LT5 Cooling and Radiators

[GOLDCYLON]

Originally Posted by Billy Mild

Would it be worth having a radiator shop to clean the radiator?

For as cheap as you can find an OEM replacement. I would say no. However that really depends on what they would charge.

[Billy Mild]

So is it even worth cleaning the radiator fins at all or just replace it since you have it out?

[5ABI VT]

Originally Posted by GOLDCYLON

Yes im running a Ron Woods 160 T-Stat

Are these available anywhere or discontinued?

Im a little of dropping it on the pavement to get anything out as the plastic on the ends is joined somehow to the aluminum and I don't want to risk cracking any joints considering its been heat cycled throusands of times over 20 years. I will be pulling it out for sure and im fairly certain with 75k miles it wont be clean as new. I don't have any cooling isues besides the one hot day we had where I was parked with the a/c on I noticed the temp right at the warning zone. As soon as I turned the ac off it dropped and as I got on the road and to 40-50mph it dropped really fast. I am going to take a guess that based on what Ive seen one side of the rad will be jammed up very well most likely ahead of the primary fan. Ill be doing a spray soap clean and garden hose approach with no pressure and a soft bristle brush I purchased last night to try and get gunk out between the fins without bending anything. I shall report back !!

[5ABI VT]

Has anyone weighed a stock rad vs ron davis/fluidyne/dewitt ? If there is a weight savings I wont be cleaning the oem

[RussMcB]

My opinion only, maybe not the post you're hoping to hear...

I didn't weigh them when I swapped. but my opinion is the difference in weight is nothing any of us would ever notice. I mean, you could toss them both in the air pretty easily. A tiny fraction of the weight of the car.

However, I suppose it's possible a 4 core radiator might hold more coolant, and therefore might add a little weight, but again, negligible.

I was wishy-washy about changing mine, weighing the pros and cons, and eventually decided if people like Marc Haibeck recommends the Dewitt, might as well do it and (hopefully) solve all cooling issues and never worry about it again.

I will say, though, that even though the Dewitt is considered a "drop in", it still required some extra work to get it in. I'll elaborate if you want to hear.

[XfireZ51]

U may find that the fins bend even using a soft bristle brush. It doesn't take much.

[GOLDCYLON]

Originally Posted by Billy Mild

So is it even worth cleaning the radiator fins at all or just replace it since you have it out?

Maybe but it is exceedingly difficult without bending the fins. I would not even attempt it unless money was a crush. After 25 years it's time for a new radiator

[GOLDCYLON]

Originally Posted by 5ABI VT

Are these available anywhere or discontinued?

Im a little of dropping it on the pavement to get anything out as the plastic on the ends is joined somehow to the aluminum and I don't want to risk cracking any joints considering its been heat cycled throusands of times over 20 years. I will be pulling it out for sure and im fairly certain with 75k miles it wont be clean as new. I don't have any cooling isues besides the one hot day we had where I was parked with the a/c on I noticed the temp right at the warning zone. As soon as I turned the ac off it dropped and as I got on the road and to 40-50mph it dropped really fast. I am going to take a guess that based on what Ive seen one side of the rad will be jammed up very well most likely ahead of the primary fan. Ill be doing a spray soap clean and garden hose approach with no pressure and a soft bristle brush I purchased last night to try and get gunk out between the fins without bending anything. I shall report back !!

No idea on the T-Stat. I said tap not drop. Your talking about A 20-25 yo radiator and you are correct the plastic ends tend to swell over the years. Just order a OEM replacement they are fairly cheap.

[QB93Z]

Originally Posted by Billy Mild

So is it even worth cleaning the radiator fins at all or just replace it since you have it out?

That is always the question. I cleaned and reinstalled the radiator in my 140,000 mile Yellow ZR-1 just to see if the "slam cleaning" would work. And it did, after my cleaning, the cooling system worked properly and adequately for touring in a stock LT5, in Florida in the summer.

Jim

[5ABI VT]

Originally Posted by RussMcB

My opinion only, maybe not the post you're hoping to hear...

I didn't weigh them when I swapped. but my opinion is the difference in weight is nothing any of us would ever notice. I mean, you could toss them both in the air pretty easily. A tiny fraction of the weight of the car.

However, I suppose it's possible a 4 core radiator might hold more coolant, and therefore might add a little weight, but again, negligible.

I was wishy-washy about changing mine, weighing the pros and cons, and eventually decided if people like Marc Haibeck recommends the Dewitt, might as well do it and (hopefully) solve all cooling issues and never worry about it again.

I will say, though, that even though the Dewitt is considered a "drop in", it still required some extra work to get it in. I'll elaborate if you want to hear.

From what I've read there needs to be some trimming done to make it fit.. That's really not much of a concern for me. our dollar up here tanked even further over the last 6 months so that puts a $500 radiator at around 750-800 all said and done. 6 months ago I could have shipped it to buffalo fudged a receipt and paid near $500 all in by picking it up. In a nutshell I don't have an issue spending the money IF the replacement was much better, lighter etc but seems the oem rad can easily handle what I have in our temps .. Even at 75k miles and uncleaned. Which makes it hard to spend the money to gain.. More capacity in higher temps which we don't have up here.

I have ideas of running coolant under the car and putting a rad where the spare tire is and directing air to cool it from there ! Would take a good 20+ lbs of a rad and coolant at the nose end and put it over the rear wheels or close !