looking for uprade radiator

[goatcola]

I am looking for an after-market radiator with more cooling/water capacity. I can't seem to find anything other than OEM replacment. I live in Texas, and it is hot most of the year. I would like to find something with more than one row of cooling journals. Does anyone have any leads? Thanks.

Chance

Edited August 13, 2008 by goatcola

[Indigent]

You can buy any radiator you want. The only issue is mounting and plumbing it. Take some measurements of the radiator mounting area in the pathy and go to the junkyard and find one that will still fit when the hood is closed.

 

indigent.

[sw]

is there actually a problem??

theres many things that cause a cooling system to not operate as the manufacturer intended.

 

 

radiators are a balance between surface area & air flow thru.

having found this out the expensive way, a 'bigger' radiator doesn't always mean better cooling

[goatcola]

is there actually a problem??

theres many things that cause a cooling system to not operate as the manufacturer intended.

radiators are a balance between surface area & air flow thru.

having found this out the expensive way, a 'bigger' radiator doesn't always mean better cooling

 

My truck tends to run a little hotter when running at highway speeds with the AC on. I was wondering if a little more water capacity would help it run a little cooler. I am runnig a dual electric cooling fan because of the 3" body lift.

[sw]

as far as i know, all d21's all came with mechanical fans.

electric fans have massively reduced output compared with mechanical fans, can be up to 1/10th the output.

you would also be surprised the difference the plastic shroud makes, but i know with a body lift they would have to be modified to work.

 

i would start by pulling the radiator out and just giving it a good clean inside & out, rinse out all the old coolant from the block and put new coolant in with a new genuine thermostat. then see if anything has changed.

Edited August 14, 2008 by sw

[mws]

Most electric fans do move less air than mechanical.

But at freeway speeds, there is no need for any fan as there is lots of air moving already!

 

How old is the current radiator? It's pretty warm out here (109 yesterday) and I have no cooling issues with a new stock sized radiator. If your radiator is more than 3 or 4 years old and hasn't had the coolant changed on a regular basis, it will have a nice insulative layer of corrosion covering the inside. Not exactly what you want! If you start with a new radiator and take care of it, it should be able to keep up.

 

And I'd suggest using a maximum of 50% antifreeze in your area with a shot of Water Wetter as well. Antifreeze increases boil over temp, but it also reduces heat transfer rate. It doesn't carry as much heat as water, and does not transfer it as efficiently.

[AaronHorrocks]

Changing fluid capacities on specifically designed/engineered systems can really screw things up.

 

Heck I thought that removing the thermostat would help keep things cooler, right? I asked around and the consenus was that (learning from doing) without that thermostat there to restrict the flow, the engine wouldn't transfer enough heat to the radiator, (the water wasn't staying put long enough to heat up) and the block would overheat!

 

Rather than just 'shooting from the hip' and changing factors in a ballanced system, it would be best to mod up your truck rather than converting it. By this I mean, the addition of an aftermarket fan to aid the radiator in it's coolling is the best thing to do. Probably the cheapest. Certainly the easiest!

 

This is of course, taking the assumption that your engine is clean, and isn't covered in dirt and grease (which traps in heat).

And thinking that you're smart enough to have flushed the radiator a couple time during your ownership.

 

Oh, BTW I have a radiator shroud in my back yard that I pulled off my 1988 Nissan. If you don't have one, you'll be amazed how much it helps. I'll sell it to ya for cheap, if you're interested.

Edited August 14, 2008 by AaronHorrocks

[Legalalien]

My truck tends to run a little hotter when running at highway speeds with the AC on. I was wondering if a little more water capacity would help it run a little cooler. I am runnig a dual electric cooling fan because of the 3" body lift.

Have you checked for junk traped between the condenser and the radiator? If you do allot of hiway driving the cooling fins can get pluged up with bug chunks and other hiway garbage.

[GrimGreg]

My truck tends to run a little hotter when running at highway speeds with the AC on.

 

as far as i know, all d21's all came with mechanical fans.

electric fans have massively reduced output compared with mechanical fans, can be up to 1/10th the output.

 

At highway speeds the airflow generated by moving is greater than either fan type can produce so that argument is null.

