Relpacement radiator question

[Bill Richards]

Has anyone tried one of those exact replacement aluminum radiators offered by some of the parts houses? If so, how well did it work out? I`m thinking of one for my 66, 327/300, auto. thats still overheating despite all of my best efforts. Thanks, Bill

[George C.]

Re: Relpacement radiator question

Bill,
I think most of the radiators in the catologs come from Dewitts, I have one in my 65 and it is great. I did not have an overheating problem, I bought it because I had a copper aftermarket in the car when I got it and it had signs of getting ready to leak. I bought the new one direct from Tom Dewitt and could not be happier. Here is the website, www.dewitts.com check it out he is a great guy to talk to.

George
#36809

[Bill Richards]

Re: Relpacement radiator question

Gearge, thanks for the info. and web site, very helpful.
Bill

[Gary Schisler]

Re: Relpacement radiator question

What you really need to do is to clarify your question. To the best of my knowledge, there are three types of aluminum radiators: DeWitts repro Harrison radiators which act, cool, and look just like original Harrison radiators, Griffin, and Be Kool. I bought a DeWitts and was finally able to drive my 66 327/350 on the highway and not worry about overheating.

I have no experience with Griffin or Be Kool but I remember seeing a comparison on the DeWitts web site a few years ago that showed a comparison of the Dewitts versus the others. DeWitts cooled better but do your homework and see what other say about the alternatives. I will say that a lot of street rods and such are cooled by Griffin rads.
Gary

[Rick A.]

Re: Relpacement radiator question

First - are you looking to have your car judged? then, the answer is easy - Dewitts is the ONLY one that makes repops that are close to the original, and seem to be the only one that keeps our "babies" running COOL! - ALL parts houses buy from him - so, you might as well go direct to him

Second - if "originality" is not the issue, then by all means look at Griffin and BE KOOL - have heard good and bad about both - so, do your homework

FYI - when I restored my 1963 Z06, a DeWitts was part of the restoration

[Jim T.]

Re: Relpacement radiator question

Bill my original owner 68 327/350 M21 3:70 left the factory with a aluminum radiator. It developed a leak and I removed it and took it to a radiator shop in Dallas for repair. Learned that aluminum radiators could not be repaired like the copper ones. This was February 27, 1974. A new aluminum radiator was expensive for me from GM parts counter. A copper replacement from the radiator shop cost me $142.32. Another reason other than cost of a new aluminum radiator was knowing that with the copper replacement, any radiator shop could repair future leaks. The copper radiator installed in 1974 is still being used today and has been removed for repair two times since 1974. Have not had any overheating problems driving my 68 all these years. My 70 Corvette with factory air and automatic and factory copper radiator never over-heated in Dallas traffic in July-August. Right after I bought it new I changed the vacuum routing bypassing TCS solenoid and giving the vacuum advance full time vacuum 100% of the time which helped it do this. Prior to the change it would get vacuum only when the automatic shifted to third. Is your vacuum advance unit operating correctly with full time vacuum?

[Chas Henderson #28127]

O.K. Jim, Why does it cool better

when you disconnect your TCS solenoid? I have a 71 A/C, auto. If I disconnected my CEC valve, would that make it run better? It all works well now. What would be the advantages of doing so?

Chasman

[Patrick H.]

Re: O.K. Jim, Why does it cool better

No, not disconnecting. Bypassing.

What you do is bypass the CEC and have vacuum go to the distributor full time. To really make this work well, you need to also work on your distributor curve and change it from the "smog" 71 curve to a higer performance curve.

Duke has tons of stuff in the Archives about this.

Patrick

[Jim T.]

Re: O.K. Jim, Why does it cool better

Chas when I disconnected the full time advance going to the TCS (transmission controlled spark solenoid) and connected full time vacuum advance from the carb to the vacuum advance cannister I no longer had the temp guage go above 190 in stop and go traffic when the car was using first and second gear. When the turbo 400 shifted into third vacuum would be supplied through the TCS. The TCS did not allow vacuum to the vacuum advance cannister at normal operating temp in fist and second and this would allow the engine temp to increase in heavy stop and go traffic and with summer heat temperatures. At a specified temp which was hotter than I was going to permit the TCS will direct full time vacuum to bring down the engine temp. An added benefit was better gas mileage with my modified full time vacuum. I was getting about 11 mpg, but with full time vacuum I increased it about 3 mpg. Highway mileage was always real good at 18-19 mpg at 70 getting full time vacuum advance. I did not do any recurving of the centrifical since it was designed to run with full time vacuum when in third gear.