coolers, worth it?
Not sure, but I'll find out soon enough with my BeCool radiator. I would NOT recommend this radiator to someone that doesn't have the patience to get it to fit, and doesn't want to do some grinding on the fan shrouds. It is a TIGHT fit no matter how you look at it, especially if you have an electric water pump. I just did it from a longevity standpoint...I plan on some pretty healthy engine mods in the future, plus, I hated the dinky, plastic factory radiator.
Got my car up and running tonight...I'll have to do some data logging to see where I'm at. It's running rich up top, so there's some more power in there somewhere...just need to go find it. The BeCool radiator is HUGE...thing holds about twice as much coolant as the stock radiator did.
I dunno about horsepower gains... but I installed the BE COOL Radiator a couple months ago and it's a MUCH better piece than the stock one... I didn't have any fitment issues though like MeentSS did... Mine went right in with minor difficulties... I had to trim the fan shroud with a drimmel which took all of about litteraly 20 seconds, and bend the lower radiator support with some channel locks which took about 5 minutes, but besides that, it was cake... I live in Phoenix so superior cooling system is a MUST for me, plus my stock radiator sprung a leak a week before I moved here... 
what timing! I can say between the new radiator, 160 T-Stat, Fan Tune, and Water Wetter It doesn't run any hotter than 180 
what timing! I can say between the new radiator, 160 T-Stat, Fan Tune, and Water Wetter It doesn't run any hotter than 180 Yeah...my fitment issues came from my electric water pump. That thing really sticks out there, but after some careful trimming, it went in really nicely. Just need to get all of the air bubbles out of my system, and then it is off to data logging
magazines and catalogs say 10-30 horsepower gains! like ya right. if i could pick up 5 rwhp from dropping oil and coolant temp it might be worth it. i just hate to waste any money when i havent done gears, drag radials, maybe TC. i try to mod / improve one or two things a year. were in a drought up here in MINNY so its been GRRREAT vert weather.
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They are not really horsepower mods per se, but reliability
and consistency.
In hot weather my stock radiator cannot maintain coolant
temp where the 'stat wants to put it, if the A/C is on. The
stock rad has too little surface area inside and out.
Don't even question the need for a trans cooler, just do it.
Oil coolers are for sustained high output, like road / closed
track racing. Twelve seconds down the 'strip doesn't need
one, and street driven wants you to bake the oil loose of
all the crap it picks up in start-n-stop cold driving.
LT1 radiator is a cheaper way to go for more capacity, it
is the same plastic construction but about 50% fatter core.
Needs a couple of coolant bungs capped but otherwise a
straight swap.
LS1 likes high temps for efficiency, only if you are pushing
the power (compression ratio, boost) up do you -really-
need to lower the thermostat temp. Otherwise you're just
losing some efficiency. The real key it to get the high side
excursions under control which is really just fan settings,
then tune to the 195F temperature once you get it to
stick. If you find with fans on and A/C going, that you
can't stay at 195F coolant temp then you need better
radiator (or cleaned out of the road debris that plugs up
rad & condenser fins) and/or fans.
and consistency.
In hot weather my stock radiator cannot maintain coolant
temp where the 'stat wants to put it, if the A/C is on. The
stock rad has too little surface area inside and out.
Don't even question the need for a trans cooler, just do it.
Oil coolers are for sustained high output, like road / closed
track racing. Twelve seconds down the 'strip doesn't need
one, and street driven wants you to bake the oil loose of
all the crap it picks up in start-n-stop cold driving.
LT1 radiator is a cheaper way to go for more capacity, it
is the same plastic construction but about 50% fatter core.
Needs a couple of coolant bungs capped but otherwise a
straight swap.
LS1 likes high temps for efficiency, only if you are pushing
the power (compression ratio, boost) up do you -really-
need to lower the thermostat temp. Otherwise you're just
losing some efficiency. The real key it to get the high side
excursions under control which is really just fan settings,
then tune to the 195F temperature once you get it to
stick. If you find with fans on and A/C going, that you
can't stay at 195F coolant temp then you need better
radiator (or cleaned out of the road debris that plugs up
rad & condenser fins) and/or fans.
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