Drop in Aluminum Radiator Under $300?

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MrSony

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Nov 15, 2014
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Oct 14, 2008
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Cajun83HO

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Aug 3, 2016
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I'm calling Auto City to see about one for my 83H/O. You might say a WEEEE07 doesn't need an aluminum rad. You do when you live in south LA (Louisiana) with the A/C on all the time. And when you go across the country on Power Tours you don't need to overheat anything.
 

Streetbu

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May 22, 2011
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I fought high than normal engine temps for years and finally figured it out. I had several issues going on causing the problems. I never overheated, but ran warmer than it should've. For starters the carb was not close to being tuned, way too lean. Helped but still too warm. Next up was my timing. Fine at idle, too much going down the road. Fixed that, helped, but still too warm. Put on electric fans, helped, but just took longer to get too warm. Finally swapped to a serpentine setup. Fixed my issues and I figured out why. I had even put a 160 tstat in long ago trying to stop the overheating. I also put on some shiny pulleys. Ended up they slowed the water pump down and I didn't have enough coolant flow....
 
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Oct 14, 2008
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Yes, those shitty under drive pulleys were a big part of my cooling issues along with a Mr Gasket no flow thermostat, definitely not high flow like they say, pretty much closed off at speed. That along with a too small Champion 3 core for the 8 to 1 403 in my 88 Cutlass G body, caused me a ton of grief. Also dying relays, thermal switches, self adjusting controllers made me less enthusiastic about my Dodge Stratus fans, even though they cool fine when running as they should.
 
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Streetbu

Know it all, that doesn't
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Honestly, a bone stock 2 core brass cooling system should have no issues cooling a 400hp engine. Look at all the big blocks with "puny" radiators (compared to today) from the 60's and they cooled fine. Most likely there isn't a single cause of your issues but multiple...
 
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BOXCARS

Master Mechanic
Apr 29, 2017
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I'm calling Auto City to see about one for my 83H/O. You might say a WEEEE07 doesn't need an aluminum rad. You do when you live in south LA (Louisiana) with the A/C on all the time. And when you go across the country on Power Tours you don't need to overheat anything.

There's a ton of these on ebay, different offerings, different prices. I have one in my GN. Works great! Here it is standing next to a stock IROC radiator.

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5335822911&icep_item=153180188606
 

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Oct 14, 2008
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I can tell you the 2 core copper/brass rad in my 88 floored the gauge with a 8 to 1 Olds 403. The current, probably factory 2 core copper/brass than someone recored in my 70S Cutlass cools the 350 just fine, so far 195 is as hot as it has got sitting idling in traffic with the direct drive 4 blade fan without a shroud. But better airflow, a 3 inch wider rad and only 9 to 1 compression. Why they didn't add a 3 core is beyond me, it is the same tanks. Either way a 3 core would be marginal with the 9.6 to 1 4.390" bore, siamese, thin wall, Olds 403 based 424 ci stroker going in. I am going with the huge A body nearly 35" wide 2 core with 1.25" tubes Cold Case manual trans rad, will only run an external trans cooler, even less heat in the rad. For the small bore Buick 350, it probably will only take a 2 core with 1" tubes at the stock 31 or so inches wide to cool more than enough, depending on airflow, fan and shroud and the actual compression ratio.
 

Cajun83HO

Greasemonkey
Aug 3, 2016
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Louisiana
Niether Auto City or Cold Case radiators have the inlet and outlet correct size for Oldsmobile 307 application. Theirs are for Chevy. My inlet is 1.25 and oulet 1.5". I would need a upper hose with a 1.5" to make the one from Auto City to work.
Any hose suggestions? Other than flex.
 

BOXCARS

Master Mechanic
Apr 29, 2017
337
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Niether Auto City or Cold Case radiators have the inlet and outlet correct size for Oldsmobile 307 application. Theirs are for Chevy. My inlet is 1.25 and oulet 1.5". I would need a upper hose with a 1.5" to make the one from Auto City to work.
Any hose suggestions? Other than flex.

So, you didn't look at the link I suggested above? Hose inlet and outlet sizes are what you say you need, 1.25" and 1.5" and the radiator in the link is listed for Chevrolet Camaro (that was in chinese though). Did I miss something? Maybe the Americans at Auto City or Cold Case don't know what they have.
 
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