edlt1

Radiator needs to be replaced. Can anyone suggest some good radiator options for my 04 GTO?

Summerwolf

iTrader: (3)

Griffin

Ron Davis

Hendrix

Take your pick they're all aluminum construction that will last and fit. Griffin would probably be my choice due to its low cost and excellent fitment.

GTOSE

iTrader: (1)

Griffin's are very nice.

Tony's 06

iTrader: (1)

After having a Ron Davis, and having problems with it. I recommend buying a cheap one with a lifetime warranty from a reputable company.

thehazz12

Yeah I've heard that a lot of people have had issues with the aftermarket radiators for these cars. There's been quite a few that ended up switching back to a new OEM radiator and not had a single issue. Apparently, the stock Ls2 radiators are a pretty nice piece.

JAX04

iTrader: (17)

Griffen /thread.... While your in their, toss a turbo in!

svede1212

iTrader: (3)

OEM style. It is such as easy replacement and most make it a long time. Mine is 8 years and still going. I'd pocket the extra money or spend it on something else more significant.

joeyagls1

glad I did not spend 1000 dollars on a ron davis alumium one. I stick with the stock.

great421

iTrader: (1)

My little brother put a Griffin in his 04 - could not be happier.

svede1212

iTrader: (3)

They all pretty much work the same and none add performance. I'd be surprised in anybody would be unhappy outside of failure

mebuildit

Saldana makes really nice radiators. so does C&R

torridred04goat

I heard the aluminum radiators just give problems compared to the OE version. Apparently they hold the heat in compared to the plastic tank version.

FlamingTA

iTrader: (8)

WOW, where did you hear that? Pretty much every race style radiator is all alum. An alum radiator is usually going to have more rows for cooling and more capacity.

egoinstigator

iTrader: (2)

This is counterintuitive to say the least. Aluminum is a better heat transfer medium than plastic.

Sounds like someone made a bad assumption based on poor diagnosis. More likely that the radiator considered inferior had a plugged core... nothing to do with the end caps.

What say you?

JNR_Design

iTrader: (3)

^^^that doesn't matter, as the only way your transfering heat is with the airflow via the fins/rows and not the end tanks.

Aluminum is not as (heat transfer) effecient as copper/brass, so to get the same effeciency, apples to apples, you need to increase the total surface area, which means a bigger radiator, more rows, more FPI (fins per inch) density, etc...how they braze it makes a difference too. aluminum is ~1/4 the weight of copper, or ~1/3 the weight of steel, but radiators don't really weigh that much and the fluid inside of them probably weighs more anyway.

I have an AFCO alum. radiator in my chevelle that is an awesome piece and was not much $$$, even though it's far better quality than a 'name brand' you see in summit, etc.; not sure if they make anything for a chevelle, but if they're still as good (bought mine in 2003 iirc) quality, then I'd recommend them. I'm sure they've gone up since then, but I paid <$300 on a group buy and its quality is as good or better than anything else I've ever seen.

If they made copper/brass radiators & end tanks (esp.) for these, I'd just buy one of those. Plastic end tanks suck, but not sure they make much ele anymore. That and many of them have gone cheap and use an alum. core/plastic end tanks and w/o increasing the size or changing it, it won't work as well.

Dyno Junkie

What ever you decide to go with just make sure that the core is not any thicker than standard.

I had a 40mm (~1.75") lower radiator made to allow a larger OTRCAI to be used, however the manufacturer suggested a 60/65mm core.

The thicker core worked ok when driving at speed, however the fans will not pull enough air through the radiator core to maintain correct coolant temperature either at idle or crawling along in peak hour traffic.
Reverted back to a factory radiator and all cooling issue were resolved!