tenaus

Anybody here had any experience with the 5.7 V8 3 Row Champion Cross Flow Radiator on ebay. Seems like a great deal. Would consider dewitts but 525.00 compared to 188.95 is a big difference.
What do you guys think.

LoneStarV

I just did a search and found one for my year. It looks like a stout radiator. Lifetime warranty. $218 from one vendor and $188 from another. I'm curious as to quality and fit myself. I know Dewitt makes the best but at $525 it's a steep price.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1984-85-86-87-88-89-90-Corvette-SB-V8-Chevy-S10-V8-Conversion-3-Row-Radiator-/130894157540?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Year%3A1988%7CModel%3ACorvette&hash=item1e79e656e4&vxp=mtr

kleptopigdog

Trim the top and bottom rubber mounts dropped in perfectly. No issues with fit. Car runs much cooler in traffic.

LoneStarV

Thanks for the input. I checked Dewitt and they want $525 for a 2 core radiator vs $188 for this 3 core.

tenaus

Yeah, thanks for the input, was worried about fit, but if I only need to trim the mounts seems like a no brainer.

GKK

Stock aluminum Radiator works just fine and costs only $100 or so.

The original radiator in my 91 Vette, lasted 130,000 miles!

leesvet

[QUOTE=GKK;1583724379]Stock aluminum Radiator is fine.

The stock radiator in my 91 lasted for 130,000 miles and cooled the engine great in 100* stop and go traffic and freeway driving!

Also, Larger two core radiators are more efficient than Smaller 3 core radiators.[/QUOTE]

LoneStarV

[QUOTE=leesvet;1583724411]True but this 3 core radiator is the same size as stock and the more expensive 2 core one from Dewitt. 130k miles is great for a radiator but i'm not a fan of plastic tanks on them. For 88 bucks more i'll go to the 3 core all aluminum and never look back

tenaus

I just ordered the 3 row champion. Should get next week. I'll update on the install after i get it in.

GKK

That should tell you something...

Same size as stock with one more row of cooling fins, which indicate the tubes are smaller and/or narrower.

I'm sure the radiator will be fine though.

LoneStarV

Good point. There's a 2 core available as well and it's even cheaper.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1984-90-Chevy-Corvette-S10-Champion-Cooling-Systems-Aluminum-2-Row-Radiator-/321111638565?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Year%3A1988%7CModel%3ACorvette&hash=item4ac3bec225&vxp=mtr

tenaus

The three row would have more exterior surface allowing for better cooling.

GREGGPENN

Without knowing the specific brand, I have to jump in and say the 3-row cores aren't the same size as stock. If advertised that way, the ad is wrong. (Or...you're looking at some really cheap-azz unit.)
I did a comparison thread around 2yrs ago where pics were posted of two and three row "budget" all-alum radiators. Since then, I've seen no complaints...except for one ultra-cheap brand. The Champion brand (and the brand leesvet owns -- which I can't remember off the top) have proven reliable so far. They've also shown to provide some improvement.

Champion personnel rate the 2-row around 450 HP IIRC. Their 3-row is 600ish I think. I also seem to recall the 3-row being at least 1/2 thicker in that thread I ran.

Do a search on budget radiator in the title of a thread with my username. (That other brand is in the thread. I think Sila makes the cheap ones not worth much.)

tenaus

Thanks for the info. I just got notification that my champion three row radiator shipped. I'll let you members know what i find out once I install it.

gerardvg

Hope you have better luck.
I removed my standard single row to put one of the champion two row radiators in, well within a few miles she was up to 250F during a cool evening with both fans on. (no air locks she was burped correctly with the right quantity coolant 50/50 mix)
Removed it and turned out the core had very flat tubes with the ends folded over, i even put water in one side and it it barely dribbled out the other side. The core was restricting the water flow, bad quality control before the thing was welded together.
It looked nice but is only useful for scap metal
Note is has very little aluminum in it, very light weight double core and weighs less than the standard single core GM radiator

93 ragtop

Quote:

Originally Posted by gerardvg

Hope you have better luck.
I removed my standard single row to put one of the champion two row radiators in, well within a few miles she was up to 250F during a cool evening with both fans on. (no air locks she was burped correctly with the right quantity coolant 50/50 mix)
Removed it and turned out the core had very flat tubes with the ends folded over, i even put water in one side and it it barely dribbled out the other side. The core was restricting the water flow, bad quality control before the thing was welded together.
It looked nice but is only useful for scap metal
Note is has very little aluminum in it, very light weight double core and weighs less than the standard single core GM radiator

Im confused, in this post. part 27 http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c4-t...ns-hotter.html You said the radiator that was bad was made by "superradiator". Did you have 2 bad radiatiors, or are you saying superradiator and champion are the same radiator?

oilyfishhead

I have the 3 row Champion. It works fine. You'll need to cut some of the rubber out of the mounts. A very sharp pocket knife is what I used.

gerardvg

Yeah you are right i just checked the box in the garage.

..... just removing my foot from mouth

0Tom@Dewitt

Our new high performance 38mm single row unit starts at $325 and performs better than any 3 row unit. Don't let the tube rows influence your thinking, a lot more than rows goes into making a high performing radiator. The only thing that is the same between ours and the $200 radaithttp://www.dewitts.com/collections/c...inum-radiatorsors is that they are both aluminum.