Thinking of installing a JTR V8 radiator in my 98Jimmy

[12sws27]

Since I will eventually be buying a radiator because all my attempts of fixing the crack in mine have failed. I was thinking I could use the aftermarket 86-88 Corvette radiator JTR sells for guys that do a v8 swap. It's only 10lbs, cools good enough for a v8 and is cheaper than what I can get a factory replacement for.

There's a few things that I see are different though. Obviously it's smaller, so I'll have to make it fit. It doesn't have a place for oil cooler lines either, but I can care less about them. I can just delete them. That sh!t ain't needed anyway. There is always the option of a single or duel oil filter relocation kit if I wanted.

I don't how ever know if my trans lines will fit the radiator though. I can always call JTR to find out if they do or not. If they don't I'm sure I could either change the ends on the line so they fit or just get a trans cooler, which I wanna do sooner or later anyways. So that's not a concern either.

Guess I just want to hear some of y'alls opinions on this.

Know of any one that's done it? What do the v8 guys do to make them fit? Think it would over cool? If so will a higher temp t-stat fix it? I wanna get a taurus e-fan one day so I can control when the fans come on and turn off. That should help to right? Is "think it would over cool" a retarded question? Kinda sounds like one. IDK.

OH! I also want to keep the stock fan shroud. My goal is to spend around the same amount of money I would if I just go get a Modine from NAPA. Thats about $190. So I don't wanna go fabbing up a sheet metal shroud. I can't weld anyway. (It's on the list of thing to learn though :D)

Here are links and pics with the dimension of the Vette and a heavyduty stock replacement. Vette is the first pic and link. The Second pics and link is the HD factory replacement for the v6 S10's. Thing is 30lbs. Only thing different from it and the one in my truck now is the thickness I beleive. I wonder how much the stock one ways? Gotta be less than 30 if the JTR v6 radiator is 30 and its thicker.

These are the benefits I am thinking this will cause:

Will cool engine better now, when I get efans and when I get more HP/TQ down the road.
It is not as wide so it will be farther away from my air filter.
Should shave some wieght , that is if the stock rad is heavier than 10lbs.
I can tell people I have a vette radiator :D
It's cheaper than the radiators I can get locally and good quility.
Should free up a little space.
Do it will force me to remove the sorry ass oil cooler lines. That'll clean up the engine compartment and take away the risk of one going bad and leaking all the oil out ending in catastrophic failure as well.
If I ever went with a turbo I would already have more room for a intercooler.
If I ever when v8 I'll already have the radiator needed.

What do you guys think? Can it easily be done? :D

http://www.jagsthatrun.com/Pages/images/S10-V8-Radiator.gif
http://www.jagsthatrun.com/Pages/Parts_S10-V8-Radiator.html

http://www.jagsthatrun.com/Pages/images/96-03-0200.jpg
http://www.jagsthatrun.com/Pages/Parts_S10-V6-Radiator-134.html

[Hammer Head]

V8 guys/girls put it inside the radiator support.. that of course comes w/ mods.

I think I remember Tink running it in her S10/K5 project.

[Hammer Head]

I won't over cool, either. No worries there..

[Cameo_S10]

#1 reason....... I can tell people I have a vette radiator :D

[12sws27]

You know the thought of checking the v8 swap forums accured to me right after typed that book and then hit the post button. :D I'll post anything I find. If I do it I'll post what i do to make it work in here also. That way maybe someone wondering the samething might stumble across it.

You know Ray it'll probably make me as fast as a Vette to ya know :D As fast as a 86 vette isn't really that fast though....

Well off to do some searching and research. Thx Jason...and Ray to I guess...

[Tink]

I didn't have much luck using it in mine... mine actually cooled better with the factory 4.3L radiator, which didn't cool amazingly to start with. I'm only now keeping around 185 with a HUGE 4 core truck radiator... and that is winter. Summer is still 210.

