23103SS

So after tracking down my coolant leak I found out my radiator has a crack in side of it, it leaks when the temp gets hot. It has a cheap plastic type radiator in it now, my question is does anybody recommend an aftermarket radiator?? I def wanna get an aluminum one.

Also any tips on replacing it?

LS6427

iTrader: (2)

If you're wanting another factory replacement, get a 1997 LT1 radiator for your LS1 car. Better cooling and it fits 100% the same. You just have to cap off one port with a piece of hose and a clamp.

If you want an all metal radiator.......they are upwards of $500.00.

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beyonddisturbed

iTrader: (5)

i recently put a new radiator in my ta. wanted a becool but they are about 500 bones. went with stock replacement from advance for $120 w/ discount code. cant be it for the price. i have heard good things about the lt1 radiator though

LS6427

iTrader: (2)

Good thing about using an LT1 radiator....that extra port makes for a great flush drain. Never have to use that ridiculous factory petcock thing.

The extra port is the ONLY difference in the radiators, except that the LT1 cools better.......it installs exactly the same and fits exactly the same.

Here's mine. See the port with my 6 inch piece of heater hose clamped on. Plug in the end with a clamp too.

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23103SS

Anybody heard anything good or bad about engineered cooling products? they have an all aluminum radiator for $219. Looks good

dhanks56

I purchased a aluminum radiator off ebay. w/ fans and radiator it was about $190.00. came in fast and fits directly in. Only isue is that for my 1995 TA the hose connectors don't match (cap side has 4 plugs, and other side only has 1). It also did not come with fittings for the water pump hose connectors.

LS6427

iTrader: (2)

So basically a totally different radiator....lol

You have a link for it?

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SupahRich

iTrader: (14)

Installed an LT1 style radiator in my '98 last night... A nice cheap 'upgrade'! From what I've read here on LS1Tech it isn't uncommon for turbo and s/c'd guys to simply throw the LT1 in.

Fosnot

iTrader: (15)

Yea.. it is an extra 1/4" or so thicker than the LS1, so it can dissipate more heat

23103SS

Gonna go with the Be cool direct fit radiator, little on the pricey side, but all aluminum, NO epoxy, looks like good quality, where i live its mostly hot, so im not gonna half *** the cooling system.

LS6427

iTrader: (2)

Is the BeCool also larger...meaning does it hold more coolant in quarts than the stock LT1/LS1?

I'm in hot *** south Florida.....a factory stock radiator can keep any N/A engine cool...IF its the cooling system is working properly. My 427ci can't overheat if I literally try to do it......

But my BIG single turbo iron blocked set-up is gonna need something bigger.......

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23103SS

yes the be cool radiators are a little fatter, not sure about holding more fluid, but that would make sense. Im just tired of the cheap stock radiators, wanna do the cooling system and be done!

dhanks56

Yeah....

Here's the link:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/93-02-CHEVY-...item2a1bbdaf83

LS1WS6dreamer

iTrader: (1)

Yeah it gets so hot and humid in Arkansas. I hated how on every F-body I have had the fans have been set up to let the engine get hot then cool down. Then way back. Kick the A/C on and both fans come on and it runs cool. It seemed that by the time everything went through a few heat cycles my oil pressure would just go lower and lower. Like 20lbs at idle. Now it never drops below 35ish even in the summer. When I got my Frost mail tune the changing of the fans off/on temps was the best thing about it. It is a lot easier to keep something cool in the first place than to let it get scorching hot then try to cool it.

stubbs4

will any lt1 radiator fit an ls1 camaro radiator? or only a 1997??

dhanks56

where did you get the "Frost tune"?

themealonwheels

iTrader: (20)

I wanted to bump this up to provide some feedback. I wanted to ensure engine temps wouldn't be an issue and not worry about the stock LS1 radiator giving up on me. I was set on an all aluminum radiator, and Jegs had a pretty nice deal going on with free shipping, $25 rebate (turns out it was a Be Cool gift card, wtf?) and price matching. So I pulled the trigger and finally installed it today. That is, the F-Body specific "bolt in" for a manual, p/n 60028.

A local fellow enthusiast who is FI was interested in whether I would lose any real estate since it was bolt in. I'm here to say you most certainly do! At almost 2" thicker, the mounting tabs for the AC condenser and fans spread the whole setup out, from ~2 7/8" spacing on the stock radiator to ~4.5" on the Be Cool. The fans are set back maybe an inch toward the engine. Also I had to bend the condensers lines slightly to get the condenser to sit on the front and the AC dryer doesn't sit in the bracket on the PS.

And almost as though to add insult to injury, there is a 1/2" NPT port on the DS and a 3/8" port on the PS for an engine oil cooler. Did the kit come with plugs for those of us who just want a stock replacement? No. So now I'm waiting for a couple of plugs I ordered from Jegs to add coolant. $10. Really, Be Cool? You couldn't toss that in for the price of your "direct fit" radiator?

If I replace my radiator on my B4C, it will be with an LT1 unit. Hope this helps someone else avoid the same mistake.

Jon87transam

iTrader: (1)

As long as the ports don't have coolant going through them, you don't "have" to block the ports. It might get dirty if you don't block them off though. It's like running a A/T radiator in a M6 car, you don't need to block off the tranny cooler, there is no coolant in there

CA99FRC

I'm awakening a sleeping thread at this point but I just want to give everyone a heads up.

Do not buy an Engineered Cooling Products radiator!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I would like to share my first hand experience:
My first engineered cooling products radiator started leaking within 2 months and the replacement (under warranty which they required me to pay for shipping at $44.08) started leaking on day 1. The welds are terrible and not fully sealed. Mine has a tiny pinhole that leaks.

I am demanding a refund at this point and they are not accepting. They want to send me another radiator that will obviously be broken. This is not acceptable. Your experiences may vary but this is unfortunately a true story. All I want to do is drive my car again.

dailydriver

^^^Is this one of the cheap, Sino made, ebay aluminum units. or something else??

Does Griffin, Ron Davis, C&R, Fluidyne, etc. make a direct fit for our cars which will avoid the space problems the Be Cool creates??