’m not a spokesperson for them, just relaying my real world experience.

Re: Aluminum radiator
 

Oh OK, so you guys aren't exclusively "per order custom" then?

That's OK, most truck owners want the biggest engine they can, obviously they are compensating for something. :lol:

I had a roommate in college that felt "owning a gun was compensating for something." I asked him if he planned to defend himself with the body part he was referring to. :lol:

Can you direct me to those USA makers you are referring to?

Re: Aluminum radiator
 

No disrespect given or taken. It's all good, just keeping it real!


-klb

Re: Aluminum radiator
 

I wish I had known about you a year ago. I also have the CC369 radiator in my truck, and it's fine, but I did have to modify the mounts to fit it, in my case. I don't have a big block, but I did have the original heavy-duty radiator. I have nothing bad to say about the champion, and I am happy with it, but a platinum board vendor I could reach out to with questions, who stands behind their product would have been an easy choice for me.

I wish you the best here on the forum!

Re: Aluminum radiator
 

I guess he can't direct me......

Re: Aluminum radiator
 

So how much is it for your radiator?

Re: Aluminum radiator
 

I put a champion 3 row in mine back in the spring. It fits good and truck is running cooler. No issues to date.

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Just ordered my radiator from CCAS last Thursday. Very attentive and prompt service. It should arrive next week.

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Ordered my radiator friday from engineered cooling products....got it monday afternoon.....

Re: Aluminum radiator
 

Well I've been trying to find time to finish installing my radiator....when they say direct fitment i call bull**** all day long....the big thick tanks are alot wider the rubber isolators for the stock radiator.....for anybody needing a radiator i would just go to oreillys and order one....at least you know it will fit

Re: Aluminum radiator
 

Return it, brother!

Re: Aluminum radiator
 

My KKS fit just fine, no lower bracket problems at all. Like I posted above though, I would recore my original (although it is a replacement the original owner got out of a junkyard) or I would have a custom radiator made, one with a horizontal filler cap.

Re: Aluminum radiator
 

I have a Champion 2 row aluminum radiator in my truck. I has large tanks like a 4 row, so I had to use stock 4 row rad mounts and rubber isolators.

My truck has a pretty damn snotty 355 in it, and I rev that thing near 7,000 grand quite often. Stock 180 degree thermostat, and I have not had a single cooling issue to date.

Gary

Re: Aluminum radiator
 

Pictures are worth a 1,000 words. A large 2 row is more efficient than a 3 or 4 row radiator. It's counter intuitive.

Some light reading starting at post #2
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/gener...rass-tech.html

I'm personally using an Engineering Cooling Products 2row here in HOT West Texas and after 12k miles and 3 summers it absolutely does the job. Personally tested behind my ZZ4 in 110 degree weather traveling 75mph with the A/C blasting. Good stuff.
:gmc2:

Re: Aluminum radiator
 

Last pick.

Re: Aluminum radiator
 

I like the Cold Case stamped ends better than the fabricated style...

http://coldcaseradiators.com/images/...ts/gmt558a.jpg

Re: Aluminum radiator
 

Here is my build utilizing the ECP rad and a custom fabricated shroud utilizing 2003 Pontiac Grand Am fans. You can see more on my build thread. Link in my signature.

:gmc2:

Re: Aluminum radiator
 

good info here when.... i get there ill give Ccas a shot

Re: Aluminum radiator
 

We make radiators here in the USA by hand, and we're a board sponsor:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=590670

Re: Aluminum radiator
 

For those who may be interested here is a link to a lengthy post on this subject.

http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/Cooling/

Re: Aluminum radiator
 

My new ECP unit arrives today and I was wondering what if anything can be done to keep it from corroding on the outside? Living out on the coast, aluminum gets looking pretty jenky pretty quick! My carb, trans case, alternator, etc all have started getting that white speckled corrosion on 'um after only 6 months on the road. Sucks!

Try a can of Nyalic, but I wouldn’t use it on the cooling fins. I’ve used it for many years with great results. https://www.nyalic.com/
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Re: Aluminum radiator
 

Cool! I'll look it up. Thank you!

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If you would, post pics of weld quality, fittment, and give your overall impression of the quality of the radiator. I am strongly leaning towards buying one of those radiators but I have never seen an actual review of them here so that would be very helpful to those considering buying one. Thanks!”

Re: Aluminum radiator
 

Arrived yesterday, in a nice strong box, well packed in styrofoam. Looking Good! Polished up real nice and the welds look pretty good. Definitely hand welded, but whoever did it has a much steadier hand than me! Ordered the Nyalic that Z10 suggested so it'll be awhile before I get to installing it.

I took a handfull of shots of the weld seams, in my photo albums.http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/p...ictureid=24673

Re: Aluminum radiator
 

Where are your photo albums located?

Re: Aluminum radiator
 

Photo albums are on user's profile page.

Re: Aluminum radiator
 

That is the radiator I put in. I don't know about corrosion on the outside, I would be interested to know also. For corrosion on the inside I wrote an email to ECP a while back and asked them if the stuff I read on the internet about sacrificial anodes is a real thing, and they wrote back and said yes and suggested I get one. I got this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001GR09S4/
I don't know what it should look like after being in the truck for a year. I went and pulled it out just now and this is what it looks like. I don't know if this shows the sacrifice is happening. Poor picture, sorry about that. I was trying to take a picture with one hand and plugging the hole with my finger and making a mess. The anode has a brown coat of stuff. I run 2/3 coolant and 1/3 water, and have a coolant reservoir, so I probably don't have a very corrosive environment in there. Do you plan to use a sacrificial anode?

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Still researching that part! I'm running 50/50. Was hoping there's some sort of additive that can be added periodically.

How 'bout it - what's everybody else doing as far as interior corrosion prevention with an aluminum radiator?

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Zinc Anode Drain Plug... for internal corrosion

Re: Aluminum radiator
 

"additive that can be added periodically" -- that would be any high quality coolant such as Prestone, it has corrosion inhibitors that wear out after 2 years. I added that zinc rod drain plug just as an extra measure. One thing I've noticed with my high concentration of coolant is the level of coolant in the coolant reservoir does not change at all with the engine hot or cold. No boiling, no expansion, and all the air is burped out of the main system.
I think it would be good to hear if anybody is doing anything to reduce external corrosion, other than painting the whole thing including the fins.

Man, I've been reading on this anode subject and now my head's about to explode! LOTS of opinions!! If you want read some good debate check out this forum thread:

http://forums.corral.net/forums/general-mustang-tech/1046473-preventing-electrolysis-aluminum-radiator.html#/topics/1046473?page=1
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Re: Aluminum radiator
 

Yes, head explosion effect, I had that, too. Makes me wonder if it's all a bunch of baloney.

Re: Aluminum radiator
 

Back to Rads. I have a Griffin rad in my truck and although it cools my 408 small block ok the fit wasn't as good as it should be. I find that it needs more airflow than a copper rad ie in stopped traffic. The worn out, plugged up 40 year old 3 core that i had before,cooled it too. I would probably go with a new 3 or 4 core copper rad next time. All the studies in the world can't convince me that aluminum cools better.