Seeking radiator advice

[Jesus_man]

I have installed my new flowkooler water pump and their special themostat. I am at a crossroads with the radiator. I plan to take it to the one and only local shop tomorrow to evaluate it. Based on pictures, he thinks it may need new cores. No idea yet what that costs and the reputation is that I won't see a fixed radiator this year, and maybe well into next year...
OR, do I look at new radiators? Nearest I can tell, this radiator could be from the motor donor '95 F250, but some of the width removed to fit the bronco, and the stock bronco mounts are used. Inlet and outlet are also mirrored from a stock EB.
I'm not opposed to fabricating new mounts for a new radiator so long as it can deal with the torsional stress of a rock crawler.
Thanks!

[BOBS 2 68S]

I went new. The last 2 radiators I had "repaired" failed.
I am running https://www.wildhorses4x4.com/product/W ... _Radiators with stock water pump.

[Jesus_man]

Thanks! I will know more today when I take my old radiator in to be evaluated. But Champion makes a CC522 that seems it would drop right into place for $245, and then Tom's has a 6372 for $300 that would also drop into place. They do look different and I would prefer to support a bronco vendor, but only if the quality is the same or better.
https://www.championradiators.com/product/CC522

https://tomsoffroad.com/parts/66-77-for ... m-radiator

[ZOSO]

if you do not have the core support braced be cautious with an aluminum radiator. they like to crack and leak when flexed.

[Digger]

if you do not have the core support braced be cautious with an aluminum radiator. they like to crack and leak when flexed.

I'll 2nd this. I was going through aluminum radiators about 1 per year until I swapped the Cummins and used a plastic-tanked, gasketed radiator. Also, I softed up the mounting system to minimize flexing of the radiator.

[Gunnibronco]

I'm running a typical 4 core copper brass rad and Flowkooler waterpump, metal shroud, and OEM 7 blade fixed fan (still v-belts).

From what I see I would consider 3 options.

Stick with a similar copper brass 4 core rad. I've had good results and long life from mine. I think I'm only on my 2nd in 25+ years.

I've also considered the Wild Horses "Tri Pass" radiator. The longer route through the Tri Pass radiator will keep the water in the radiator longer allowing it to cool better. When I installed/serviced pool boilers a key to performance was tuning the water flow through the exchanger. We would bypass a certain amount of water around the boiler to slow down the water that went through the boiler. The longer the water was in the exchanger, the more heat it picked up. This radiator would do the same thing in reverse. If cooling becomes a problem with my new Nevada desert climate, this will probably be my choice. Cooling wasn't such a big issue in Gunnison, obviously.

https://www.wildhorses4x4.com/product/W ... _Radiators

Finally a lot are running an aluminum rad from a V6 Explorer with good results. It's cheaper than the copper brass ones too. You'll have to find the model/year to use. I don't have that info.

I've heard too many complaints about the aluminum radiators like the Champion. It seems like a lot of people don't get much life from them.

[Eck]

FWIW- I have the Champion and have had it for roughly 7 years. Have not had any overheating issues or leaks. That includes 11 days running it in Baja. I’m using stock core supports. Explorer front dress with a modified full surround fan shroud, stock water pump.


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[Jesus_man]

My core support is stock, as are my mounts. I recall issues with these aluminum radiators not liking the flexing at all so that is a massive concern. I certainly don't want to spend the money to replace this again in the near future! But I also have heard that somehow those issues haven't perpetuated, or I'm just not as involved in the bronco community as I once was.

What sort of bracing would be required of the core support?

I saw the tri-pass, but it is configured for a stock EB arrangement. I need the opposite (driver low, passenger high). Someone else had one, but I don't recall if it was the same or opposite either.

Good new Eck. Makes for a difficult decision.

As to my current radiator, I won't get a repair quote until later this week. He showed me were several rows were twisted off for some reason. So it wasn't running at peak efficiency anyway, but again, not sure it's worth the money.

[Eck]

My Champion is a 3 core and has the inlet/outlet switched for the Explorer front dress.

https://www.championradiators.com/Ford- ... -1966-1967


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[Gunnibronco]

I saw the tri-pass, but it is configured for a stock EB arrangement. I need the opposite (driver low, passenger high). Someone else had one, but I don't recall if it was the same or opposite either.

Yeah at this point you'd think WH would offer both versions. There is probably good demand for the reversed inlet/outlet version. They have both versions of other radiators. If you find a triple pass with reversed fittings post up what you find. There is a good chance I'll switch over. I have an Explorer front dress waiting, but with a high amp alternator, York OBA, and Flowkooler water pump I don't know when I'll make the swap.

[Jesus_man]

Eck - that is the one I was looking at. Very appealing.

Chad - I will post if I find a tri-pass for the conversion. I'm shocked too. Such a common need, and fairly simple to accomplish, I would think.

