the radiator that SLP sells as a up grade for the LS1-Fbody , is it worth doing?

I hear it is just a LT1-F body radiator repackaged? and pluged off?

how much bigger is it and how much cooler will my car run?

 

Are you haveing a problem with your car running to hot? Because I was under the impression that the stock radiator could support over 500hp no-problem.

 

The LT1 comment is true about the radiator. It's not worth it untill you're having a problem with cooling. A 160* stat and a little tuning to make the fans come on earlier is all these cars really need.

 

I agree. If there isn't anything wrong with your radiator and you just want your car to run cooler, I'd just tune the fans to come on earlier. The stock radiator works well and should be plenty for most cars. From my experience, you can keep the car as cool as you want by just changing the fan set points. I don't think I'd even bother with a thermostat. I have a 180, but it responds almost like the stock one does, and I can keep the temp where I want it by altering the fan set points. If I had to do it again, I would have stayed with the stock t-stat and not wasted my money on the 180.

 

how much bigger is the SLP radiator? i heard it has more cores, can someone tell me how manny more cores it has? and if its the same exact size with just the cores being closer and more of them. I need to know if my ATI procharger fan shroud will fit on it .
thank you

 

I am currently running one as well, as for size, I cant tell you exactly how much bigger. But It still uses the same size tanks. So you will not have any problems with your fan shroud either. Shroud sits in the exact same spot.
It is just a thicker core within the area of the end tanks.

I installed mine when I installed my blower so I really don't know if it was needed, did it precautionary at the time. Have seen some higher temps on hot days in stop and go traffic. But now that I have installed a water temp gauge, knowing the stock was not accurate. I see that it was not running as hot as I thought.

 

I also have a SLP radiator. The core is thicker. I was having some heating problems and found a new on on ebay cheap so I got it. What helped my heating problem the most was using Water Weter and less coalant. I also have a 160 stat and changed fan turn-ons.

Bill

 

Usually if it is SLP it is overpriced and over rated, if you really have a problem check into be cool they most likely make one, >>>>>>>
to the right

 

Can someone Please count the amount of cores the SLP Radiator has.

I heard it has more cores (about 9 more), not that the cores are wider,
If they are wider can someone please measure how wide they are
thank you

 

I run one also. The core is definetly thicker, I did it because I had my stock radiator out of the car.

 

when you say thicker, do you mean wider, the area in between the tank? or thicker top to bottom?
Also can you tell me how many cores the SLP radiator has.

 

If you are going to run an ATI and if you live in an area where the summer temps get over 90 and you want to run AC, then IMO you will have overheating problems. There are lots of posts about overheating with an ATI if you just run the single fan.

When you read the comments you have to compare apples to apples. I never overheated until I installed the ATI. And I did all of the above in addition to having a Meziere electric water pump to correct boiling and still had overheating.

Most with overheating replace the single fan with dual SPAL 11s or one single Spal Extreme. The Extreme puts out 3000 cfm compared to the ATI which probably is in the 2200 cfm range which is less than the two stock dual fans.

I replaced the ATI with a single SPAL Extreme and a 10 inch Spal, but it will still jump to 210 in stop and go traffic when the AC is on during 95 degree summer days in Kansas.

A 160 thermostat won't do any good if you are constantly running at 190 and you will never stay at 160 in stop and go traffic. Once the thermostat opens at 160, it will just get hotter and hotter. I run a 180 with the Meziere and noted no difference between it and a 160.

As for the SPL LT1, I recall it was stated on another thread that the radiator is thicker with more tubes, supposedly because the LT1 was an iron block which run hotter, therefore the necessity for a larger radiator.

This summer I will put a puller fan on the AC radiator to aid in keep it cooler. It's the AC that superheats the air because it is drawn directly through the front of the radiator. Turn the AC off and the temps will drop.

Another suggestion is to vent the air from the bypass valve rather than recirculating it the way ATI does. At idle or low speeds the air just recirculates and raises the intake charge. The higher the intake temps the hotter the motor will run.

Lastly, make sure the bottom grilles on your radiator are clean on the bottom. The local ATI installer said most LS1's he sees on ATI installs are plugged with dirt on bottom reducing cooling capacity by at least 10 percent.

 

SLP and/or LT1 rad has a .25 (1/4") thicker core than standard rad. End tanks are the same, overall length and height of the rad is the same, mounting is the same.

If you look at your stock rad where the core meets the end tanks you will notice that it does not go completely to the ends of the end tanks - leaves a space. The core on the SLP/LT1 version is as wide as the end tanks.

 

OK cool
Thank you

So with these wider cores the radiator must be able to cool down the coolent much better,
I remember my 97 SS LT1 camaro never ran hot, I did have a 160 stat and the fans programed to come on sooner , and 2-3 bottles of water wetter in it ,But i also have all of this in my 01 SS too, all of this defently helped , but i think i will still install a SLP/LT1 Radiator,

can someone still tell me if the SLP radiator does have more cores also , i rember someone telling me the SLP has also 9 more cores.

 

Going through the heating issues myself. And it was only 70+ degrees.

 

ya beat me too it.

 

Radiator core mfg. list the LS1 core as being 15/16" thick while the LT1 core is 1-1/4" thick. From what I have seen there is only (1) tube all the way across the core for both. I don't know what the comparison is between how many tubes are in each core.

The guy that makes custom rads for my cars also stated that Dexcool is definitely junk to run in these aluminum rads. He said that he gets tons of customers in all the time with blockage issues. When he flushes/cleans the rads he finds that the Dexcool leaves a soft chalky buildup in the tubes - it is not a hard deposit and can be flushed out completely - but it is still a PITA to have to bring them in periodically to remove the blockage.

One of the reasons I have just recently switched over to Evans NPG-R fluid...

 

If you check out SDCE's site, they have an LS1 dual fan shroud (that works with the ATI blowers). It has a 10" and 14" Spal fan that fits the stock radiator shroud mounts. Kinda on the pricey side, but if it keeps you from overheating, then it's worth it.

Gary

 

Do you know if the SDCE fan kit is PnP with the stock wiring harness and runs off the stock sensors/computer?

I can call tomorrow - just wondered if perhaps you knew?

 

It would not be plug and play. You would need to snip the connectors from the stock fans and then wire up the spals. Shouldn't be difficult though as there are only 4wires (2 per fan) and Scott will tell you which stock wires connect to what. Then they just plug in.