Summer months in Georgia are absolutely ridiculous heat wise. I have a firm belief that these engines (especially LT4's) will last ALOT longer if they are maintained at a reasonable temperature level. This isn't possible with the stock setup here in GA. Getting caught in traffic is murder on the cooling system. It can't keep up.

I'm looking in to buying a new radiator within the next few months, and want the absolute maximum cooling capacity available (I'd put a household freezer up there if it would fit! :D ) I know Griffin supposedly makes an enormous radiator that requires some tweaking to make it fit- not a problem. Is this the one to get or should I look in to a Ron Davis?? I know that DRM sells a Ron Davis with a built in oil cooler. Which have you found to be better???
Thanks! :cheers:

 

I'm in a similar climate (Arkansas) and have had the stock radiator on a 11.00:1 396 for two years...I can definitely attest to the need for greater cooling capacity!! I just bought a Ron Davis radiator from Connelly H. on here; he had it on his 91 that burned to the ground. I've been a dealer for Griffin and Be Cool for quite some time and could've just as easily bought one of them, but Connelly's price just couldn't be touched. It is as nice a piece as I've seen from ANY radiator/intercooler manufacturer. The TIG welds are as clean as you can get them. The only thing that is not 'perfect' as far as I'm concerned is that this particular radiator was actually patterned off of one of the earlier C4 radiators that have the cap on the radiator itself (mine is a 90 with the top mounted fill/expansion tank). However, this was neatly TIG sealed and otherwise it has all the correct fittings, except for a drain plug which I'll TIG in myself. I will be installing it next week and I'll let you know how much it drops the temps. BTW: I know the Davis stuff is considerably less expensive than Be Cool or Griffin; but I'd probably call Davis directly instead of going through DRM as a 'middle man'.
-Jeb Burnett

 

why not run a 160 thermostat & hook up your fan direct? it worked for me. i have only seen my car hit 200 a couple of times since. it use to get to 240+! :eek: :eek: its been 2 years & my fan still hasent burnt out like everyone said it would. :D

 

 

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

 

I put the ron davis nascar style radiator (NOT the direct fit) into my ZR-1. The were selling the direct fit for ~$600 and I got the nascar radiator for $219. (www.rondavisradiators.com). Order the no-filler neck option. You will need to by a 1/4 NTP to 3/8 hose fitting from your local parts house for your over flow hose. I had to trim the shroud a little for the upper radiator neck and for thickness. Your upper engine to lower radiator hose will need to be a little longer as well (2" or so, get some pipe and spice it or find another hose at the parts store, maybe off of a newer pickup).

The other day playing in the twisties (25+ miles at 120-150+) I never got over 180. I'm going to the track this weekend (the real reason I got the radiator), I'll know then whether or not it was worth it, but doing that twisty run with my old be-cool unit would've had me at 215 or higher.

Bottom line - 1 custom hose will save you $400+.


[Modified by 91mongoose, 1:05 PM 5/9/2002]

 

I put a Griffen in my 1992 LT-1 A/T Coupe about a month ago. Here are the results:
On freeway at about 70mph (80 degrees outside temp) it runs around 183 degrees. (no fans on)
On freeway with air on 186 degrees. (fan on)
In traffic below 38mph around 186. (single fan on)
In traffic bumper to bumper for about 22 minutes, 193 degrees, then second fan comes on and it goes to 181 degrees.
Custom Ed Wright chip installed, fan on 193 degrees, off 183 degrees.
What I have noticed is on the freeway without air on not much different then stock. But with air on big difference (lower).
Also big difference with air on in traffic. Once second fan comes on, right down to 181 degrees in a very short time.
Here is the Griffen I installed.


:flag

 

Yoslambo- You live in Connecticut. ;)

Georgia summers generally range from 90-106 degrees
AND it's HUMID!!!

I'm afraid a thermostat and fan reprogram won't cut it.
Thanks for the suggestion though. :)

 

yes i live in ct. it gets hot & humid here 2. i have drove my vette in over 100 degress. before i tried the trick i installed a new radiator & h2o pump...replaced all the fan relays & even checked if my guage was malfunctioning. the result was my car would always run hot! as soon as i put a 160 thermo & wired the fan direct i had no problems. good luck. :cheers:

 

Mongoose & Danah-

Thanks for the info. That's exactly what I was looking for.

Mongoose- VERY appealing idea. Where did you buy the Ron Davis from, and do you remember the part number??


