V8 Radiator recommendations?

85_Ranger4x4 said:

Between my two fans I haven't gotten over like 210* yet. I think it is a flex-a-lite 118 or something like that for my pusher. The engine driven fan is a low profile so it doesn't move as much air as a regular one.

There are times I have felt like it is just enough to keep it cool though... and I don't do a lot of low speed crawling. If it doesn't work you just made the bigger radiator that much more expensive.

I don't know,

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I just don't know how much more efficient one of those uluminum radiators are. Aren't the ones we run already aluminum? So it's just the sides that are different.

I think I need a bigger radiator.

Hagan said:

I just don't know how much more efficient one of those uluminum radiators are. Aren't the ones we run already aluminum? So it's just the sides that are different.

I think I need a bigger radiator.

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Yeah, aluminum with plastic tanks. I doubt the tanks make a huge difference.

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/MHT1/432217/01386.oap?year=1994&make=Ford&model=Explorer&vi=5005330&ck=Search_C2465_5005330_-1&pt=C2465&ppt=C0331

I'm wondering how much room I need to run a better mechanical fan or maybe the stock fan/fan clutch.

Air flow is definitely a problem. It cools fine driving down the highway and even in town when I'm stopped. It's just crawling is when I'm having issues. I think I'm going to look into running a mechanical fan

Hagan said:

I'm wondering how much room I need to run a better mechanical fan or maybe the stock fan/fan clutch.

Air flow is definitely a problem. It cools fine driving down the highway and even in town when I'm stopped. It's just crawling is when I'm having issues. I think I'm going to look into running a mechanical fan

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On mine a Explorer fan clutch rubbed on the radiator. You seem to be tighter around the front of the engine but if I tucked the radiator into the support I think I could have run the Explorer fan... which is a huge fan.

I searched and searched trying to find a smaller clutch for said fan, not much out there. If it wasn't for the stupid fins on the clutch...

I'm still have overheating issues. I decided to drive around 100 miles in my Ranger yesterday and the gauge was starting to peg the N on the stock gauge. I turned my heater on and it slowly went down in the middle of the gauge. It was 80 degrees out and I was doing 65mph so I turned the heater off and it rose back up. I decided to try 75mph and oddly the gauge was reading in the middle and didn't raise up. I did that for 30 minutes and it was just fine.

Am I needing a bigger radiator? I swapped on a better pusher fan but hasn't seem to help at all. Maybe I'm chasing my tail without knowing the actual temp?

Put a real gauge on it. You might be chasing a problem that doesn't exist. Plumb in a good mechanical gauge. Then see what the actual temps are. Then report back

blackwidow67 said:

Put a real gauge on it. You might be chasing a problem that doesn't exist. Plumb in a good mechanical gauge. Then see what the actual temps are. Then report back

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Any recommendations on a temp gauge?

If always liked the auto meter phantom series. This is my second truck with them, no complaints.

Hagan said:

Any recommendations on a temp gauge?

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Anything autometer you're safe with. Try to stay away from the cheap auto store Bosch gauges. Or sunpro gauges. Spend the extra few dollars.

I have the GS Autometers. I like how they are backlit, I am not really crazy about how they are lit by LED's and require a $30 module to adjust their brightness. And without said module they are very bright.

They work and look nice but at night it is like I have green ambient lighting in my cab.

85_Ranger4x4 said:

I have the GS Autometers. I like how they are backlit, I am not really crazy about how they are lit by LED's and require a $30 module to adjust their brightness. And without said module they are very bright.

They work and look nice but at night it is like I have green ambient lighting in my cab.

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You should be able to use a simple potentiometer wired in to dim those gauges. That's what I did on my trans temp, then I just hid the potentiometer behind the dash. Cost around $4 bucks. I only used it to get the gauge brightness down to the same level as the dash lights, and the gauge still dims with the factory dimmer switch.

Here's some more info: http://www.marshallinstruments.com/faqs/detail.cfm?id=30


GB

I cut the core support and tucked my Explorer 4.0 double core radiator forward but still enough room to get the cap on and off. Using a Volvo electric fan in the middle of Texas and even on 100 degree days I have no problem with overheating-or even going past the O in Normal on the gauge. I was using the stock Explorer fan but decided the electric was reliable enough. BTW using a 195 degree thermostat.

Anyone else use the V8 swap radiator for an automatic, built by Superior and available on Ebay?

I just got mine today and noticed the welded-in fitting for the trans lines (on the drivers side for my AOD) don't have the internal male/concave flare surface inside them, so the tranny lines won't seal. I'll have to buy some Dorman adapters for that.

Also, I was going to use the factory upper radiator hose but the Superior radiator came with a really small tube welded on to the top passenger side. So I'll have to somehow use a much smaller hose on the radiator end. The thermostat housing end will be factory size. Odd that Superior uses such a small size tubing like that. The lower tube they weld on looks to be closer to the factory size.

I knew I should've just used an Explorer radiator!! This just adds one more hurdle.


GB