davidfarmer

OK, here's my OEM radiator. Couldn't see any of this until I pulled the AC coil off. I'll never track another high mileage car without better inspecting the radiator....live and learn




Now have the DRM/Ron Davis unit in, and it looks great. Best fitting aftermarket radiator I've ever used, both connecting the fans and actual fitment. A little more plumbing and I'll be ready to blow...I mean fire....my "new" engine up.

BrianCunningham

That would do it

1st thing I recommend to people with cooling issues is to check what the vacuum cleaner, I mean Corvette, sucked up.

davidfarmer

unfortunately, I didn't know I had issues until it was too late. Regardless, I needed the upgrade, but I would have liked to have run the stock motor a little longer with the OEM radiator.

Cobra4B

Wow... that's a lot of trash! Good move on the new radiator... are you ditching the AC for good?

davidfarmer

AC's been gone, this is my NASA ST2 car. I just never bothered to pull the coil, as it only weighs a few ounces once you discharge it. I don't know how so much stuff managed to get up through that 1/4" gap between the two, but obviously it did. Maybe a previous owner used it as a lawn mower or something!

Cobra4B

Even discharged wouldn't the ondenser block some airflow to the radiator?

I pulled mine out last fall when installing the Dewitts, but it looked nothing like that.

I periodically get up under there w/ my air compressor and blow things out.

Yours was probably never touched.

yakisoba

Going off track causes quite a bit of crap to collect in the teeth of the vette. It's not enough to reach up in there and comb it out, you need to get the car up a little and vacuum.

I'll bet I end up off track more than David does, so I can speak to this topic... Heh.

Cobra4B

I went off track twice and almost a 3rd time this weekend... need to check mine when I put the street pads back on.

First was taking it too deep into 1 testing the new carbotechs... nobody around me, drove straight off.

Second was trying something new into turn 4... trail braking... car kicked too hard and I didn't catch it... went both feet in and drove off to the right.

Almost 3rd... trail braking around that last turn before the flag stand on the patriot course section (when running grand east) I went a bit wide and went 2 off... I had been trail braking it successfully most of the day.

davidfarmer

Problem for me was this car was NEVER tracked before I bought it. It was a stock street car with no signs of track duty. It's pretty easy to tell by the condition of the rotors, tires and ball joint and tie rod boots.

As the OEM radiator shroud fits, the ac condensor really helps seal everything off. If you take it off with the stock radiator, you have to go back and cut foam to seal everything off. It is a minor restriction, but not enough to cause any severe issues. Plus remember, I'm only running a 306hp LS1 at relatively low rpm.

I've never seen a street car with so much crap piled up in there.

0Randy@DRM

I thought you had problems with your radiator. Your title made me worry a little. But I am very glad all is well!!!

Randy
PS I once found a peice of Jimmy Hoffa packed in a radiator.

varkwso

Wow - the one I pulled out of my 129,000 mile FRC looked nothing like that. Since it has been off track more than once before I got it I think someone must have kept it clean....

davidfarmer

sorry Randy, I thought of that AFTER I posted. The new radiator is beautiful!

Allthrottleandsomebottle

Just damn Dave Even my 97' wasn't that bad when I got it!
When I worked on our 00' vert with 24K miles............it was pretty damn clean.



That car has been a law mower in a prior life

davidfarmer

yeah yeah yeah...even though I changed the trans and pulled the entire drivetrain, I had no reason to even pull the shroud off. Live and learn.

btw, I have a nice stock radiator if anyone needs it.......needs minor cleaning!

aggie_corvette

here was my original.

This was done in 04 and my car is a 99. at that point it was all street driving and no lawn mowing.

And yes did have temp issues before i put the DRM radiator in.