CHAMPION RADIATOR 3 CORE

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themoparman73

themoparman73

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Hello

I was wondering if anyone had this problem with a 526 champion radiator in the a body not clearing the water pump pulley. I just bought one from a member here and it came with the electric fan (kit). Do I need to replace the water pump with a smaller one? Any info would be great.

Thanks
Fabo
 
Which A body do you have first?
 
Looks like the 526 is for a small block, so I'll assume you have a small block?

I run a 3 row Champion on my Duster, it's the larger 26 radiator though and I run it with a Ford Contour electric fan set up. I wasn't ever impressed by the electric fan "kits" the Champion offered, if its the 16" fan with the centered fan motor I suspect the fan motor is probably in the same spot as the water pump pulley? Even if it fit that fan is only rated for 2,500 cfm, which would be borderline in my opinion for having enough cooling power. The Contour set up on my car is capable of 3,500-5,000 cfm on low/high speed. Personally I wouldn't run an electric fan capable of less than 3,500 cfm.

Probably not what you want to hear, but guys use Ford Taurus, Chevy HHR and a Mercedes fan from a car model I forget on 22" radiators with decent success. Factory replacement electric fans are usually less expensive than the fancy aftermarket stuff, have a fan shroud they were designed to work with, and were tested to last hundreds of thousands of miles.
 
1971 dodge dart swinger (318). And yes its hitting the water pump pulley. What options do I have?

Thanks
 
I run one in my 69barracuda/340 iron water pump and a thermo clutch 7 blade steel fan (pre 70)

img_20200223_111620807-jpg-jpg.jpg
 
Aluminum radiators have thicker cores which brings the core closer the water pump and as 72 pointed out those 16" fan kits do not pull enough air to cool.

I have a Cold Case aluminum radiator and run a 18" aluminum flex fan with a spacer long enough to get it in the right spot and use a stock shroud that has been modified to fill the gaps created by how most aluminum radiators set up the shroud mounting.

This thread shows what I did at poet 5. I have a 70-up water pump.

Cold Case Radiator Shroud?

There isn't a shorter snout water pump. The 69 and down is, but is wrong for your year in regards to several fitment issues.
 
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