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Radiator dimensions?

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Old May 7, 2007 | 10:13 PM
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Default Radiator dimensions?

I am looking to put in a universal radiator to gain more space for my turbo . I see many guys cutting the rad support. What dimensions radiator are most of you using?
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Old May 8, 2007 | 11:44 AM
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Originally Posted by datsbad
I am looking to put in a universal radiator to gain more space for my turbo . I see many guys cutting the rad support. What dimensions radiator are most of you using?
I have a 27.5X15.5X3 Griffin radiator
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Old May 8, 2007 | 01:55 PM
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Yup. I think summit and jegs brands, both make a 27.5x16.5x3 that would work nice if you cut the extra boxed section at the bottom of the radiator support.
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Old May 8, 2007 | 05:24 PM
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Im doing that to mine right now, this weekend ill probably work on the mounts.


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Old May 8, 2007 | 05:32 PM
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ordered the same radiator as above from Griffin but I had them add a 6an bung for my steam line (from back of heads) and a NPT fitting at the bottom for a drain plug, doing away with the crappy lt1 oil cooler so I have to get a 3/8 fitting to put into the waterpump.
the 27/5/15.5/3 is the standard that I have seen people do the swap with.

lethal93ta and everyone else are you cutting the bottom support any??? If so what exactly? I thought about cutting the whole support out of the bottom and using some mild rectangular steel for the holding spot, I need to cushion it with something since I don't want metal and aluminum rubbing each other??

On the Top support I suppose you guys are just cutting and rewelding with a 1X1 bar??
Any Tips or advice, I have the FLX 220 fan setup and the radiator coming, plan to do it at the end of the month.
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Old May 8, 2007 | 05:39 PM
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my NPT fittings are comming tomarrow for my steam pipe, Im getting rid of the oil cooler as well so Im not putting that fitting in the rad, just plugging the pump.I plan on kepping the lower support there, Im just going to bend some steel in a U with some foam padding under there around the rad, same on top I think, depends on what all I think of till this weekend.

I cut the rad support out, welded some steel over where the support was, I welded some pieces on the ends of the 1x1 tube as well so water cant get in there, I welded nuts to the back side where the hood catch framing bolts to the 1x1, just to make it easy to unbolt down the road if I have to take the front end off.



Originally Posted by T/A KID
ordered the same radiator as above from Griffin but I had them add a 6an bung for my steam line (from back of heads) and a NPT fitting at the bottom for a drain plug, doing away with the crappy lt1 oil cooler so I have to get a 3/8 fitting to put into the waterpump.
the 27/5/15.5/3 is the standard that I have seen people do the swap with.

lethal93ta and everyone else are you cutting the bottom support any??? If so what exactly? I thought about cutting the whole support out of the bottom and using some mild rectangular steel for the holding spot, I need to cushion it with something since I don't want metal and aluminum rubbing each other??

On the Top support I suppose you guys are just cutting and rewelding with a 1X1 bar??
Any Tips or advice, I have the FLX 220 fan setup and the radiator coming, plan to do it at the end of the month.

Last edited by lethal93ta; May 8, 2007 at 10:23 PM.
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Old May 8, 2007 | 06:38 PM
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OK spoke to soon the fittings were comming tomarrow, they just showed up at my door 1/2 hour ago. looks like ill be dropping off my rad at the welding shop friday to get tig welded

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Old May 8, 2007 | 10:05 PM
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who has the best price on this size rad and what is the part number. ?
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Old May 8, 2007 | 10:11 PM
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GRI-1-25241-X I paid 195.95 from summit.
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Old May 9, 2007 | 03:46 PM
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Lethal thats EXACLTY how I am having mine setup, lol
How much is the local shop charging you to weld it (I guess they have to have an aluminum welder??)

Also where you welded the bar in place it looks really nice and smooth, any tips to making it turn out like that?? I was going to cut it, grind it, and possibly take some sand paper and smooth everything out?? Is that what you did?
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Old May 9, 2007 | 04:17 PM
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the shop I go to to get ALU stuff welded is normally farly cheep, I think it was only like 16 bucks for him to weld 4 -8 fittings on my fuel rails, they have a tig welder there thats the only way to do ALU. I welded the rad support here, then I took a die grinder with a disc on there and smoothed the welds down. then used a diffrent die grinder with a 3 inch 3M pad on there to smooth everything out.
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Old Jun 2, 2007 | 08:23 PM
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Does that Griffin have the right size hose ends?

I think the LS1 rad uses 1 5/16" hoses, but the Griffin says it has:
Inlet Size: 1 1/2 in
Outlet Size: 1 3/4 in
So I'm kind of confused on this point.
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Old Jun 3, 2007 | 01:09 AM
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mine arnt the same as the water pump eather, I just got some hoses from summit that have ends that you can put diffrent spacers in there for diffrent sizes. there around 80 bucks a hose and you need 2 but that fixs the problem.
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Old Jun 3, 2007 | 06:20 PM
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Whoa. That really jacks up the prices.

I was thinking you could add a piece of tubing and then use a silicone coupler that is flared. It may also be cheaper to just have the correct size inlet and outlet welded to the radiator. Then it would never be a problem.

Last edited by JasonWW; Jun 3, 2007 at 06:36 PM.
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Old Jun 3, 2007 | 06:26 PM
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Lethal got a link to those hoses??
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Old Jun 3, 2007 | 06:33 PM
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using a flared peice of pipe should work, I was thinking about doing that to mine but with out the engine in mine I dont know for sure how everything is going to fit, I needed new hoses anyway since they look like they were factory on my car so till I bought new hoses and made something up I was better off buying those.

http://store.summitracing.com/partde...5&autoview=sku

Last edited by lethal93ta; Jun 3, 2007 at 06:48 PM.
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Old Jun 3, 2007 | 06:37 PM
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theres where Im at so far, I have one of those hoses, I just bought one to see if it would work, it looks like it should, I dont know for sure tho till I have my engine back in place witch will be a while, ill be low on cash since my second daughter should be here tomarrow, were going in for my wife to be enduced at 7:00 AM.


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Old Jun 3, 2007 | 10:20 PM
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Lethal what are the stock LT1 hose size of the LT1 waterpump? 1 1/4?
Your setup looks nice, did your radiator come with the Griffin Radiator cap?? Mine didn't.


BTW Congrats on the new child
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Old Jun 4, 2007 | 04:51 AM
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stock LT1 pump 1 1/4

yes my rad did come with the cap special deal on summit if you buy a rad you got a free cap.
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