Radiator Options

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Joined
Nov 15, 2010
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Location
annapolis-maryland
My Car
73 Mustang Convertable
I'm going to be installing electric radiator cooling fans soon and was wondering if it made any sense to go to a new radiator. If I did, I would not go stock but probably get a nice aluminum modern looking version. I'd be interested in chatting here with anyone that has done this, or the pro-cons of doing this.

I don't have an overheating issue, although at idle when it's hot, it does get over 200 degrees, I'll be firing up the AC soon and doing a lot of stop and go driving to work.

Thoughts?

 
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i would use an original used lincoln mk VIII fan or a v6 ford contour twin fan unless you go with high perf spals.

i also use DCC fan controllers.

if it was mine, i would also get a bigger rad but you can try the one you have first with the fans to see if it is enough.

 
I got a griffin radiator with dual electric fans it was kinda pricey but works well and comes with the relays and everything to wire it up and mounts easily the factory mustang mount works perfectly one side of the factory mounts is correct size the other side is to narrow if you get the upper and lower mounts for the other/wider side it bolts right up. I have over 500hp and absolutely no overheating problems

 
Thanks for the Griffin recommendation. I didn't go with them, but it changed my mind as to what I had planned. I decided against the Aluminum look and went with one from Dewitts and it cost about the same as the Griffin  :mad:

Pretty much dropped right in, it must be a little shorter because I had to bend one of the top brackets down a little and added a bit of foam under both of top brackets.

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put in a Jegs over flow bottle 

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Also replaced the original valve that shuts off the hot water to the heater core with a different version that instead of trying to block it,

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it bypasses the heater and sends it back to the motor.

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I love the way it looks and works EXCEPT, I have to buy a much larger alternator to drive the fans along with all the other electronics, Already had moved up to a 150 amp 1 wire, and am going to a 320 amp,  kinda over kill, but I think if it like an engine, you can never have too much HP :p

It was neat watching the water temp gauge. I was able to see when the thermostat in the engine block opened at 180, and then the fans came on at 190 and cooled it right down. On the hour dirve home from work, it stayed between 180 & 190 with it 100 degree outside and the AC on. Even when stopped in traffic.

The fans are rather loud, sounds to me like I have a blower on the engine when they come on. Can't hear them when moving, but can at idle. Really noticeable with the top down in the garage.

 
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i've used champion rad's on the last 3 cars without any issues. now i did have elect fans on first two and the stang is mechanical. i did some work on better closing off openings on the shroud to suck air threw the read and not around the shroud. haven't done a good test yet but so far good. but i really like champion rads for all three came polished. the stang i recall was around $225 bucks and an AC rad too.

 
I bought this.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000C5DZQE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It had the right hose diameters, it would have been nicer is the valve was on the opposite side so it would have been on the top. I used a zip tie to keep it away from the header.

My thought was that it would be easier to keep the fluid circulating instead of trying to block it completely. I wasn't even sure if the original one was working or nor. But when I felt the hose, it felt like the same hotness on both sides of the valve. I haven't felt the hoses on the new setup,

 
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