Radiator go to????

[MoparMcK]

Hey all.

Possibly going to upgrade my radiator in my 72 Demon 4 speed. I currently have a 22” Champion in it. It has been in the car for 6 years. Last year I put a 512 low deck in the car. 9.8-1 CR, .296/.557 solid Mopar cam, Edelbrock heads, and so on. Currently the engine runs around 200-210 pretty much all the time. Unless it is 80° or higher. Then I am screwed if I have to stop or slow down. I have a 160° thermostat, 440 source water pump, mechanical fan, and no shroud. I will make a shroud prior to purchasing a radiator though. I would really like to get her cooled down. My mild 440 I pulled out never got over 200° unless it was 95° or more. Which then only got to 210° when I stopped. Most of the time stuck right at 160-180. Only difference in that cooling system setup was the water pump. Which was just a factory Napa special.

Basically I am just curious what everyone’s go to setup is? I like the look of the Champions. I will have to do some looking and measuring to see if I can fit a 26” or not. Removing the mechanical fan and going electric is a last resort. Quarters are pretty tight.

 

[goldduster318]

The 26" Champion fits width wise, I have one, I had heard they made some changes after I bought mine (mind you i've had it since 2013) I'm already touching the core support at the bottom. I also have a 340 but maybe this helps?

 

[Garrett Ellison]

How wide are the radiator tubes? I would try a FlowKooler water pump, fabricate a functional shroud with the fan one inch from the radiator, and remove the thermostat. If you haven't already, add water wetter, too.

 

[MoparMcK]

The 26" Champion fits width wise, I have one, I had heard they made some changes after I bought mine (mind you i've had it since 2013) I'm already touching the core support at the bottom. I also have a 340 but maybe this helps?

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Thanks for the pictures and info! Once I get this little honey do list done. I can get back in the garage. Race and car show season is 9 weeks away!

 

[MoparMcK]

How wide are the radiator tubes? I would try a FlowKooler water pump, fabricate a functional shroud with the fan one inch from the radiator, and remove the thermostat. If you haven't already, add water wetter, too.

Definitely going to fab up a shroud, fan is already an inch away, water wetter did not help, and I will look into the water pump you mentioned. Thanks!

 

[72bluNblu]

Removing the thermostat won’t help anything. The thermostat sets the low temperature, not the high temperature. All you do by removing the thermostat is run the top end too cold for a longer period of time.

There’s also nothing wrong with running 200-210* as long as it’s maintaining that temperature. The factory thermostat was a 190*, after all.

I run the same Champion 26” radiator as goldduster318, with the same ford contour electric fans. Works great! But I also have a 340, so that doesn’t help for big block clearance issues. I do run a serpentine style belt, which takes up more room.

 

[MopaR&D]

I like ECP radiators, have one in my Duster as well as my '72 Dodge pickup. Great price, great quality and great customer service. Extra-wide 2-core design as opposed to the more typical (and less efficient) 3-core style. That also allows the core section to be slightly thinner without sacrificing any heat transfer capability. I had a factory 3-core rad in my Duster originally and the ECP rad is thinner.

 

[go-fish]

I second ECP Radiator
22″ Mopar SMALL BLOCK HD Aluminum Radiator | ECP

They work great in an a-body with the fan clutch.

 

[go-fish]

A little review on the ECP radiator with a Hayden 2947 fan clutch
Cold Case 26in Rad fitment

 

[Demonic]

Then I am screwed if I have to stop or slow down. I have a 160° thermostat, 440 source water pump, mechanical fan, and no shroud. I will make a shroud prior to purchasing a radiator though.

The rule of thumb - if you overheat going slow or in traffic, it's an airflow problem. If you overheat at rpm on the highway, it's a capacity for heat rejection problem. Sounds like you're on the right track, a proper shroud might fix it.

 

[mbaird]

Might want to consider an oil cooler as well if you dont already have one .

 

[Jarlaxle]

I suspect a shroud will fix the problem.