Radiator upgrades

So in the plan is next year a new radiator. The one in the truck works fine but I'd like to get a new one, the old one is pretty grimy and such.

I know I could have it boiled out but I'm wondering if any of you have put in one of the aftermarket aluminum ones with the electric fans?

They look pretty sharp and I'm guessing they work well.

I'd like to add a transmission cooler next year as well so I think a new radiator might be in order.

Thoughts?

I recently installed a Champion 3 row aluminum radiator. But, no electric fans. So far, so good.

I, too, put in a Champion, but mine was a 4-row.  It is working very well.

Today I idled the thing for an extended period as I was charging the A/C system and it took at least 30 minutes before the clutch in the cooling fan kicked in, which was at about 208 degrees.  So it is cooling things quite well.

Any chance of more info on these radiators? Links or pics? I ended up putting in a spectra unit in my Bronco but now want something nicer

I ordered the Champion Cooling, 4 Row All Aluminum Radiator for Ford F-Series/Bronco, MC1451 from Amazon.

As for pictures and a discussion re installation, start reading here.

Electric fans are only for newer cars that were built to use them.
Look at any other car / truck sites of people that have gone electric fans and now they over heat.

Then you  have to up grade the ALT to a 3G, look at the ALT out put of electric fans cars / trucks, as your old ALT will not be able to put back into the battery what the fans are pulling out.

Just to say you have them is not worth it to me.
Dave ----

Gsmblue wrote

Any chance of more info on these radiators? Links or pics? I ended up putting in a spectra unit in my Bronco but now want something nicer

https://www.championradiators.com/3-row-Ford-Truck-1985-1996

Hope the link works.

I replaced my radiator with an aluminum Spectra unit, not sure if that could be considered an upgrade. I did install electric fans, however, and am completely happy with those. I adapted some Infiniti FX35 fans, which were the right size for our radiators, and a thermostatic control unit so I could control the temp the fans came on at.

They pull about 28 amps when both fans are on high, so your alternator and wiring have to be up to it.

It did take a small amount of fabrication. I don't know of any drop-in solutions for electric fans on these trucks.

Link to more info here: My 81 flareside is going electric!
<script src="http://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/embed/p60503"></script>

Electric fans aren't a bad idea if you are upgrading the alternator and electrical system.  And there's an advantage that I've not seen discussed - cooling for the A/C system.

With a large radiator, like the 4-row Champion on Big Blue, it takes a whole lot of idling to cause the engine-driven fan to come on.  Yesterday I was charging the A/C system and the pressures were going higher than they were supposed to - that is until the fan came on.  Then they dropped to right about where they should have been and the outlet air temp dropped as well.

But if I had electric fans I could set them up such that any time the A/C compressor was on at least one of them would be on.  Yes, that would run that fan more then needed as it would frequently be on going down the highway and it, by itself, wouldn't be needed then.  But at least at a stop it'd cool the A/C.

Another option though would be just to add one fan for the A/C and leave the engine-driven fan.

Thanks!

Out of stock 🤦‍♂️

Gary Lewis wrote

But if I had electric fans I could set them up such that any time the A/C compressor was on at least one of them would be on.  Yes, that would run that fan more then needed as it would frequently be on going down the highway and it, by itself, wouldn't be needed then.  But at least at a stop it'd cool the A/C.

Excellent point. I have these fans set up so that when the AC is on, they are both on "low". When the thermostat tells them to, they both come on "high". Absolutely no complaints about how that works well with the AC system.

The AC system itself... turns out the York reman compressor that O'reilleys sold me was a piece of junk. It's got less than an hour of run time on it, and it is leaking at the front seal and has apparently broken a piston. Yeah it's under warranty, but still a pain to have to deal with. And it really doesn't speak well for the quality of the next one to go in.

Your setup is a good one where they just come on low with A/C. That would help dramatically at a stop and on the highway the fans may not pull much current due to the air moving through.

And the bad compressor is a bummer!  Individuals don’t usually have a way to reclaim the refrigerant so there’s a big expense to recharge. My FS10 isn’t quiet so I’m not sure that it is new, but it was supposed to be and sure cost enough to be. Hope it lasts.