[bitemedoughboy.com]

adding water capacity to a cooiling system does nothing but increase the time it takes for the engine to warm up. you need to increase surface area and air flow to extract more heat from the system. you might benefit from just adding an electric fan in front of the radiator. just wire in a relay to the a/c clutch power wire. or run it from a toggle switch so you can turn it on when the temp starts to climb.

 

i have a 2-row all copper radiator in my '87, and am running dual fans from a ~88 maxima that had the vg30i. the maxima radiator is almost identical to the pathy's.... you do have to modify the drivers side fan bracket to clear the steering box. it cools like a champ. its currently around 105 outside. it really helps if you take the radiator to a shop and have them rod it out. and its really nice not having that monsterous fan mounted to the engine to throw mud around when you get in the deep stuff.

[goatcola]

as far as i know, all d21's all came with mechanical fans.

electric fans have massively reduced output compared with mechanical fans, can be up to 1/10th the output.

you would also be surprised the difference the plastic shroud makes, but i know with a body lift they would have to be modified to work.

 

i would start by pulling the radiator out and just giving it a good clean inside & out, rinse out all the old coolant from the block and put new coolant in with a new genuine thermostat. then see if anything has changed.

I did not know that a mechanical fan had greater pulling power. I thought is was teh other way around. The radiator is new and I flushed the system not to long ago. I was thinking of building a sheet metal shroud to atach the dual electric fan to. That might increas the pulling area. I think they might make a lowering kit for the radiator if none of this works.

Thanks.

[goatcola]

Changing fluid capacities on specifically designed/engineered systems can really screw things up.

 

Heck I thought that removing the thermostat would help keep things cooler, right? I asked around and the consenus was that (learning from doing) without that thermostat there to restrict the flow, the engine wouldn't transfer enough heat to the radiator, (the water wasn't staying put long enough to heat up) and the block would overheat!

 

Rather than just 'shooting from the hip' and changing factors in a ballanced system, it would be best to mod up your truck rather than converting it. By this I mean, the addition of an aftermarket fan to aid the radiator in it's coolling is the best thing to do. Probably the cheapest. Certainly the easiest!

 

This is of course, taking the assumption that your engine is clean, and isn't covered in dirt and grease (which traps in heat).

And thinking that you're smart enough to have flushed the radiator a couple time during your ownership.

 

Oh, BTW I have a radiator shroud in my back yard that I pulled off my 1988 Nissan. If you don't have one, you'll be amazed how much it helps. I'll sell it to ya for cheap, if you're interested.

Thanks for the tips. I think if I continue to have issues, I will get the radiator drop kit and put the clutch fan back on. The radiator is only a few months old and I am running Water Wetter and water after recently flushing the system. and I still have my original fan and shroud (just in case i needed it).

Thanks though.

[goatcola]

Have you checked for junk traped between the condenser and the radiator? If you do allot of hiway driving the cooling fins can get pluged up with bug chunks and other hiway garbage.

It looks pretty clean. I always try to keep that cleaned out, especially after a little mud wheelin'.

[goatcola]

adding water capacity to a cooiling system does nothing but increase the time it takes for the engine to warm up. you need to increase surface area and air flow to extract more heat from the system. you might benefit from just adding an electric fan in front of the radiator. just wire in a relay to the a/c clutch power wire. or run it from a toggle switch so you can turn it on when the temp starts to climb.

 

i have a 2-row all copper radiator in my '87, and am running dual fans from a ~88 maxima that had the vg30i. the maxima radiator is almost identical to the pathy's.... you do have to modify the drivers side fan bracket to clear the steering box. it cools like a champ. its currently around 105 outside. it really helps if you take the radiator to a shop and have them rod it out. and its really nice not having that monsterous fan mounted to the engine to throw mud around when you get in the deep stuff.

So do you think getting a 2-row radiator would be beneficial? I am running a dual fan from a 96 intrepid. It covers all but about an inch and a half at the top of the radiator. It runs a little above half when the AC is on and it is good and hot. I do not know what the the highest safe area is, being there is no actual temp readings. On the trail the at idle all day. the elec. fan works like a dream.

[Kittamaru]

Mine never goes away from it's spot between the 1/4 mark and the 1/2 mark, no matter what the driving conditions are... even when it's very cold, it stays right there... just takes long as HELL to get there...

