Half size radiator enough?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 420
Likes: 12
From: Abu Dhabi UAE
Half size radiator enough?
I did a search and didnt really see what I was looking for....
So in my quest to get the best turbo mounting location in the C5 engine bay I was wondering if running a really nice "half size" radiator with a nice SPAL fan would suffice? I am saying the radiator will be the same height but about 35-45% shorter from right to left. Its not a daily driver but is a regular street car with A/C that is driven several times a week. If I could do this it would give me about 6-8 inches more room to mount the turbo.
Anybody try this?
So in my quest to get the best turbo mounting location in the C5 engine bay I was wondering if running a really nice "half size" radiator with a nice SPAL fan would suffice? I am saying the radiator will be the same height but about 35-45% shorter from right to left. Its not a daily driver but is a regular street car with A/C that is driven several times a week. If I could do this it would give me about 6-8 inches more room to mount the turbo.
Anybody try this?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,237
Likes: 9
From: Springhill FL
I remember seeing a build doing exactly what you are suggesting. But I don't recall the end result or if it was even finished. When I was planning my build I seriously considered laying the stock radiator totally horizontal. This has been done several times and it seems to give a lot of room.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 4,537
Likes: 84
From: St. Joseph MO
Cruise-In III Veteran
Cruise-In IV Veteran
Crazychris or maybe corvettechris with the 417 motorspirts front mount did a setup like this. You might want to try searching for it. I believe he had no reported cooling issues but he ran a big/deep 3 core iirc.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 8,077
Likes: 4
From: Scarborough ONTARIO
When i had the Dewitt cut down rad,but its lot thicker than stock rad, and holds more than 1 gallon coolant. so if you goin with like Dewitt possibly it will be more than enough and still hold more than stock rad. our sock rad is so thin.
I assuming you ordering this as Custom order to your specs?
I assuming you ordering this as Custom order to your specs?
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 29,063
Likes: 1,839
From: cookeville tennessee
With my aftermarket radiator one on the car just cut down to be able to use the 4 inch tube for the S/C on temp went up about 15 deg on the car with the aftermarket fans coming on as soon as the car starts also. I am talking here from a full size radiator being on the car. Robert
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 420
Likes: 12
From: Abu Dhabi UAE
Thanks for all the info guys! We have a local fabrication shop that will make me a custom Radiator if I decide to do it. It would be less than $200(I know the owner) to make it so I might give it a shot and report back but we will see. I feel like a super thick radiator with a very good fan would be better than the stock units in our cars.
I'll just run METH instead of coolant lol
I'll just run METH instead of coolant lol
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Drifting
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,261
Likes: 26
From: Concord NC
Look Here!
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-f...done-pics.html
I am going ot lay my radiator down really low may even lay it completely parallel to the ground and stand my intercooler up against the front rail. I'm putting a T6 Borg Warner S480 on mine so I will need all the room I can get. I am however deleting the a/c which is most of the time the cause of heat issues to begin with (when the a/c is turned on).
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-f...done-pics.html
I am going ot lay my radiator down really low may even lay it completely parallel to the ground and stand my intercooler up against the front rail. I'm putting a T6 Borg Warner S480 on mine so I will need all the room I can get. I am however deleting the a/c which is most of the time the cause of heat issues to begin with (when the a/c is turned on).
Last edited by Shoaf85; Oct 24, 2013 at 07:40 PM.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 352
Likes: 0
From: Wichita Kansas
Look Here!
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-f...done-pics.html
I am going ot lay my radiator down really low may even lay it completely parallel to the ground and stand my intercooler up against the front rail. I'm putting a T6 Borg Warner S480 on mine so I will need all the room I can get. I am however deleting the a/c which is most of the time the cause of heat issues to begin with (when the a/c is turned on).
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-f...done-pics.html
I am going ot lay my radiator down really low may even lay it completely parallel to the ground and stand my intercooler up against the front rail. I'm putting a T6 Borg Warner S480 on mine so I will need all the room I can get. I am however deleting the a/c which is most of the time the cause of heat issues to begin with (when the a/c is turned on).
Drifting
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,513
Likes: 4
From: Pl Grove Utah
I am doing exactly what you are talking about for my car due to the forward mounted turbos. I also plan to build a short AC condenser as well since I plan to drive it during the summer here. The rad I have shown,compared to stock is approx 28x15 vs 29x19 but stock is only a single core,mine is dual 1.5 core. If necessary I will also run an external oil cooler,however I am not going to start out that way.Here are a few pics.
Looks alot shorter due to being forward as well as 1" lower in the cradle. Will NOT be below the rad cradle,I dont want to scrape it off.Will still allow room for good size intercooler although I may very well change to a tubular front impact bar to free up airflow.I will post a few more comparison pics tomorrow.
Looks alot shorter due to being forward as well as 1" lower in the cradle. Will NOT be below the rad cradle,I dont want to scrape it off.Will still allow room for good size intercooler although I may very well change to a tubular front impact bar to free up airflow.I will post a few more comparison pics tomorrow.
Last edited by highpockets; Oct 24, 2013 at 09:53 PM. Reason: pic
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 29,063
Likes: 1,839
From: cookeville tennessee
I am not saying it cant be done, I strongly suggest against doing a radiator parallel to the ground unless it is strictly a track car. I had what some could call a shop do a single turbo and my dewitts radiator and spal fan setup completely horizontal. Was the worst car when it comes to heat I have ever seen. I tore it all apart within 2 weeks and threw the blower back on and never looked back!!!! Just my 2 cents
I really cant believe how much hotter my Dewitt rad & spal fans run by just cutting it down just the 4 links in the rad to get the 4 inch tube to work for the S/C. Robert
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 420
Likes: 12
From: Abu Dhabi UAE
Look Here!
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-f...done-pics.html
I am going ot lay my radiator down really low may even lay it completely parallel to the ground and stand my intercooler up against the front rail. I'm putting a T6 Borg Warner S480 on mine so I will need all the room I can get. I am however deleting the a/c which is most of the time the cause of heat issues to begin with (when the a/c is turned on).
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-f...done-pics.html
I am going ot lay my radiator down really low may even lay it completely parallel to the ground and stand my intercooler up against the front rail. I'm putting a T6 Borg Warner S480 on mine so I will need all the room I can get. I am however deleting the a/c which is most of the time the cause of heat issues to begin with (when the a/c is turned on).
We are just making it as easy as possible to install without too much modification.
Pro
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 622
Likes: 17
From: Spring Texas
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 29,063
Likes: 1,839
From: cookeville tennessee
Mike, what I was trying to say here same radiator same fan set up. But I had just the 4 links cut out of it to get the 4 inch tube for the S/C and my water temp went up 10 to 15 degs in just that little cut out of it for the street. Now I am talk street temp of 95 to 100 deg temp with the AIR on the car..Robert
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 7,767
Likes: 19
From: East Texas
Mike, what I was trying to say here same radiator same fan set up. But I had just the 4 links cut out of it to get the 4 inch tube for the S/C and my water temp went up 10 to 15 degs in just that little cut out of it for the street. Now I am talk street temp of 95 to 100 deg temp with the AIR on the car..Robert