[Jesus_man]

So, in looking into the 1997 Ford explorer option... the prices are way lower! The connections are on the side I need them to be, as are the oil cooler if I chose to use those. And it has a drain port with aluminum core. The only draw-back is creating a custom mount, which isn't likely a huge deal.
This one is an "upgraded design" for a 302:
https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.ph ... 27&jsn=527

[Gunnibronco]

I may be wrong but I thought they were using a radiator from the earlier generation of Explorers. There were a couple options with a 3 core being the go-to.

I wonder if you need to swap the heater core to move to aluminum.
https://www.wildhorses4x4.com/product/A ... _Radiators

[Gunnibronco]

https://classicbroncos.com/forums/threa ... st-3459793

1994 Explorer Auto, AC

CU1164

[Jesus_man]

This one is for a V8 '99 explorer and has the same size inlet and outlet. Also larger.
https://ecat.spectrapremium.com/en/parts/CU1824

Just have to address the custom mounts and hoses.

[Gunnibronco]

I think the reason they didn't go with the later model V8 rad is how it fit behind the Bronco core support. There was some discussion about this years ago but I never made the change so I can't remember all the details.

[Jesus_man]

Comparing my current rad to this one (Current VS new):
OAW = 25 1/4" vs 23-3/4"
OAH = 19-7/8" vs 20-13/16"
OAD = 2-3/4" vs 2-1/4"

The Spectra 1824 is narrower, taller, and thinner.

I'll do some more digging and see if I can find the reasons why no one uses the V8, but from here, I can't see why.

[Gunnibronco]

Tom's has their radiators on sale. They have a stock aluminum 3 core with reversed fittings, but no tri-pass model.

[Jesus_man]

That is another on my short list for sure. I am calling spectra today to see where their dimensions are taken from and then perhaps I can make a plan on how to mount the 1874. Would be wonderful to see one in person before I buy, but I don't think that is possible. For $160 it seems well worth a try tho!

[Jesus_man]

In calling Spectra, I learned that their dimensions (in the radiator market) are based on the flow of fluid. In cross-flow that means the width is a vertical dimension of the cores and the height is the distance between the tanks. So that kinda puts things on their head!

[Gunnibronco]

I'm not surprised. As many V8 Explorers that have been parted out into EBs someone would have figured out how to use the radiator at this point.

I'd seriously consider the earlier V6 rad, I know its working good for a lot of people, and the price is right.

[Jesus_man]

I just called Tom's back regarding their 3- core alum reverse flow. Since it has a drain (which is why I wanted to modify my existing one) and it requires no fab work, this may get the nod. If I were setup to just pull my welder out and make some brackets, I would probably go for the explorer ones. But my welding setup is all in storage and I would have to either lug it all home, or get my bronco on the trailer and drag it to a friends house. The downside is I'm looking at $350+. If the prices were the same, it'd be an easy decision.

Tom's says they have not heard of any failures due to flexing, and even run it in their Rebelle Rallye racer. That eases my concerns some as well. I do wish the trans cooler tank was on the other side so that I could more easily plumb in my power steering lines, but with some elbows are more hose, that is an easy fix.

One concern I have with the Explorer stuff is they are all taller, the CU1164 being only marginally taller. But it's the smallest of them all. The others I am looking at because they are larger (CU2174 & CU1824) are both 5.4" taller and I'm afraid they'd stick down too far and might get hit.

Another tidbit from Spectra is they are no longer selling these in the US (thank you Covid), so whatever is out there is all that is left.

[Jesus_man]

Put this little spreadsheet together to get a clearer view of what I was looking at with the explorer radiators from Spectra:

[Jesus_man]

I got the Tom's offroad radiator in last night and it fits as advertised. Got the hoses from a 1988 mustang 302 modified and installed. I am reasonable happy with the lower hose, but I don't like the upper.

However, there is another issue. Apparently I didn't get enough silicon around this bolt and I have coolant seeping out of from the bolt head.

I am hoping to pull the bolt today, clean the hole and the bolt, and silicon around the head and maybe an alum or copper washer. We shall see.

[Gunnibronco]

Looks good. Leaks on new parts sucks. Hopefully there is an easy solution without pulling it all back off. I'm sure you can find a better upper hose, there has to be a good option, too many people are running a combo like that. Might look for options using the Explorer water neck, it points forward.

[Jesus_man]

Seems I saw many where the t-stat housing (water neck?) point skyward. I didn't see any like mine or any that pointed forward.

If it wasn't for the two bends nearest the radiator, I think it would be fine, but I don't think I can remove those without interference with the alternator pulley.
Hope to have more to report tomorrow.

[Gunnibronco]

Derp. You are right, it points straight up. I don't know what I was thinking about.

[Jesus_man]

Who can keep track of it all? I just don't think that even if it pointed up, I'd get better hose alignment.

[Kinder]

I’d suggest cutting a section out of the hose in the middle and putting in a piece of bead rolled thin wall pipe.

Something like this https://hpsperformanceproducts.com/prod ... -inch-long

[Jesus_man]

That is what my previous hose had in it and it worked, but I just don't like adding places for coolant to leak. However, to avoid flow issues, I may do just that. First, I'm hoping to drive it to the parts store and maybe we can make something match it?? I'll certainly update with the part#'s that I end up with.