[12sws27]

Well that sucks.

[12sws27]

I bought the HD rad from JTR. It's still in it's box in storage. I need to replace mine.
So the original one is bad? Or just not good enough?

[rentedmule]

I'd sacrifice the 20 lbs and get the HD v6 one, it's hot as hell in FL and you don't want to run into problems later! Also if you ever decide to intercool you'll need a good rad since the intercooler will block up alot of area in front of it.

[King_Ice_flash]

Going to be -15F tomorrow here. I am not even using a radiator fan right now.

[mycamaros]

I run a 86 corvette Radiator got it rockauto cools my 406 just fine. $115 bucks. http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/raframecatalog.php

[12sws27]

Man :( So the rad has a reputation for not cooling enough I take it? So basically JTR is full of it?

[rabidbandit]

X2....bought the HD V6 rad from JTR too (and NO...JTR is not full of poo....the motor mounts they have rock and the HD rad has a 3/8 thicker core and more fin area....and it's a direct drop-in), along with a slick dual E-fan setup from derale....waiting to swap the motor so not to contaminate the new rad with old engine...LOL!:D

[12sws27]

X2....bought the HD V6 rad from JTR too (and NO...JTR is not full of poo....the motor mounts they have rock and the HD rad has a 3/8 thicker core and more fin area...
I have heard the v6 rads they have are good. I was more wondering about the Smaller thinner one they sell for the v8 swaps. Tink could be the only one thats has had issues with it not cooling enough.
I love JTR stuff :D



waiting to swap the motor so not to contaminate the new rad with old engine...LOL!:D
That is a wise decision. Gotta protect that new investment :D

[rabidbandit]

I have heard the v6 rads they have are good. I was more wondering about the Smaller thinner one they sell for the v8 swaps. Tink could be the only one thats has had issues with it not cooling enough.
I love JTR stuff :D



That is a wise decision. Gotta protect that new investment :D

True....only doing this swap once...LOL! Dunno....Mine only over-heated once...and it was about 100 and humid as hell, sitting in rush hour with the icebox crankin'. The HD rad will be perfect...mainly for the fact that it's a thicker cross flow rad and my factory one has done reasonably well...I didn't want to stray to far from the norm;)

[Rockrz]

Yessir, I just put out the $155 for the HD radiator from JTR myself.
Good to hear these are good units.

Anybody know what brand these are, specifically?
(like Modine, er something?)

Or, does JTR have a radiator shop that custom builds these?
Jus curious

[Hammer Head]

According to the BS they spew it's a GM radiator... from GM. I don't trust them after reading the V8 s10 book & actually doing the conversion. They seem to have a lot of misinformation.

[Rockrz]

You know, if it's a GM radiator...it ought to be available at your
local GM dealer, even if they don't stock it and had to get it
through special order.

And, if it's a GM part then it'll come in an official GM box
I'll know for sure on Wed, 2/11 when my shipment is
scheduled to arrive.

[12sws27]

JTR says they sell both. A GM one and a "quality" aftermarket one that is as good as the GM. So they claim. I'm sure a phone call to them and you can find out the brand radiators they carry. I've been meaning to call. I haven't bothered really because I'm not ready to by one yet. I will eventually give them a call though. I'm still seriously considering trying out that Vette radiator since its shorter. That will get the rad and rad hose farther away from my air filter.

[Rockrz]

I'll try to remember to come back to this thread and post what
brand of radiator they send me when it comes in next week.

[Rockrz]

Well, I got the heavy duty radiator and it appears to be a good quality
unit...but it's not a GM radiator

Nothing on it says GM or AC Delco, and nothing say it on the
box it came in either.

But, it's a brand new quality looking radiator so I'm diggin it so far. :propeller

[12sws27]

I'm still thinking about doing this. What I'm curious about now is, if the trans cooler lines on my 98 Jimmy or different from the ones that are on the Vettes. What do I do to make them fit? Are there adapters or something?

