1985-1997 Radiator for a 4.9L

[ratdude747]

I'm in a bit of a pickle. My champion radiator in my F150 failed, and Jegs made me ship it back for an exchange, only for it to come back as backordered, likely not arriving to me until after new year (12/22, kicked back from the initial 11/22 date).

If someone has a 1985-1997 4.9L radiator (A/C, Auto trans) sitting that's in at all usable condition, I'm interested as a temporary "get me by" part while I'm stuck in backorder limbo. While my truck is a 1984, it has been converted to the later setup (and would need a new upper hose to swap back). While I do have two spare radiators, one is also faulty (and damaged from being in a scrap aluminum pile) and the other is non-A/C (too small and needs a different fan shroud).

[Gary Lewis]

That is a bummer, Larry.  But might the second one of yours you mentioned work for a short stint since we are into winter?  I'd think as cool as it is getting you really wouldn't need much radiator or a fan shroud?

[BigBrother-84]

Hi Larry!

Bad news… Sorry for this.

If you can’t find a temporary rad, maybe Gary’s suggestion makes sense?  Cold months are maybe the best ones to miss A/C.

[FuzzFace2]

Non-AC trucks did not have a shroud and why yours may not fit that radiator.
I am with the others that you should be able to use that non-AC radiator and not have any issues with over heating and even more so now that it is cooler and AC not needed.

When I replaced mine I think I got it from Rock Auto.
Sorry to say the old one was full of pin holes and why it was replaced.
Dave ----

[ratdude747]

Good points. I may go that route and hope the radiator is good (came out of a 1992 F150 with A/C and some short of broken shroud); I bought it not realizing my error and it was never installed other than to get some holes transferred when I modified the "new" core support.

[1986F150Six]

Gary, check your stash in the attic as I left a like new aftermarket radiator with you which I had taken out of a 1985 F150 with 4.9L and automatic. It was a utility department truck with about 61K miles. It is aluminum with plastic sides.

[Gary Lewis]

David - Now that you mention it I do remember that.  But I took several radiators to the show this year and none came home, so I don't think I have that one anymore.  I can look, but I'm also not sure Larry wants to pay for shipping it even if I do as he's supposed to be getting a better one and is just needing to get by.

Larry?

[ratdude747]

All were V8 radiators. I did check!

[BigBrother-84]

Gary Lewis wrote

David - Now that you mention it I do remember that.  But I took several radiators to the show this year and none came home, so I don't think I have that one anymore.  I can look, but I'm also not sure Larry wants to pay for shipping it even if I do as he's supposed to be getting a better one and is just needing to get by.

[Gary Lewis]

Thanks, Jeff.  I think I see the 300 six one on there.

[1986F150Six]

I do too, Gary.

[ratdude747]

I thought I saw what seemed like one but wasn't actually. Or maybe I did see it, and figured "don't need that" and let it pass... and wasn't there when we tossed the rest out.

[Shorty]

Dave,
I have a 1989 F100 with the 300 and no radiator shroud. Truck has dealer installed AC. The lack of a shroud has bugged me since I bought the truck but if this was normal, I’ll cross it off my wish list.
Just asking. Thanks.

[ratdude747]

Installed the radiator this morning. Had to shove some rope in the lower mounts because the rubber was too tall (or I beefed the welding of the mounts ). Other than creating a geyser due to overfilling the spill-free funnel during bleeding (yet again!), went OK.

I am noticing higher temps than before. Still in the "normal" range, but I'm getting high-"M's" running and "A's" when heat soaked after shutting down (used to be more in the middle-low "M"m range). Referring to the letters in the "NORMAL" text of the temp gauge.  Guess a smaller radiator and a less efficient fan setup in slow-medium city driving will do that...

[Gary Lewis]

That suggests that the old radiator kept it cooler than the new, temp one does. And that’s not hard to believe. But at least this is a temp situation. (No pun intended.)

[grumpin]

ratdude747 wrote

Installed the radiator this morning. Had to shove some rope in the lower mounts because the rubber was too tall (or I beefed the welding of the mounts ). Other than creating a geyser due to overfilling the spill-free funnel during bleeding (yet again!), went OK. 

I am noticing higher temps than before. Still in the "normal" range, but I'm getting high-"M's" running and "A's" when heat soaked after shutting down (used to be more in the middle-low "M"m range). Referring to the letters in the "NORMAL" text of the temp gauge.  Guess a smaller radiator and a less efficient fan setup in slow-medium city driving will do that...

Why is that so easy to do!

[FuzzFace2]

Shorty wrote

Dave,
I have a 1989 F100 with the 300 and no radiator shroud. Truck has dealer installed AC. The lack of a shroud has bugged me since I bought the truck but if this was normal, I’ll cross it off my wish list.
Just asking. Thanks.

 This is for 300 six truck but thinking the others would be the same?

If the truck has FACTORY AC it SHOULD HAVE a shroud.
Only the non-AC truck DID NOT have a shroud but a little cover from radiator over the top of the fan to keep finger out of harms way.

Being you have a DEALER INSTALLED AC then all bets are off what it should have.
I would have thought the dealer would have added a shroud?
Do you know if you have the AC radiator?

The AC trucks also had a larger radiator and a larger opening in the radiator support.
BTW the diesel also had a different radiator support than the 2 gas ones from what I seen posted.making a total of 3 radiator supports.

Now if you have AC and the right radiator and support but no shroud you may have issues finding what one works. LMC wanted the part number off the old shroud, I did not have it.
I did some measuring and a lot of checking on line with who listed shrouds and found 1 I thought would work. It was cheap so I got 2 thinking I could cut them to make something work.
Turns out I just needed to trim about a 1/4" off each side the went to the radiator so it would sit flush / air tight.
Think I got them from NPD and was for a newer truck with a 300 six. I got a part number out in my garage if you need it just let me know.
Dave ----

[ratdude747]

Maybe not so good.

Drove it an hour to my parents' house this afternoon... about 45 minutes in (hitting some stop and go suburban traffic) I got this:



Yeah, I turned the heat to full hot/fan and the temps made it down to upper "A"... uhh...

A lot of solid junk (rust/lime/scale) was embedded in the rad cap that was on the radiator (I didn't use it, using my lever cap instead). Maybe the radiator isn't much better. Ugh...

[Gary Lewis]

Yikes!  And that wasn’t idling, but at highway speed?

I think I’d try to back flush the radiator.

[ratdude747]

It was after I'd hit traffic a bit.

---

Drove home. With colder ambient temps (43F) and heat on full blast I never saw higher than upper "A".

I do remember seeing some lime deposits on the transmission heat exchanger. PO probably ran tap water though it. May need some CLR or vinegar... but it's only temporary, so I dunno.