Aluminum Radiators that aren't junk?

[ratdude747]

While doing some testing for another thread, I've finally found out why I'm using coolant... stupid radiator has a leak.

This radiator is a 1985-1996 4.9L aluminum radiator from Liland Global I bought a year and a half ago off RockAuto. Out of warranty by 6 months.

For my application, who makes better radiators (or at least have a better warranty)? I'd prefer not to blow a ton of moolah on this , but nearly $300 for a year and a half is a load of .

[grumpin]

I’ve used two Champion radiators. One on my old 86 F250, and one in my Bronco.

No problems on either. I would say the one in the F250 was in there at least three years before I sold it.

The radiator in the Bronco has been in there almost a year.

I’ll put one in my GMC and Suburban if needed.

I installed the radiator in the F250, fit and install was great. I had the Bronco’s installed. Told the shop I wanted an aluminum radiator and they said they use Champion.

The Bronco has the super cooling option so a 4 row was installed. I put a 3 row in the F250.

[Gary Lewis]

I agree with Dane - Champion.  I put one in Big Blue and it had a leak, but since they have a lifetime warranty they found me a new one.

[ratdude747]

Well, they have them at a good price... but out of stock:

https://www.championradiators.com/product/CC1716

Bummer. Maybe I'll need to find a way (JB weld?) to repair mine if I can find the leak in the mean time. Or do all thier "odd" radiators have that disclaimer?

[Gary Lewis]

I don't know what is going on with Champion, but the 4-row for Big Blue was out of stock and they found one in the warehouse.  Call them.

[1986F150Six]

JEGS shows to have one in stock:

https://www.jegs.com/i/Champion-Cooling-Systems/166/CC1716/10002/-1

[Gary Lewis]

Well done, David!  

[ratdude747]

Done. Free shipping too.

Good find!

[1986F150Six]

[grumpin]

Nice find! And a good price with free shipping!

[ratdude747]

It came in.

Install is stalled and so far a failure.

First, the upper rail doesn't have holes in the right spot for a 1990 fan shroud:





For now, I hillbillied it with zip ties:



Would drilling replacement shroud holes void the warranty?

Anyway, I then ran into a show stopper: Transmission cooler fittings don't match up:



Not even the flare fittings themselves fit. No hardware at all was provided either. The bottom of the box was wide open. Fell out or was stolen at the warehouse?

[Gary Lewis]

Bummer!  I'd call Champion tomorrow and ask some questions - like the one about drilling holes.  And about fittings.

But you have an adapter on the end of your line.  Does it fit w/o the adapter?

[ratdude747]

Nope. Flare fitting is too big as is the old adapter.

I'll reach out to Champion.

[ratdude747]

Just got off the phone.

Answers:

1. Redrilling the holes doesn't void the warranty.
2. Their radiators don't come with hardware
3. The transmission cooler ports are 1/8 NPT. I'll need to find different adapters or use 1/8 to 1/4 adapters. Yay...

[Gary Lewis]

Sounds like a workable plan.  

[ratdude747]

Looks like I'm stacking adapters on adapters. The exisiting inverted flare fittings are a bit odd (longer than normal inverted flare fittings) and everything I'm finding online with a 1/8 male end is the short variety. I'd rather not only have a few threads holding in the cooler lines.

I can get brass 1/8 to 1/4 adapters:

https://www.menards.com/main/plumbing/pipe-fittings/brass-fittings/sioux-chief-reg-fip-x-mip-lead-free-brass-reducing-coupling/0121984/p-1444442650773-c-9432.htm?tid=6969510597604758457&ipos=8

A bit long and chunky, but it would work. At least until I find something better.

Edit- Found something better locally:

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c/american-grease-stick/hardware---fasteners/brass-fittings/pipe-thread-fittings/42cdacce856a/american-grease-stick-adapter-fitting/ags0/ptf52b?pos=7

Still stacking adapters, but at least it's hex and more compact.

[Gary Lewis]

That should work.  

[Bruce moose4x4]

Do away with the one adapter unless you want the length. These should work. Should be inverted flair to NPT.

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c/american-grease-stick/american-grease-stick-connector-fitting/ags0/blf57b/v/a/2233/automotive-suv-1996-jeep-cherokee?q=blf57b&pos=0

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c/american-grease-stick/american-grease-stick-connector-fitting/ags0/blf67b/v/a/2233/automotive-suv-1996-jeep-cherokee?q=blf67b&pos=0

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/c/american-grease-stick/american-grease-stick-connector-fitting/ags0/blf68b/v/a/2233/automotive-suv-1996-jeep-cherokee?q=blf68b&pos=0

The first on is 3/16 tube  the second is 1/4 tube and the third is 5/16 tube.

Not sure what size you have.

[ratdude747]

All of those looked too short. I have a feeling the stock tube fittings may be metric.


---

I got this together on Wednesday night but it kicked my butt, only for work to kick my butt for the next two days (and I was dead yesterday). Anyway, I was focused on getting it together, but I did get a couple of pics:

Transmission lines conennected:



These gave me issues. Turns out while nominally being the same size, the flare fittings are inlet/outlet specific in my case. The lower line's fitting is a hair larger than the upper (the lead-in's shoulder at least), and one of the two stock adapters is also a hair larger. Get it right, both fittings fight a bit but do eventually thread up. Get it wrong and the upper line threads easily but the lower gets stuck on the shoulder 2mm before the threads can engage each other. Tolerance stackup?

Drilling the radiator didn't got well. I got lazy and tried to do it in-situ, but the results weren't pretty (and one hole broke through and became a notch). Thankfully, it still works and the speed nuts mostly hide my sins:



Otherwise, filling/bleeding the system was uneventful, other than trying out a new (to me) tool I bought back in 2021, which I've since found out is a MAC tool... or at least is now (as the case made no mention of MAC tools, and appears to be made by a startup company in Austrialia). I didnt' have instructions and I made a bit of a mess. Don't pull the trigger with the fill valve open unless you want to spray antifreeze everywhere!

[Gary Lewis]

Well, even with the issues it works, right?  The fittings don't leak?  The shroud fits?  If so, that's a win.  

As for the tool, it just keeps you from having to pour in the several gallons of coolant?  But causes a big mess if you don't use it correctly?  Is it worth it?