[Hammer Head]

Yes, there are adapters.. question is, what do you need?

[Rockrz]

They have a direct bolt in replacement for your S10
so it should not need any adapters.

[Hammer Head]

They have a direct bolt in replacement for your S10
so it should not need any adapters.

The direct bolt-in rad is not the same one Scott's refering to. He's refering to the vette rad.

[12sws27]

Yes, there are adapters.. question is, what do you need?
Yeah I should of ask that question too. :D I guess I would find out if I bought the radiator. Or called JTR.....which I still haven't done......

Thx Jay.

[12sws27]

They have a direct bolt in replacement for your S10
so it should not need any adapters.
Yeah like Jason said. I want the vette rad. There's a few reason I wanna do it. I listed them in the first post. Number one reason I think is that I'm just silly like that. ;)

If I do get it, at first it will be mounted in the original position. When I get a e-fan I will then move the rad in the radiator support like the guy with V8 swaps do.

[neo71665]

I don't trust them after reading the V8 s10 book & actually doing the conversion. They seem to have a lot of misinformation.



I agree 100%, That book was a waste of good paper that coulda went to making dirty mags.

[Rockrz]

Why would a vette rad be needed for?

They're going to want to sell you the right rad for the vehicle it's going in.

[Hammer Head]

They're going to want to sell you the right rad for the vehicle it's going in.

... If you believe that's true then I've got two bridges, a statue, some swamp land, a couple water falls & a stretch of desert w/ a giant canyon running through it for sale, really, really cheap.

[Rockrz]

The HD radiator will keep a V8 as cool as it needs to be.

But, I guess if you build a racing engine and/or a big block
then sure you might need a radiator with larger capacity
and cooling ability.

[Hammer Head]

The vette rad is actually smaller than the stock 4.3 rad. Only reason JTR uses it it because 1) it fits in between the rad support w/out cutting & welding the uprights of the support & 2) because it says vette it must mean it's better for cooling. But the 2nd is just my opinion.

[oddball]

I guess if you are relatively stock, the HD unit would be enough.6.0 though?

[oddball]

I question it's ability to cool what I have in there now when it's the height of summer with the AC on.

A turbo'd 6.0, never trust it..This rad in NOT just to cool a sc'd 4.3,but the beginning of a PLANNED turbocharged 6.0 swap,well now that is thinking ahead!lol

[Hammer Head]

I will say this.. I have a slightly thicker cored 4.3 rad. It cools the V8 down just fine w/ the flexilite 210 dual fan setup. I will run this same setup w/ the 454 & we'll see what sticks. But, I really don't forsee the rad not cooling just as well. Reason being.. it's about airflow through the rad. If you can push a lot of air through the rad & out of the engine bay you're doing great. Thicker rads (fat core) will actually cool less efficently because they don't really allow themselves to have a lot of air blasing through them to cool down the multiple cores. ..just my opinion..

[12sws27]

Since I will eventually be buying a radiator because all my attempts of fixing the crack in mine have failed. I was thinking I could use the aftermarket 86-88 Corvette radiator JTR sells for guys that do a v8 swap. It's only 10lbs, cools good enough for a v8 and is cheaper than what I can get a factory replacement for.

There's a few things that I see are different though. Obviously it's smaller, so I'll have to make it fit. It doesn't have a place for oil cooler lines either, but I can care less about them. I can just delete them. That sh!t ain't needed anyway. There is always the option of a single or duel oil filter relocation kit if I wanted.

I don't how ever know if my trans lines will fit the radiator though. I can always call JTR to find out if they do or not. If they don't I'm sure I could either change the ends on the line so they fit or just get a trans cooler, which I wanna do sooner or later anyways. So that's not a concern either.

Guess I just want to hear some of y'alls opinions on this.

