Cooling the beast-which radiator?
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TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2004
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From: Pinetop, AZ
Cooling the beast-which radiator? Road racing my 02 camaro with a 500hp 383. I would prefer to NOT spend the asking price of a griffin, be cool or Ron Davis radiator of $700-$900 but would like to find a god improvement over the oem one for $200-$400 that requires no mods to fit and will hold up to the AZ heat. Suggestions?
be sure to get a correct LT1 radiator for improvement. I bought an "LT1" rad from an online parts site and upon getting my old radiator out I found it was the same core thickness as what I already had. Could always get a universal and do some mods if you know someone who can tig weld
So you want top notch cooling for stock prices? I would just get a good one (griffin, etc) bc by the time you retrofit an "lt1" and adapt it you might as well of just got the good one...plus I can't see GM taking a steP backward and giving the ls1 less of a radiator than a previous generation, unless the lt1 was just that hot of an engine...
My point being if you got a built 383 then treat it to a built radiator...good luck man road racing sounds fun
My point being if you got a built 383 then treat it to a built radiator...good luck man road racing sounds fun
So you want top notch cooling for stock prices? I would just get a good one (griffin, etc) bc by the time you retrofit an "lt1" and adapt it you might as well of just got the good one...plus I can't see GM taking a steP backward and giving the ls1 less of a radiator than a previous generation, unless the lt1 was just that hot of an engine...
My point being if you got a built 383 then treat it to a built radiator...good luck man road racing sounds fun
My point being if you got a built 383 then treat it to a built radiator...good luck man road racing sounds fun
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GM is notorious for having cooling systems that were barely adequate for the application.
And I hate the in-radiator tank coolers for transmission fluid and on some vehicles, oil cooling tanks on the other side. Overheat the radiator and you'll cook the transmission fluid and oil too.
The BeCool is the only viable radiator. 100% aluminum with welded tanks, not glued on like Griffin or plastic tanks crimped on like OEM. I had the barb on the plastic hose outlet shear off on my (long gone) original radiator.
And I hate the in-radiator tank coolers for transmission fluid and on some vehicles, oil cooling tanks on the other side. Overheat the radiator and you'll cook the transmission fluid and oil too.
The BeCool is the only viable radiator. 100% aluminum with welded tanks, not glued on like Griffin or plastic tanks crimped on like OEM. I had the barb on the plastic hose outlet shear off on my (long gone) original radiator.
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Verdad Gallardo GM is notorious for having cooling systems that were barely adequate for the application.
And I hate the in-radiator tank coolers for transmission fluid and on some vehicles, oil cooling tanks on the other side. Overheat the radiator and you'll cook the transmission fluid and oil too.
The BeCool is the only viable radiator. 100% aluminum with welded tanks, not glued on like Griffin or plastic tanks crimped on like OEM. I had the barb on the plastic hose outlet shear off on my (long gone) original radiator.
And I hate the in-radiator tank coolers for transmission fluid and on some vehicles, oil cooling tanks on the other side. Overheat the radiator and you'll cook the transmission fluid and oil too.
The BeCool is the only viable radiator. 100% aluminum with welded tanks, not glued on like Griffin or plastic tanks crimped on like OEM. I had the barb on the plastic hose outlet shear off on my (long gone) original radiator.
If You go to Rockauto online and search their catalog You can find a truck or suv radiator in the later 80's or the 90's that is a 2 - 1" wide rows but will need to lower You're radiator support an inch or so and probably notch the frame on 1 side or maybe both sides ,,,,,,,,,,,,then again I had a ford truck radiator from My friends something like a 1990 300 6-banger that was 1" taller and I know width wise it would have fit My 1980 Z-28 if I lowered the rad support 1 " . But I don't know about a newer camaro ,,,,,,,,,
Thread Starter
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2004
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From: Pinetop, AZ
The car is an m6. In a former life with a lot bigger budget for this stuff I put Ron Davis radiators in my 700hp bbc 67 camaro and also in a 600hp sbc 69 camaro. I road raced, drag raced and street drove both cars. Even at $1000 + with dual elec fans in the bbc I could rarely finish a 20 minute rr session with the bbc so I am a little gun shy to spend that mind of $ and still not have it cool.
Anyone have any experience with some of the eBay "race" radiators? In most cases you do indeed get what you pay for...
Anyone have any experience with some of the eBay "race" radiators? In most cases you do indeed get what you pay for...
If you have something you dont want to get hot I would do what I did with my thirdgen. And that is put a 4in C&R radiator out of a nascar cup car in it. Although that was a heavy amount of modification to stand it up straight. Cant imagine that with the tilt that the 4th gen has
Thread Starter
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2004
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From: Pinetop, AZ
I ended up gong back to a Ron Davis unit for $550 (courtesy of a discount from my mechanic) Beats the stock or eBay units as well as modifying the car to fit something else.
I would have to think where I could dig up a pic of the 69. It was a sweet ride that my daughter and son in law ended up with. The 67 I road raced with and like an idiot sold and is now in Australia. You can see it in action on you tube. TTZ06 @ firebird winter fest. I sure wish I still had that car. With a 150 shot it would run the qtr in the high 9's, change the wheel/tires and shock settings and go show stock Z06's the tail lights at the road course.
I would have to think where I could dig up a pic of the 69. It was a sweet ride that my daughter and son in law ended up with. The 67 I road raced with and like an idiot sold and is now in Australia. You can see it in action on you tube. TTZ06 @ firebird winter fest. I sure wish I still had that car. With a 150 shot it would run the qtr in the high 9's, change the wheel/tires and shock settings and go show stock Z06's the tail lights at the road course.
Last edited by dbs1; Aug 21, 2012 at 07:15 PM.
