Which Radiator in Regal?

[Shawn F.]

Ok I know this question gets brought up a TON, but I have done a ton of reading through threads here and still unsure of which radiator to go with. I do not have $400 and up to spend and would prefer to keep the price at $250 and below if possible. I have an 83 Buick Regal with a V8 sbc 350 swap. Currently it has a factory style radiator with plastic tanks and a single electric fan unit. The radiator in it now is all clogged up with red rust and I need to replace it along with the fan do a nicer dual fan setup and relay/sensor kit. Any suggestions? I was looking at NAPA's replacement ones for around $180. I looked up an 83 Malibu with a V8 305 and then looked into Champion and American Eagle but they seem too cheap and from my research on here they do not fit well as far as hoses go, trans line plugs, drain plug not even being accessible, etc.
I looked into F Body and B Body radiators but hear all sorts of mixed opinions as well as Griffin 31X19's. Some say those fit and some say they do not and to go with a 30X19. So, in saying all of this, which radiator for under $250 can I run with no fitment issues and of decent quality for a daily driver running A/C and a mild 350. Also what fan setup is preferred? I read about some Dodge setup but never figured out which exact one or part number.

Thanks in advance for any help here!

 

[Clone TIE Pilot]

I just used a replacement rad for MCSSs from Rockauto. As for the fan I prefer the stock belt driven clutch fan. Electric fans are just as much of a load on a engine as belt driven fans due to all the amps they pull. It takes the same amout of energy to move the same amount of air. More simple with less failure points.

 

[Shawn F.]

Do you happen to have a link or part # to the one you have? How long have you had it? I assume you like it since you are recommending it... lol Thanks for your input!

 

[CWPottenger]

Electric fans are just as much of a load on a engine as belt driven fans due to all the amps they pull.

This would be an incorrect statement. The avg mechanical fan will require 4-6hp or more (depending on size and style) to operate and is always creating a load on the engine from the minute engine is started and even with a clutch fan the load is still present just reduced. So there is always a parasitic load on the engine by the fan. With an electric fan it only increases load when active and zero additive load when off. So even if parasitic load were identical an electric would have less of a HP drag over time and thus increasing engine efficiency. An alternator putting out 60amps would create a 1.5hp drag at full load on avg and a 150 amp alternator would create 3.5hp drag at full load on avg. Now all that being said it is a personal opinion which one you prefer and changing to electric fans for HP gain is usually not noticeable, but can be noticeable in efficiency of the engine.

 

[Shawn F.]

Thanks CWPottenger for that tid bit of info! I currently have a single 14" or 16" electric fan now and plan to keep electric due to efficiency. Every little thing I can do to help with it would be great. I have NO CLUE the mileage I get now. It's not too great but not bad for such a big heavy car and the 350.

 

[olds307 and 403]

Get the Griffin Dominator for a F body. The A/G body model is too wide. The drag of a clutch fan can be annoying. I am spending $ on a quality Flexalite variable speed and temp controller. Best part is slow turn on, less of an amperage spike.

 

[foxtrot]

For my taste, I actuall agree with the Star Wars guy. I think that the MCSS replacement radiator from RockAuto will cool most SBC's just fine. And as far as the fan goes, the simplicity of the mechanical clutch fan is nice. Albeit less efficient, it's a nice simple setup without the need for any electrical upgrades. Also, any efficetcy differences wouldn't really be appreciated in a stret car. Just my two cents here..

 

[V8 Rumble]

I have an sbc with about 400hp and use the rock auto spectra v8 radiator and the flexa lite 5555 Clutch and I've driven on five hour trips at 175* and sat in non moving traffic and not gone over 190. I use a 180 degree t stat. I cruise around romp on it stop and go traffic and have had zero cooling issues.

I started a thread about this a while back viewtopic.php?f=3&t=43362&hilit=+Radiator

 

[pencero]

A crucial point in favor of electrical fans is the fact that they can easily be put on a switch so that the engine is not starting under load... A poor choice on any car you are going to let people who might forget to turn the fans on drive the car of course. Paper or plastic? What's the difference? Electric fans aren't better or worse than mechanical fans. Each has it's pro's and con's. It really depends on your driving style. If you drive fast at all times the mechanical fans are a must have. If you drive like a grandpa most of the time why spend the extra hundreds of dollars? Admit you drive like a grandpa most days and do exactly what a grandpa would do and just run the stock style mechanical fan... but at least upgrade to a 6 or 7 blade if you do. Don't put the 5 blade oldsmobile fan that came stock on a bunch of cars or it won't keep up w/ the 350. If you run electric fans you have the capability to drive like an ******* for a longer period of time with virtually no consequences but you will have to replace them every few years to maintain this right. The clutch fan is semi-permanent. It could last forever if you drive conservatively.