boonie

i am going to replace my radiator soon and saw a advertisement for aluminum radiators but they cost about 3 times the price for a oem radiator, my question: are aluminum radiators worth the extra money?
what do they provide over a oem radiator that justify the extra cost?
thanks boonie

formul89

If your car is stock or mildly modified, the OEM radiator will do just fine.

I got a brand new OEM radiator from www.corvetterecycling.com for $135 shipped to my door.

rickneworleansla

Dewitt next to stock. Car runs much cooler with the Dewitt.

cmcbunch

the only reason you should need a high capacity radiator is if you A: have a 500hp engine or B: you live in an extremely high altitude/ hot dry climate.

Mojave

Or C: you track the car with a stock engine on a road course in August in Texas.

BrianCunningham

Stocker vs my BeCool



A "must have" if your doing 20min sessions on a track

cmcbunch

Lol yes if you RACE the car I would imagine you would have a high capacity cooling system...... and exhaust.....and prom.....and gears.....and engine.

pearlvett

That whole Texas thing sells the aluminum radiator to me! I love the weather here but the vette does un hot in this weather.

85corvettekws

Did anyone notice a considerable drop in normal operating temperatures, like everyday driving?

Aardwolf

I track mine with the old stocker and have not been able to get it very hot, 195° has been max so far. If you were happy with the temp before then use another stocker. BTW why do you want to replace it?

GREGGPENN

All-alum will typically provide longer life because the end-caps aren't of different material/bonded. Aluminum costs more than plastic. All-alum joints are welded (fin-to-tanks). Many radiators fail where bonded to plastic tanks. And, as you see by pics, all-alum versions may have better cooling due to capacity/surface area.

Part of the question should include whether you need/want a cooler running motor. CFI-EFI pointed out that a hot motor is an efficient/powerful motor. He said... just as you want to have cooler air going in the motor (for expansion of air molecules), you want to have it get as hot as possible (for the same reason). This was something I'd never thought of. I, as many others, assumed that cooling adds longevity w/o any consideration for operation. I believe he added that hotter motors can burn cleaner. (I'm not the expert on this, but what he said made sense.)

If lowering running temp is your goal, coordination of thermostat/fan/radiator/water pump/ECM should be considered. Changing at least two of these is often required to lower temps.

frenchyoliver

You should consider a one core aluminium radiator. 2 cores are much expensive but one core feets as OEM and it is 100% aluminium for about same price.

BrianCunningham

What prompted me to actually get mine, is that I blew out both plastic side tanks at a road course

Tom 35th anniversary

All I can say is, I got a Dewitts and it works great. Too great. I had major run hot problems. Put in and runs right at thermostat, 180 degrees. To me it was worth it

car5car

Get it repaired for 50 doll. It takes 30 min.

Mojave

Lucky you. With a stock LT4 with headers, I had 230 degree coolant and over 305 degree oil temps with my stock radiator.

Random tech: the digital readout will say HOT OIL when the temp goes over 305.

jaa1992

In my 92 before I replaced the stocker with a Dewitts Around town, stop and go traffic water temps would be in the BAD range > 230
On the highway it would be 200 - 210. On the track after 20 min > 230

With the Dewitts will occasionaly see 230, but the fans will come on and it will drop. Highway it rarely goes over 190 (same temp as thermostat). On the track after 20 min around 210.

I love my Dewitts!!!!

0Tom@Dewitt

And you can save about $75-100 right now due to our GP

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...hlight=dewitts

Weav's Vet

I've heard Tom's radiators are a work of art!
Personally, I couldn't afford one though. I ended up with one of these. Seems to work just fine for my needs.

http://www.radiatorsus.com/servlet/t...NEW-ALL/Detail

Iroc57

Curious...Does it have more cores than stock?