jseremba

Hi Everybody,

I do hpoe everyone had a great Christmas. I own a 1989 Z51 6 spd coupe. The radiator is leaking and I ordered one from coolingexchange. Only to discover that the radiator in the car is actually a 3 core. Coolingexchange sent me the wrong radiator. So now I am on ebay lookng at 3 row radiators. One company has a three row with two cooling fans. Has anyone got any suggestions on which one to choose. I am sending the other one back and seriously considring the two fan. Anyone ever try two fans. Does it work better.

Thank you

illenema

How were your temperatures with the 3 core?

jseremba

It never over heated. I do not remember it going over 215 degrees.

aklim

I don't know about an 89 but my 91 has 2 fans already. As to the radiator, perhaps you need to ask yourself haw long you plan to keep the car. I like Dewitts. They have a drop in one that needs a little trimming of some rubber pad or something. If you are going to sell it in the next year or so, whatever is cheapest.

c4cruiser

There's no real reason to buy a radiator with fans. Just makes it a pain to install because you don't really know if the fan housings are the correct dimensions. And then you have to deal with the electrical hookups.

If you don't use the car for performance events like autocross and/or track days, I would suggest just getting a stock replacement radiator. That way it will fit directly into place assuming that whoever installed a 3-row didn't screw up the OEM mounting points. While your doing a radiator swap, you should replace both hoses and get a new correct thermostat and pressure cap.

WVZR-1

OP - Can you ID the radiator that you removed? You mention they "sent wrong" but it seems maybe it was "ordered wrong"!!

I'd think it important to measure the tanks where it sits in the insulators and compare the insulators with what was original. If you supply the proper dimensions to "cooling exchange" maybe they can actually supply a radiator that will satisfy your needs.

Is the 3-core removed yet?

I'd use the dimensions of what you're removing and try to duplicate that. You seem to believe it worked so it would seem foolish to try to do anything with a "universal that included fans".

with "c4cruiser" - Don't go looking for trouble!

ctmccloskey

I have a 22 year old BE-COOL Radiator in my C3 with a big block. It has been perfect the entire time I have owned it and it cost less than the DeWitts radiator for my car.

I would not buy a radiator on EBAY unless the car was going up for sale right away.

Twin fans are great. I have the twin Spal fans on my car with the new DeRale Pulse width modulation control system. It starts up the fans slowly and brings them to full speed at the temp of your choice. When the fans are turned on they don't have to start at 100% speed and roaring loud. This controller ramps up the speed causing no spikes in the voltage. The fans came with a shroud that fit my radiator perfectly, no trimming or modifications.

Here is the DeRale link:
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/der-16796

Good Luck!

aklim

If you do that on a car that is fan clutch controlled, fine but if it is ECM controlled, what would the benefit be?

kenmohr

I put a two row on my 89 and have had no problems. Did a parade on fourth of july a few years ago. I was worried about it overheating but had no problems. When it got to 128* the main fan kicked on and the temp dropped Immediately.

rrt898

I installed a Dewitts 2 row radiator with their fan assembly. One of the best upgrades I have done. The car never goes above 200 in the summer with stop and go traffic.

just my experience.

aklim

Is that with AC full on?

rrt898

The A/C doesn't affect the car at all with the Dewitt's set up. You know what the stock set up does. This is night and day, one of the best upgrades I have done. The Dewitt's cooling fan is much bigger. If the hood is open and the fan comes on, it feels like you could be sucked in!!!

Just my experience...

jseremba

I have to apologize to you all. There have been so many responses and I did not get the notification in my email account.

I just could not justify the Dewitt cost. But I did find a three core that is using the stock fan and working great. My heat is actually working better. Here in NJ that is a good thing.

Once again thank you all

GREGGPENN

If you look at SPAL, Derale, and other aftermarket options, you can probably find a dual fan setup that advertises more flow than stock. There are also aftermarket (typically SPAL) fans that deliver more than stock. There's also a company that makes fan w/o bearings (not cheap)! In either case you have to redo the wiring, fusing, and/or fusible links to account for the increase in electrical load. So you know, fans typically pick up where car motion leaves off.

Dual and triple row radiators CAN require more air flow due to the increase necessary to "push" air through the thicker radiator. If the engine isn't modified from factory, it would be surprising for you to NEED more radiator/fan than stock. That said, C4's are kind of "on the edge" because of the lack of grill area. More fan/radiator might keep you from cleaning the radiator area as often. It can also keep temps at a lower level if you prefer them that way. (Most people don't know why newer engines are run at higher temps.)

If you have a factory Z51, I'd probably look at an all-alum dual row (over a 3 row) just to avoid any possibility that you need "more fan" than the stock unit your car came with. And, I'd leave the fan as-is.

I've looked at several dual fan options and found myself cringing at the modifications necessary. Plus, they'd have to hang lower -- unless you use a fairly small pair (e.g., 10" fans). Again, the flow increase is questionable.

I think there are better options in 16-17" fans that you could adapt to your stock shroud -- if necessary. FWIW, DeWitt's makes an adapter for 16" fans that simplifies any fan upgrade. For that matter, radiator upgrades are simple with a DeWitt's if you have the money. Champion and/or ECP make aftermarket options requiring cutting of the rubber mounts. That's about it.

Most people that NEED more air/radiator have modified engines and/or live in very, very hot climates....like the desert. And, the fact your car HAD a triple row was probably the choice of a PO to try something different when it might not have been necessary. Most people don't understand the cleaning necessary to maintain a C4 cooling setup.

EDIT: Later C4's went to a dual fan setup. I believe they flow a bit more than L98s...though you CAN also mount an aftermarket SPAL that will equal or better the late C4 fan setup. Also, the later setup (shroud) is too tall to easily convert to the earlier cars.

jseremba

This is a great post. I went with a Champion 3 row. I did have to modify the rubber supports. Other than that dropped right in. I will keep the fan options in mind.
And yes I know that the newer engines are designed to run hotter for better emissions.
In 1986 I purchased a Goodwrench 350, great motor 400 K in five vehicles, it ran what I thought was hot. I called the Chevy dealership they said that overheating was 250 degrees. So my 225 was about right.
I still run at 200. Fan comes on at 205.

GREGGPENN

FWIW, I posted another thread recently with quite a bit more information on fans.

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...derations.html

There's also some good stuff about radiators in the FAQ thread(s) at the top of this forum.

gerardvg

The size of each row is the important factor, standard is a 1x 1 inch row.
You can get a double row 2x 1 inch dewits, most ebay ones are crap 3x 1/2 inch rows which is marginally better than standard.
Most double row are 2x 5/8 rows, you get what you pay for.

martymcfly

I lost a tank off of my stock radiator a couple of years ago. My 85 was my daily driver at the time. I called NAPA and they had a stock rad in stock. It was only $100. At the time I thought hey, that must be the cheapest part on the whole car.

aklim

If you don't need anything but stock cooling and you might be selling, why not get cheap? It's not like the next guy will pay you more for the car. Before I sell, I shop the cheapest that I can put in

Hot Rod Roy

Another sad story.