Im going to try and clean out my copper as that radiator works great at keeping my engine cool, but if I cant clean it out for my new engine I am actually looking at Cold-Case, they have a 80-84 F series/bronco radiator in polished aluminum for $444.89 or you can get it in a kit form with dual 12" fans for $646.32.

I am only looking at it cause it looks OE it mounts like OE and the price is reasonable.  New copper radiators are $600 - $700 and I could never justify paying more for a copper radiator than a aluminum radiator.  Only thing is I dont have a show truck and would like to have this aluminum radiator in black but the life time warranty will be voided if its painted as it sounds like they consider it as a modification to the radiator.

I have a no-name Champion 3 row imitation off ebay and no complaints at all. Since Champion gets theirs from overseas now, I decided to gamble on the difference being a sticker. Can't say either way but the radiator performs as expected and came with 2 fans and a shroud.

Champions are good radiators at least they were 1 - 2 years ago.  What I dont like about them is their boxy design.  The Cold-Case tries to mimic a OE radiator to an extent which if I do an aluminum radiator over copper it would have to be something OE looking preferably something I can clean and spray with some radiator black.

Scott - Have you checked to see if the fans will fit between the radiator and the pulley?  Bill said he couldn't get the fans he had in there on Darth.

Gary Lewis wrote

Electric fans aren't a bad idea if you are upgrading the alternator and electrical system.  And there's an advantage that I've not seen discussed - cooling for the A/C system.

With a large radiator, like the 4-row Champion on Big Blue, it takes a whole lot of idling to cause the engine-driven fan to come on.  Yesterday I was charging the A/C system and the pressures were going higher than they were supposed to - that is until the fan came on.  Then they dropped to right about where they should have been and the outlet air temp dropped as well.

But if I had electric fans I could set them up such that any time the A/C compressor was on at least one of them would be on.  Yes, that would run that fan more then needed as it would frequently be on going down the highway and it, by itself, wouldn't be needed then.  But at least at a stop it'd cool the A/C.

Another option though would be just to add one fan for the A/C and leave the engine-driven fan.

On my 02 Dodge Durango it has a electric pusher fan out front of everything and comes on when the AC compressor runs or if the motor temp gets to hot with out the AC compressor running.
The truck also has a motor driven fan.

Gary, shops use a big fan to blow on the condenser when charging the AC just for the reason you had.
If they have one of them floor drier blower fans they will set it up on a stool to blow into the condenser.
Dave ----

Yes, when my nephew charged it up he used a fan like that.  And suggested I might want to put a pusher fan on.  But if Scott says the fans he got will fit between the radiator and the pulley I would rather just go with two fans behind the radiator.

FuzzFace2 wrote

Gary Lewis wrote

Electric fans aren't a bad idea if you are upgrading the alternator and electrical system.  And there's an advantage that I've not seen discussed - cooling for the A/C system.

With a large radiator, like the 4-row Champion on Big Blue, it takes a whole lot of idling to cause the engine-driven fan to come on.  Yesterday I was charging the A/C system and the pressures were going higher than they were supposed to - that is until the fan came on.  Then they dropped to right about where they should have been and the outlet air temp dropped as well.

But if I had electric fans I could set them up such that any time the A/C compressor was on at least one of them would be on.  Yes, that would run that fan more then needed as it would frequently be on going down the highway and it, by itself, wouldn't be needed then.  But at least at a stop it'd cool the A/C.

Another option though would be just to add one fan for the A/C and leave the engine-driven fan.

On my 02 Dodge Durango it has a electric pusher fan out front of everything and comes on when the AC compressor runs or if the motor temp gets to hot with out the AC compressor running.
The truck also has a motor driven fan.

Gary, shops use a big fan to blow on the condenser when charging the AC just for the reason you had.
If they have one of them floor drier blower fans they will set it up on a stool to blow into the condenser.
Dave ----

If I need extra airflow for my dealer AC to cool better I would personally go with what is known as a Condenser fan.  Its like what you mentioned on the Dodges, its just a fan on the condenser itself that only comes on when the AC is switched on.  The mechanical fan would still be retained for engine cooling.

In my instance if I did this it would be fairly easy as all my AC system will be rewired through a fuse/relay box under the hood and I can simply jumper off trigger wire for the AC clutch relay to activate another relay to send battery voltage to the condenser fan.