Cooling

[foxtrot]

I'm wondering how much cooler an olds 403 engine would run with a three core aluminum radiator compared to the four core brass radiator? I was looking at the three core aluminum radiator that was listed on gbody parts dot com.
Anyone else running a 403? What are your temps running up to?

 

[foxtrot]

^BUMP^

 

[Blake442]

Well, I don't have a 403...but I'll lend my experience...

I purchaced a new 3-row HD stock replacement when I built my 455.
It had a hard time keeping up, and I ended up getting one of those extra wide 2-row aluminum ones, and my coolant temp dropped 15 degrees.

It even passed the merciless torture test of idling around the fair grounds for the car craft summer nationals without overheating, never going above 210*.

 

[GP403]

I've got a "stock replacement" 3-core for the car (diesel issue, from rock auto) and my 403 hums along just fine at the right temp, even pulling 3K rpm at 70mph thru the 90+* Oklahoma summer hell....

Of course its not doing double duty cooling trans fluid in my car, if that makes a difference, and it might. I don't run the AC either (ick!) as the R12 is too low to do any good! So again, might make a difference.

 

[Phoenyx]

I've never used an aluminum one yet, but I know a few people that have. All I've heard is that a 2 row aluminum one will out cool a 3 or 4 row stock one.

 

[foxtrot]

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

Bake seems to have had great results with the 2 core aluminum one, so I think I buy the three core one that gbody parts dot com has to offer! Thanks Guys!

 

[foxtrot]

By the way -- 15 degrees is an awesome result for a few hundred bucks!

 

[Munkey B]

cooling huh?
i went to pick up my car at exhaust place and rad took a dump in parking lot. yay.
gotta love a car that has sat for years.

 

[foxtrot]

If you lived in my area you could bu my slightly used four core heavy duty Radiator. 🙂 Has only hundreds of miles on it...