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bigger radiator

5K views 26 replies 13 participants last post by  Duffy 
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#1 ·
im goin to the J/Y to look for a few parts an 1 bein a radiator. I want to know is there any gain by takin a bb radiator an installing it?? Like a ferd 460 radi?? Theres alot of those in there.. Or is there any other rigs i should look at for a little bit bigger radiator?? I will be installin a electric fan
 
#2 ·
First, what are you working on? Second, bigger equals better cooling, just watch you may need to manipulate or make-up mounting. AND that the used rad flows good!(internally and externally!)
 
#3 ·
I guess third, whats wrong with the one you've got? Will a reseal fix it? You may have to reseal the used rad anyway............
 
#4 ·
Take careful measurements.  Radiators are made for a specific body and engine configuration and rarely swap easily.  Considering the size of the stock radiators and how much they tend to cool too much, I think you may just need to flow test your current one or replace it with a stock one.
 
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#5 ·
Nothin is wrong with my stocker just thought maby it would be a good idea to install a bigger 1. AN hoss its a 85 w150 with a mild 318.. is it a good idea to install a electric fan an get rid of the other? Was told yes and no?? I was thinking of installing 1 up front and 1 on the back of the radiator pusher and a puller
 
#6 ·
The size and number of fan blades that's on your motor can make a big difference too.  Sometimes people take the clutch fan off and install an 18" flex fan thinking it's better.  I have a couple 7 blade, 20" clutch fan blades.
 
#7 ·
The best setup for a stock truck is the stock arrangement.  Good radiator, stock engine driven fan with a good clutch and a fan shroud.  There are some good reasons to go with an electric fan, like if you dip the fan into thick mud a lot but most of the time the stock setup is fine.  I have a set of dual electric fans that were on my W100 and I've thought about putting them on the Ramcharger but there is just no real good reason to do the swap.
 
#8 ·
Do fans off a full size dodge van, actually pull more air than pickups,or is it an old wives tale. Been scoping out trans dipstick tubes to install in the rc but the last 3 I found had 904 trans. I assumed a big heavy van would have a 727 behind the 318
 
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#9 ·
well it would be nice to install a electric fan with a toggle switch so when i do hit a big mud hole i dont cove my whole motor in mud/gunk ect ect lol thanks guys.. whats the best fans to look for?? I read on here a while back that to look 4 fans for a v6 taurus, lincoln??
 
#10 ·
88raminator said:
Do fans off a full size dodge van, actually pull more air than pickups,or is it an old wives tale. Been scoping out trans dipstick tubes to install in the rc but the last 3 I found had 904 trans. I assumed a big heavy van would have a 727 behind the 318
A van fan is the same as the bigger truck fans.

There is different types of clutches,

the non thermal ones somewhat kick in at idle, and kick out at cruising speeds. Do not even consider one of these. They can be identified by a smooth front, and lack of a thermal spring on the front.

The thermal ones are what you want, the standard one which is what you will find on 99.9% of the trucks will engage at higher temps, but still slip, and only maintain about 80% of the engine speed. They o wear out, and are hard to really tell if they do not work.

If you are going to spend any money, look at the 92 dodge 5.9 TBI fans, that are rated for severe duty. You will actually hear them kick in. They are similar to whats on the magnum trucks, with a tow package, just that they turn in the right direction for our trucks. it would be $60 well spent.



Any fan is all but useless without a shroud.
 

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#11 ·
lifted85 said:
well it would be nice to install a electric fan with a toggle switch so when i do hit a big mud hole i dont cove my whole motor in mud/gunk ect ect lol thanks guys.. whats the best fans to look for?? I read on here a while back that to look 4 fans for a v6 taurus, lincoln??
The Lincoln Mark VIII and some of the Thunder Birds had the same electric fan and they do pull a lot of air but you would probably have to move your radiator forward for the fan to clear the water pump. Also they run at close to 30 amps and have a surge amp draw higher than that at start-up so a soft start controller would probably be needed.
The HD clutch setup would cheaper and easier. If you want a larger radiator you might look at some of the Dodge vans. Some of them had slightly larger radiators. Make sure you get the fan shroud with it and take some good measurements.

Hope this helps,
JD
 
#12 ·
The best upgrade is an A/C rad if yours didn't have A/C or HD cooling. Other than that there isn't much you could readily do to improve cooling with stock parts.

It'd be hard to find an electric setup that is 100% better than your stock clutch fan. Mounting an electric fan along with the clutch fan would help cooling, but if there's any problems they are most likely with parts elsewhere in the system than an inadequate radiator/fan.
 
#13 ·
The old upgrade was a 70's 4 row but I understand there not easy to find anymore I have one in my truck without issue for many years. Another option is to get a Radiator for a
85 Ford F350 Diesel
23.5" x 30.5" x 2.25" - 4 Rows
It could be adapted with a bit of work.

 
#15 ·
lifted85 said:
So am i better to just leave my clutch fan or ditch it an go with a electric fan LOL??? i was always told a eletric fan was better??
Electric fan uses a less horsepower, makes servicing pulley items much easier, reduces wear on the water pump bearing, and can be turned off (or on fast speed even at idle). However, they use a lot of electric current, can fail like any electric item, has to be wired in correctly, costs a decent bit for a proper cfm model, and the mechanical stock fan works fine. That is my pro/con analysis.
 
#16 ·
I have NEVER been left out in the back country by a mechanical type fan. I have had a fan clutch eat a radiator.....once. If you want old school reliability and toughness, direct drive and high dollar flex fan, but for most uses the stock type fan with a clutch is the ideal balance between power consumption and need for air flow.

If you regularly submerge your rig in water or mud, you might want to think electric, so you can turn it off and not beat a fan to death. But spend the $$$$ on a good set up, its not worth it to go cheap and bbq your engine/transmission.

I am running a motor home fan and clutch on my RC. I am afraid that it might act like a prop and I'm gonna' fly off like an airplane, it moves so much air.

Been stranded by a factory electric on a jeep, though. Darn near cooked my wife's Liberty. That was in civilization.....but with civilization comes traffic and the need for a fan.

Just my 2 cents.

sb
 
#18 ·
15" for a 26" radiator?  I think mine are dual 12" and they were not really enough to cool as well as the stock fan with shroud.  I had to go to pusher fans on my big block swap since the fan I had was too close to the radiator and the shroud did n't line up anymore.  Otherwise I would have kept the stock fan.
 
#21 ·
lifted85 said:
what if i put a pusher up front also?? thats as big as the had lol
So far about all I can gather is that you are not having any cooling issues but just want to modify the cooling system anyway? Seriously, there are a lot of things you can do to help your vehicle but if they are not needed you are just throwing money and time away or possibly making things worse. As it is, your stock fan with a shroud pulls air through the entire radiator. When you add most electric fans, they fir against the radiator and only push or pull air through the part of the radiator directly below the fan and whatever shroud it may have built onto it. Adding one as a pusher fan to augment the stock fan can help cooling, but then it throws your whole "need to get rid of the stock fan for mud" argument. It's also possible that a pusher fan could hurt cooling by obstructing airflow through the radiator when the fan is off.
 
#24 ·
I have had some issues before with single row radiators, not near as much when I can find a 2 row,
my current 83 D 250 still has its stock original 3 row Max cooling package radiator, never ever comes close to running hot; I have never heard of a  4 row rad for a Mopar....unless its something someone made "custom".....
 
#25 ·
4 cores were normally on big block trucks.  I don't know if they are still available.  When I went to buy mine it was replaced by a wide 3 core that was slightly thicker
 
#26 ·
;)
 

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