What radiator to use for LSX swap?

[mr.wilson]

I am installing a carb'd 6.0 in my 72 and need to get a radiator. Was wondering if anyone had a particular model that worked for them.

[billyjo]

I have a Griffen but I need to pull it out and send it back because it's leaking. They are honoring their warranty though.

Bill

[shifty]

Use the stock radiator. Get a 3-core. It's about $200 from radiator.com Click the link below and hit the ls1tech link in my signature if you need more info.

don't buy into the aluminum radiator hype. if you are not doing a dragstrip (450HP+) buildup, there is no reason you need an aluminum radiator.

A 3-core stock radiator for our trucks cools just as well as the stock 2-core aluminum radiator. Aluminum radiators (from what I read) only have 20-35% better cooling, but, again - just understand a few things:

- With a 3-core copper, you will cool as well as a 2-core stock aluminum (or better)
- The copper 3-core is a direct boltup to our trucks
- Aluminum radiators look like crap without any kind of custom radiator mount/cover pieces, because aluminum rads do not fit very well.

Want to know how I know aluminum radiators fit like crap? Read this thread:

http://ls1tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=589438

I wasted about $500 buying four different ones before breaking down and buying a stock 3-core. I had originally a 2-core stock, all I had to do was drill out the lower "saddle" cup (it's a single rivet) and re-bolt it in the wider mount location.

If you need a reference point, FirstGen, one of the first members around here to do the GenIII swap on his truck, put a 2-core stock radiator in his and he was pushing nearly 450hp and torque - he lives in DFW, Texas and never had an overheat, even on a hot summer day.

Don't believe the hype

Moreover, learn from my mistake. 6 weeks setback on my project from buying 5 different radiators and waiting on the shipping for several or driving an hour each way to pick two up.

[Hart_Rod]

Shifty,

Was there a reason you didn't use the stock 4-core (other than you don't need it). I would think the cost would have been similar.

[shifty]

I didn't use the stock 4-core because it required getting completely new lower and upper saddles to hold the radiator in place. The 2- and 3-core rads use the same sized saddles, just in diff't positions. The 4-core uses its own unique sized saddles.

Unless you had some extra space, I am pretty sure the 4-core is approximately half an inch thicker than the 3-core, but don't quote me on that...I didn't have the room to spare.

Stock 4-core was a similar cost. I think the 3-core was actually $25 more than the 4-core (this is what they told me after delivering a 4-core the first time around, and me having to swap it for a 3-core).

[jkaylor68gmc]

I have the Be Cool unit and it bolts directly in the lower saddles and comes with the neccesary upper brackets for mounting. It fits great! I have a few pics on the install if you need it.

[shifty]

I would like to see pics of the upper mounts. All of the ones I saw looked pretty ghetto, didn't use the factory mounting holes, and I won't even comment on the "universal mounting" kit from Summit

I forgot to mention - the upper and lower radiator outlets are in the same place on the stock radiators for our truck and the newer GenIII cars. They are roughly the same size opening as well - I think the truck is 1/4" bigger in diameter for each opening.

[jkaylor68gmc]

Shifty, It uses two polished billet l-brackets that mount between the twin electric fans and then bolts to the top of the core support. They are cut to fit on the top of the core support. It took me about 10 minutes for the whole deal. I used the complete Be Cool Module kit with 750hp aluminum radiator, twin fans, overflow can, wiring harness and cap. Looks great and went right in. Pulled the 5 blade fan and fan gaurd and threw them in the e-bay pyle. All you will have to do is drill the top of the brackets and bolt them to the core support.

[shifty]

Are you sure they are going to fit properly on top of the core support? The problem I ran to was ....

If you look at the weld bead about 2" to the right of your thumbnail in that picture, the clamps I got would not allow the clamp to fit right over the radiator if I wanted to use the stock mounting holes. I would have had to drill new mounting holes.

What was the cost on your kit, and what was the part number? (for future reference?)

Do you have any shots from farther away you can share, just to get an overall idea of the way it fits?

[jkaylor68gmc]

yeah, Is see what you mean. The actual mounting brackets mount to a seperate peice of retainers on the front. I shot the install completly in TRUCK BUILDER ( editor) I bought the kit, yes I bought the kit and it is around $1300.00 bucks. I will have to check the part number when I get home but man was it worth it. Let me scan the install pages and put them on the site with the install, may take a little while.

[shifty]

Ouch! $1300?!

If I was doing a big buildup, I'd probably bite. I was just as happy to use the $200 stock 3-core and not need to fab anything up. I can see how this kit would be REALLY nice on a show truck or a drag truck.

Thanks for all your feedback on this - it's nice to see other options. Can you tell me a little bit about the hoses you used? In other words, did you go rubber? Were the inlet and outlets the same size on both the engine and the radiator? If not, how much diff't were they?

[jkaylor68gmc]

Here it is Shifty, the complete install of the aluminum radiator, hope this helps everyone. I will shoot a better overall of the complete unit when I get home. I had to pull it out to do my GMC-Chevy frontend conversion.

[jkaylor68gmc]

Sorry guys, cut out the text on the last captions, Here they are.

[jkaylor68gmc]

Shifty, yeah, it was a bit expensive but I got everything. I did re-install the rubber hoses because my Cool Flex ones didn't come in time. Not that expensive though. Figure what you paid for your radiator, your fans, billet overflow tank, mounting brackets, shroud, wiring harness. I mena come on, get it all at one place and bite.

[meathead95]

with all the advertising they just got there you should have gotten your kit free.

[shifty]

I dunno, I think I paid about $300 for the fan shroud, dual fans and hardware shipped (Link to install thread), then $200 for the radiator and they dropped it off at my door, and I got the flex hoses for $50 shipped. The fans came with a wire harness. Relays cost me $30, only b/c I bought them new. It was a direct bolt-up. Less than half what yours cost.

I agree, it would have been easier to get it all in one place, and I didn't get a billet radiator overflow. I definitely can't complain about the install, and it looks like stock-modified with the install, rather than full-aftermarket.

I think the Be Cool model is something I might definitely consider later down the road after I get my tranny hacked (having Keisler Auto move shifter forward). I don't currently subscribe to Truck Builder - it's not available at my local stores...how much of it is focused towards classics? I don't really like reading about new plastic-and-tin trucks.

[jkaylor68gmc]

Shifty, It is about 75% 72-earlier and the new stuff is really nice fullsize Chevy, Ford and Dodge, no minitrucks or crap like that. Issue before last, I shot Dusty (sorry forgot his last name yelllow ,72 Super Nice truck, Matt Emery and I try and do alot of 67-72 stuff, they are our favorites and we cover lots of 40's, 50's and 60's trucks. I have been looking for nice '80s C-10s here lately. Pretty scarce around here.

How are you liking the LS-1 swap? I am about to pull my great running small block and auto and do the swap to a 4.8 or 5.3, can't really afford to fork out the big bucks for the LS-1.

[shifty]

I still haven't fired up. I just fell short on motivation when I broke a bung off of my fuel pump plate (the top plate). It was a custom manufactured piece, so I had to drill out the old bung, then order the new replacements from the manuf'er and now I'm about to install them - then I just need to make the fuel lines.

[jkaylor68gmc]

Yeah, that really sucks.

[onetonk5]

fyi on the lsx stuff....the factory quick connect fuel fittings made by russell are back ordered until next forever but Pure Choice has similar fittings in stock 39.95 for a pair of 5/16 and 3/8. I dont understand the Russell fitting deal...seems they have been on back order for over a year...then most are mispackaged.

Pure Choice 888-505-8355 part number 5800

still need a part number for a fitting for the out side of the filter/regulator