installing an aftermarket aluminum rad (help)

[Minion1186]

just recently bought myself a champion cooling 3 core aluminum rad for my cutlass.It measures 17" high and 20" wide so it is a bit shorter than a stock cutlass radiator.Since its shorter than my oem one i cant use the top plate hold down and fan shroud,and i'm also having trouble mounting it on the stock rubber pads.Does anyone have pics of their aftermarket radiator installed?I havent a clue on how to tackle this but i'm thinking of zip tying the top of the radiator to the rad cradle and leave the shroud off of it since it wont fit.The radiator cap also hits the cradle and my upper hose is too long for this rad.I really need some advice on how to install this correctly.

 

[Bonnewagon]

Can you use some spacers to raise the lower mounting points, you know, the rubber mounting blocks? They normally sit in those slots at the bottom of the support. Even wood blocks would work for now until you can get some aluminum or steel spacers. Do the tops at least fit the rubbers in the shroud? I just installed my $99 special aluminum from RockAuto and it fit perfectly. My AC was overheating the 3-row brass I had in there, so far no problems.

 

[Minion1186]

no nothing fits as everything is wider than this radiator.The rubber mounting blocks on the top plate hang over the edge of the rad when i sit the top plate on it.

 

[86Gutlass]

make sure you odered the right one.I have a champion Rad in my cutlass,the first one i got was for a v-6 cutlass and didnt fit.The company i bought it from sent me the right one.It fit,not perfect but it fit and I was able to use the upper Rad hold down plate and shroud.

 

[olds307 and 403]

Wrong radiator. Mine was slightly different but fit on stock mounts and top plate. I used the Plymouth Breeze dual electric fans.

 

[Bonnewagon]

I think you got a 6 cyl radiator there. I just went out and measured both my old ones. V-6 was 17" x 20". V-8 was 17" X 26" give or take a bit.

 

[Minion1186]

called them up today and gave them my part number,as it turns out they sent me a 3 core v6 radiator,so now i should be getting the correct v8 radiator now

 

[Bonnewagon]

Still, it should have fit top to bottom. The height is the same for the V-6 and V-8, only the width differs. I would make sure it fits the radiator support and shroud, with the stock rubber "feet" and if it doesn't, ask very loudly why not.

 

[nawlins-tim]

HEY BONNIE WAGGON!! I was just checking prices at Rockauto. I was wondering if they sent you a 2 row as a replacement for one of our old brass and copper radiators. And Is there any IMPROVEMENT or are your temps the same?

Can you use some spacers to raise the lower mounting points, you know, the rubber mounting blocks? They normally sit in those slots at the bottom of the support. Even wood blocks would work for now until you can get some aluminum or steel spacers. Do the tops at least fit the rubbers in the shroud? I just installed my $99 special aluminum from RockAuto and it fit perfectly. My AC was overheating the 3-row brass I had in there, so far no problems.

 

[Bonnewagon]

Actually it is a single row, but that row is as wide as the tanks. It's a Spectre brand. The radiator was advertised as a 4-row but then they say they may "substitute a comparable aluminum/plastic unit with the same specifications". And that's what I got, and since it was on sale, ($99, probably a closeout) I didn't complain. So I put it in when I was getting the car in working order, but since it said on a sticker that "failure to flush system and replace with new coolant and DISTILLED water, will void warranty" I yanked it and flushed it and stored it until I was ready for all that. I used a 3-row Firebird radiator with a 195 degree stat for a year while I was dealing with all the bugs and it cooled fine until I hooked up the AC. Then the temps rose to 220 in traffic with the AC on. I had a 3-row Malibu radiator and tried that but it was essentially the same as the Firebird one and didn't change the situation. I swapped in a 160 stat which helped a lot driving but it still creeped up in stop and go traffic. So I finally yanked that out and put the aluminum unit in, with the 160 stat. I flushed the system out good, then filled it with distilled water and flushed that, then filled it with a 50/50 mix of coolant and distilled water. Now It sits at 160 all day with the AC on. It's only been in the 80's lately so I need some hot-humid 90's weather to see for sure but I probably won't have to wait long for that.