[bitemedoughboy.com]

So do you think getting a 2-row radiator would be beneficial? I am running a dual fan from a 96 intrepid. It covers all but about an inch and a half at the top of the radiator. It runs a little above half when the AC is on and it is good and hot. I do not know what the the highest safe area is, being there is no actual temp readings. On the trail the at idle all day. the elec. fan works like a dream.

i would just make sure you have the right radiator for your application... im not sure if nissan put different radiators in the a/c and non ac cars, but the radiator i used to have in my 4 cyl. non a/c rig had a single core and had plastic crimp on tanks. it got hot alot faster than the all copper 2 core i'm running now.

 

 

as far as a mechanical fan pulling more air than an electric..... that all depends on the size of the electric... mine will suck your shirt into the radiator if your leaning against the bumper

[mws]

My first '87 pathy had a factory radiator with a relativel thin core and it barely kept up. It was a 5 speed, with A/C from factory.

That is the only WD I've seen that was any different from all the rest.

 

I suspect the Intrepid fan you have has the capacity to move every bit as much as the stock. Just make sure the edges are somewhat sealed (no gaps over 1/8" or so).

 

Again, if the problem is occuring at speeds under 30 mph, the fan matters. Over 30 or so, fan does not matter. I shut mine off entirely over 30 mph. The air being pushed through by "wind pressure" exceeds what any fan could pull.

 

You don't have any obstructions to airflow, do you? Like bull bars or driving lights in front of grill, or mesh screening covering up any openings? Or a super large skid plate under the engine? Or removed the chin spoiler/air dam from under the bumper?

[mws]

Oh, and generally, halfway up the temp gauge is no problem. If it gets to about 3/4 or near the hot marks, then you want to shut down the A/C and after that, slow down to about 40 and turn on the heater.

[87pathy]

my first year pathy (86.5) NEVER had a heating problem, that was until the radiator plugged. I got a replacement (all steel instead of the plastic tanks) and it fixed th problem.

 

Now, i don't have a shrowd, rad is blocked off with a winch, and i wheel the piss out of it in the dead of summer in california and have NEVER had an over heating problem..

My rig is the same as yours.

 

I bet your water pump or rad is jacked.

[Precise1]

But at freeway speeds, there is no need for any fan as there is lots of air moving already!

 

How old is the current radiator? It's pretty warm out here (109 yesterday) and I have no cooling issues with a new stock sized radiator.

As a matter of fact, I'd want to turn off the electric fans @ freeway speeds all you are doing is fighting the higher flow direction....

I shut mine off entirely over 30 mph.

Ok, there, you said it.

Oh, and generally, halfway up the temp gauge is no problem. If it gets to about 3/4 or near the hot marks

Exactly!! If it really bothers you, install an aftermarket gage that tells you the actual water temp.

 

Having driven Nissan trucks for the lasy 15 years, I have NEVER had an issue with one running hot, much less overheat. This is even down in Baja (115+ dgrees). If anything, they warm up too damn slow in winter... Know your actual temperature (not some arbritrary gage level) before you worry/change things...

 

B

 

Sorry, the D720 ran hot for a bit when the fan clutch was failing. Easy fix 3 days later...

Edited August 20, 2008 by Precise1
I misspoke

[goatcola]

My first '87 pathy had a factory radiator with a relativel thin core and it barely kept up. It was a 5 speed, with A/C from factory.

That is the only WD I've seen that was any different from all the rest.

 

I suspect the Intrepid fan you have has the capacity to move every bit as much as the stock. Just make sure the edges are somewhat sealed (no gaps over 1/8" or so).

 

Again, if the problem is occuring at speeds under 30 mph, the fan matters. Over 30 or so, fan does not matter. I shut mine off entirely over 30 mph. The air being pushed through by "wind pressure" exceeds what any fan could pull.

 

You don't have any obstructions to airflow, do you? Like bull bars or driving lights in front of grill, or mesh screening covering up any openings? Or a super large skid plate under the engine? Or removed the chin spoiler/air dam from under the bumper?

I think the fan sits all the way against the radiator. I normally do turn the fan off whenon the highway, but the othe day when i went to Austin it got about 3/4 up the temp gauge and had to turn the fan back on. Besides the 3" body lift the front is all stock. There is nothing blocking the airflow. I think I might try to get an all copper 2-row radiator and see if that helps. For the most part (especially on the trail) the temp stays pretty good. Thanks for some of your tips.