[Modified by 365ZUM, 2:41 PM 5/9/2002]

 

I believe the NASCAR one is the same one I have... I think Mongoose listed Ron's website: http://www.rondavisradiators.com. You can buy directly from them.
-Jeb Burnett

 

http://www.rondavisradiators.com

You can buy direct, that's the price I quoted. Seems like it was about $235 to my door. I ordered part number 28193 with the no-filler neck option.

And by the way, the temps I quoted above were with no fans on at all. My fans come on at 187 and off at 182, I never got to 187 until I stopped. I can idle all day long in 100 degree plus weather and never get over 187.


[Modified by 91mongoose, 1:53 PM 5/9/2002]

 

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=273779

The above thread is my observations on the install. My lower radiator hose (and heater hose) issue is different than you will face due to lt5 vs. lt4. I have looked at what it would take to put it in an lt4 as a guy in my local club was interested. That's where the longer upper engine to lower radiator observation came from, and you won't have to touch your heater hoses. He has not done his yet lt4, he fried his tail shaft housing on his tranny trying to pull 170 in 6th with 4.10s :smash: That zapped his radiator fund in a hurry.


[Modified by 91mongoose, 2:06 PM 5/9/2002]

 

Get the 160 and have your fans programmed, if your car is still at MORE, then tell them to put it in the custom programming (i'm guessing that they do that for you). IT WILL HELP, SC is just as damned hot. But i see where youre going, and i'm gonna put in a bigger radiator one day too, but i'm gonna put in a BeCool or a Griffin.

Just do the 160 and fans first, then see what your temps are.

 

:yesnod: :yesnod: :yesnod:

 

I have not seen or familar with Ron Davis models, but my Griffin was a sight to behold:) I know looks aren't anything, but...

So far I'm not sold on a replacement radiator:( But last year and this year are not completely comparable so can't really state facts.

I do know that the stock radiator would hit 220 with oil at 290+ after just 3 hotlaps in some heat and humidity. The new radiator has yet to go over 209 with oil at 275 after 45 minutes...different tracks, but both outings kept the engine over 4000 rpm for whole time...

I don't see how you can put a bigger radiator in than this one...I barely had room to include the rubber grommets for insulation. It is like 2.5 times as thick.

:)

 

The reason I went with the Ron Davis unit was a problem unique to the ZR-1. The stock water piump will flow about 100 GPM at 7000 RPM. The stock radiator will blow off the end caps at a little over 75 GPM. GM put in a cheezy bypass that routes water away from the radiator and back into the engine starting at 5200 RPM or so.

Other aftermarket radiators (be-cool and others) don't blow the end caps off but the tubes balloon. The RD unit has a really dense fin count that prevents the tubes from ballooning. Using the generic nascar design and saving a few hundred dollars was just gravy. You have to trim the rubber grommets to get the RD unit to fit as well. You can get the RD polished for extra $$. I don't know how much because its kind of silly to polish it and then cover it with a shroud, IMO.

If you can find an aluminum radiator that cools really well for less than $235 delivered go for it. Otherwise I'd highly recommend the Ron Davis.

 

I just got back from a DE events at TWS this weekend. The car ran 35-40 degrees cooler than it did with the becool. And that's with ambient temps 10-20 degrees hotter than the last time I ran (late November) 87 vs. 70. One session I tried to get the car to heat up, I used a lower gear than I need to for the whole course and waited until redline to shift. After 10 minutes I was at 210 after starting at 183. After 20 minutes I was still at 210. The cool down lap brought it back down to 195, and that was only 2/3s of a lap. Doing the same type of thing with the becool I was at 245-250 and climbing after 10 minutes. At that point I'd have to back off.

Driving the car normally (shifing at 6500 instead of 7000) and not using 2nd, just 3rd and 4th, the car ran at 194. I'm sure some of the gain has to do with the RD radiator making the bypass on the ZR-1 not activate until higher RPM than stock, but that doesn't explain all of it.
:seeya

 

I have a Be-Cool in mine and live in Orlando where it gets pretty hot as well. :) I have never seen the temp get over 200 degrees on the hottest summer days. Seven months out of the year it runs 170 degrees all day long with my 160 stat. I couldn't be happier with it...

Mike

 

My be-cool worked fine on the street unless I was really pounding on it, and even then it didn't overheat, it topped off at 220 or so. Put it on the track and it's a different story.

It all comes down to your budget, what you intend to do with the car, and whether or not (or how much) you're willing to cut to make it fit. Some of the good radiators (including the be-cool I had in mine) require some shroud trimming to fit properly, fluidyne is the only one I've heard of that doesn't require at least minor trimming; I'm sure there may be others.