cooling system for 71 nova with 2002 LS6
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 13
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Hummm, wish I had thought of searching the internet or forums for this information. I just spent the last 3 hours doing that. It is a little overwhelming as you point out with over 40,000 options. So the question was what did you do. And from your poor response - I can see you didn't do .......
Thanks for a useless reply.
Thanks for a useless reply.
Hummm, wish I had thought of searching the internet or forums for this information. I just spent the last 3 hours doing that. It is a little overwhelming as you point out with over 40,000 options. So the question was what did you do. And from your poor response - I can see you didn't do .......
Thanks for a useless reply.
Thanks for a useless reply.
In the Cougar, I have a generic aluminum radiator with a C6 Corvette fan. Works awesome.
The former was $1200 the latter was about $300...
There are also various OEM options that can work.
Tell us your budget and the level of bullshit you want to put up with when installing.
BeCool, dewitt, entropy, Holley, griffin and more, have direct bolt in systems that will all do the job.
Andrew
Teching In
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
I got a "universal" aluminum radiator from summit racing. I made a couple of aluminum brackets, and had them welded to the radiator.
I got a used 16 inch electric fan off eBay. Made a bracket to mount it from the stock shroud mount on top, and another bracket on the bottom that mounts to the bottom of the radiator support. I use a stock small block fan shroud, which hides the fan nicely.
Thermal switch, works great. I'm still wirking on the LS swap in this car. This setup kept the all iron big block 454 cool that just came out. I had a similar setup on my last 68 Camaro with an LS swap.
I got a used 16 inch electric fan off eBay. Made a bracket to mount it from the stock shroud mount on top, and another bracket on the bottom that mounts to the bottom of the radiator support. I use a stock small block fan shroud, which hides the fan nicely.
Thermal switch, works great. I'm still wirking on the LS swap in this car. This setup kept the all iron big block 454 cool that just came out. I had a similar setup on my last 68 Camaro with an LS swap.
Stock I used the Donner radiator and fans from the 2002 Camaro that I parted out. A little fab, so even adjusting get and it worked out great. Just like stock LOL !
Don't over think it, it's just like any other car or truck, just have to work around what you have and what you want. Like he said, there a million solutions... just do you research and pick one.
BC
Don't over think it, it's just like any other car or truck, just have to work around what you have and what you want. Like he said, there a million solutions... just do you research and pick one.
BC
Last edited by bczee; Jan 6, 2017 at 08:24 AM.
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I am using a complete 4th Gen F-body set-up (Radiator, fans, hoses) with my LS-1. The only modifications are to the radiator support and they are not hard to do. This gives me the ability to get parts in Anytown, USA if I ever have a failure a long way from home. As long as your HP is not to high you can use a stock radiator although I got a screaming deal on an SLP radiator.
Come to think of it, I have a spare 4th gen radiator I could sell you if you want. I bought it for my setup and was going to use it until I got the SLP deal. PM me if interested.
Come to think of it, I have a spare 4th gen radiator I could sell you if you want. I bought it for my setup and was going to use it until I got the SLP deal. PM me if interested.
Not much.. Had to open the Radiator Support opening about 1 1/2" to accommodate the width of the 4th Gen Radiator. Minor mod or fab work on the mount. Nothing you can't do with common hand tools.
You can find info and pictures on my build thread.
BC
You can find info and pictures on my build thread.
BC
I have only recently gotten mine running and temperatures in SoCal have been in the 60s-70s, so I have yet to stress the system, but I can show you what I put together.
I have a stock-replacement aluminum Griffin radiator, same height and width as a stock small block radiator, but with a significantly thicker core. I am using a Volvo 2-speed fan that I pulled from the wrecking yard and mounted into a sheet metal shroud that I made myself. I bought a weld-in bung and added it to the driver's side tank for connecting the steam port. I am using an L99 waterpump which puts the upper hose on the drivers side to match up better with the original radiator layout.
If I had not already had the Griffin aluminum radiator, I would have gone to a '01-'02 4th gen Camaro radiator like what bczee did. The core is bigger and it has steam ports already in it.
I have a stock-replacement aluminum Griffin radiator, same height and width as a stock small block radiator, but with a significantly thicker core. I am using a Volvo 2-speed fan that I pulled from the wrecking yard and mounted into a sheet metal shroud that I made myself. I bought a weld-in bung and added it to the driver's side tank for connecting the steam port. I am using an L99 waterpump which puts the upper hose on the drivers side to match up better with the original radiator layout.
If I had not already had the Griffin aluminum radiator, I would have gone to a '01-'02 4th gen Camaro radiator like what bczee did. The core is bigger and it has steam ports already in it.
Launching!
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 206
Likes: 4
I'll either use the stock one from my Cutlass or one from an f-body or similar. Wish I had grabbed the radiator and condenser from the Rainier. Will use Windstar fans with the Volvo relay and possibly the BMW sensor.
bmw sensor is unnecessary, since the PCM controls the fan(s) using input from the temp sensor. unless you're carb'd, of course.
I highly recommend the volvo relay though. And the Taurus fan is a near-direct match for the OEM nova radiator.
I highly recommend the volvo relay though. And the Taurus fan is a near-direct match for the OEM nova radiator.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
To update what I did for my cooling system. I took a radiator and fan from an 02 camaro. They fit the housing very nicely and made a couple of brackets for the saddle mounts on the radiator. Also had to drill a hole in the support housing to allow for the passenger side pin to fit. I also used the rubber insulators from the 02 camaro as well. Still have to fab a to radiator support cover.