StealthWeaponLS1

So my stock (original btw lol) radiator decided to spring a leak at the driver side neck just before the radiator hose itself. So that drove me to buy a Be Cool Radiator, but when I installed it, it just didn't....look right. I'm wondering if anyone that has installed aluminum radiators in their 4th gen had any fitment issues at all? I know mine is nearly twice as thick, but some things just doesn't look right. I have included some pics for reference and maybe someone could double check to see if everything looks correct? I'm worried about the distance between the fans and the radiator and also the distance between the water pump pulley and the fans themselves. I haven't installed an aftermarket radiator before so excuse the ignorance. I`ve tried calling Be Cool Radiator`s Tech line, but naturally....they are closed on the weekend. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks!!

G Atsma

Have you run it yet? Does it look like the accessory drive will rub anywhere?
Also, just be sure to seal any air leaks around it to keep it cooling efficiently.

JakeFusion

iTrader: (7)

I'll get some pics tomorrow. You have to work with it a bit to get it to clear things.

But like today. I drove for about an hour in 85 degree temps. Never went over 183...

StealthWeaponLS1

I haven't ran it yet. I wanted to call up Be Cool first to see if I'm just seeing things wrong. Like I have to force the radiator into place in order to bolt on the upper radiator support. It1ss literally a two man, so that's what got me thinking. A friend and I wrestled with it for a long time and we think everything is sitting where its supposed to sit, but things still don't look right to me.

I really appreciate you getting pics for me Jake, sorry but I'm probably going to have a ton of questions when I get to see your pics lol

98_WS6_M6

iTrader: (18)

From what I can tell from the pics it looks great. I have the same one as well and it's an awesome radiator. Ran it in my blower car for awhile with no temp issues. It definitely took some force to get it to sit right for me too.

Just make sure all your wires are still tied up from wrestling it in but everything looks like it clears in the pic.

StealthWeaponLS1

I saw your build thread on your boosted car, that thing came out fantastic! Did you run the same radiator in the stock set up? Did you have to modify anything to make the radiator fitment a little bit better?

98_WS6_M6

iTrader: (18)

Thanks man. I used my BeCool radiator before I did these new upgrades on the boosted car. Now I swapped the BeCool radiator to my NA street build. I didn't have to modify either car for the BeCool to fit but both took some muscle to get to fit for sure. Iirc there are some rubber mounts between the top of he radiator and lower ram air mount. I may have removed those but I can't remember for sure. I can't see the plastic rubbing a hole in the rad so I figured it would be ok. Either way I think yours looks fine. As long as the hood shuts and airbox lines up ok and nothing hits then you're good to go!

I can take some pics of my street build in a couple days if jakefusion doesn't get you pics in the meantime. Just so you can see fitment is the same.

Good luck man. It's a good radiator once you get past this point.

StealthWeaponLS1

I really appreciate it 98_WS6_M6, if you can get some pics for me, that would be really awesome! I'm glad you had the same experience as I did and I actually did take out those rubber mounts also and that's when I kind of looked at it and I thought I didn't look right. Now a couple more questions (and I'm sorry for again for asking so many questions and being totally ignorant on this lol) but did you reuse the black plastic piece that is on the front of the condenser? saw that was hitting the core support when I installed the ram air box assembly. Also, did you use the supplied brass fitting for the auto trans cooling lines? I went to install them and I don't think I can use them since it pushes the lines out a little bit more then I like, don't need any leaks lol And last, id you use the factory fans or did you switch to an aftermarket set up? If you used the factory fans, did you have any issues with them? Again, I'm sorry for asking so many questions and being a total bother about this, but the more I'm finding out, the more I'm confident my radiator will work.

98_WS6_M6

iTrader: (18)

I can get some more pics tomorrow. I did remember I'm using the lower airbox from the k&n ram air kit but just cause I'm still figuring out what CAI I'm going to use. The stock lower airbox fits about the same. Mine is just slimmer on top.

No worries on questions. That's what this site is for. I learned most of what I know on this site.

I did not use the black plastic piece on the front of the condenser, BUT I yanked my AC a long time ago so I didn't even have that piece to start lol. Sorry can't be more help with that.

As for fittings I used my own because I ran new lines. As long as the fittings are cranked tight they shouldn't leak.

I'm using factory fans in my new setup and everything cleared fine

JakeFusion

iTrader: (7)

Here's a couple I took after I installed it.

StealthWeaponLS1

Awesome, I really appreciate the info and pics from both of you. You guys have been a huge help for me on this! I guess I just needed to talk to someone that had the same radiator to see if I was doing everything right and so now I'm way more confident that this will work. I appreciate it!

98_WS6_M6

iTrader: (18)

Here are a couple pics I took today. One is from underneath just to show clearances with stock fans.

StealthWeaponLS1

Yup, the clearance in my fans are super tight also, buy I think it will be ok. I did manage to get a new radiator cap from Be Cool and I don't know why I didn't check before, but the cap doesn't fit correctly with the upper radiator mount installed....even the stock one won't fit. It looks like I might have to cut away a little bit of the upper radiator mount eenough to make room for the cap. I'm at work right now, but I'll try to take pics when I get home this evening. But with that being said, have you guys into this problem also? I have the rubber isolators still in the upper radiatorount, so when I get home, I'm going to take those out and reinstalled it and see if it changes anything before I do any cutting.

JakeFusion

iTrader: (7)

You've got to get under the car and make sure the bottom of the radiator is right on the frame rail. If it's too far in, the top is kicked out too far. If it's not on the frame rail and is overhanging, it pushes it too far in and you get the radiator cap issue.

But you have to do it from below. If the air intake cowl doesn't go on easily, you have it set wrong.

StealthWeaponLS1

Never thought about that actually. I was looking at the instructions and it says to bend the lower tray at the tank area to open for the thicker tank. I'm guessing I might actually have to do that to make the bottom kick out more and possibly drop the radiator down where it fits much better? I was actually confused when I read that lol

98_WS6_M6

iTrader: (18)

Also make sure the rubber spacers are in the correct position under the radiator. If one got twisted or moved a bit during install then the rad will sit up a little too high. Happened to me

JakeFusion

iTrader: (7)

I didn't install in rubber anything? Did they come with the radiator? On the car?

I don't even think I got instructions in the paperwork BeCool included.

I just hot-rodded it like everything. Make it work.

98_WS6_M6

iTrader: (18)

Lol. They were on the stock radiator. Just two little rubber spacers so the aluminum radiator isn't sitting directly on the metal rad support. I figured it may rub a hole in the aluminum rad if I didn't reinstall them. I didn't get instructions either lol. I never even saw a set with my rad when I bought it.

One side looks kinda like this

pdxmotorhead

Rock auto.. about 3 bucks most cars for the doughnuts..

JakeFusion

iTrader: (7)

Yeah, well. That's why mine fit. There's a hole in framerail where that can slide down into it. It locks into perfect position...