Know of any one that's done it? What do the v8 guys do to make them fit? Think it would over cool? If so will a higher temp t-stat fix it? I wanna get a Taurus e-fan one day so I can control when the fans come on and turn off. That should help to right? Is "think it would over cool" a retarded question? Kinda sounds like one. IDK.

OH! I also want to keep the stock fan shroud. My goal is to spend around the same amount of money I would if I just go get a Modine from NAPA. Thats about $190. So I don't wanna go fabbing up a sheet metal shroud. I can't weld anyway. (It's on the list of thing to learn though :D)

Here are links and pics with the dimension of the Vette and a heavyduty stock replacement. Vette is the first pic and link. The Second pics and link is the HD factory replacement for the v6 S10's. Thing is 30lbs. Only thing different from it and the one in my truck now is the thickness I beleive. I wonder how much the stock one ways? Gotta be less than 30 if the JTR v6 radiator is 30 and its thicker.

These are the benefits I am thinking this will cause:

Will cool engine better now, when I get efans and when I get more HP/TQ down the road.
It is not as wide so it will be farther away from my air filter.
Should shave some wieght , that is if the stock rad is heavier than 10lbs.
I can tell people I have a vette radiator :D
It's cheaper than the radiators I can get locally and good quility.
Should free up a little space.
Do it will force me to remove the sorry ass oil cooler lines. That'll clean up the engine compartment and take away the risk of one going bad and leaking all the oil out ending in catastrophic failure as well.
If I ever went with a turbo I would already have more room for a intercooler.
If I ever when v8 I'll already have the radiator needed.

What do you guys think? Can it easily be done? :D

http://www.jagsthatrun.com/Pages/images/S10-V8-Radiator.gif
http://www.jagsthatrun.com/Pages/Parts_S10-V8-Radiator.html

http://www.jagsthatrun.com/Pages/images/96-03-0200.jpg
http://www.jagsthatrun.com/Pages/Parts_S10-V6-Radiator-134.html

^^^^^^ Here, I'll just put the first post right up front so it can be seen easier.

I'm still seriously considering trying out that Vette radiator since its shorter. That will get the rad and rad hose farther away from my air filter.

Yeah like Jason said. I want the vette rad. There's a few reason I wanna do it. I listed them in the first post. Number one reason I think is that I'm just silly like that. ;)

If I do get it, at first it will be mounted in the original position. When I get a e-fan I will then move the rad in the radiator support like the guy with V8 swaps do.
^^^^^^^^Here's where I said if you were curious to look at the first post

Why would a vette rad be needed for?

They're going to want to sell you the right rad for the vehicle it's going in.
It's not needed for what I'm doing right now. But I still want it. If you click on the links in the first thread you see why guys use this radiators in v8 s10's.

If this radiator will cool a v8 it will cool my 6. My radiator I have leaks. It will not over heat in 80* weather when it's a gallon low on water. So I know the vette rad has to my cool truck fine. I have my doubt's that it'll cool 400+hp but I don't have that much hp so it doesn't matter to me.

Basically I want my radiator and upper hose as far away from my air filter and S/C as possibly while still leaving it under the hood. If I go ahead and get this rad at first I will mount it in the same place the stock on is in. When I get E-fan I will then move the rad inside the rad support then mount the fans to the rad support. This will give me more room under the hood, keep some of the heat away from my air filter. At one time my AIT's were 135* in 70* weather. That's freaking HOT! Back when I was N/A and had a K&N FIPK, my AIT's were way lower. I did some mods to my rad support already which brought them down a bit while cruising but there not as low as I would like them to be. Where the Wynjammer is mounted it sucks in alot of heat from the rad and upper rad hose. The E-fan mounted to the rad support will give me plenty of room to re-route my upper hose and make a shield. Right not I have no room to make a shield to isolate the air filter from the heat of the motor. I also made a temporary "ram air" system. It's just rigged with some aluminum flashing and rivets right now. I was working on that last in my project but all kinds of stuff poped up in my life so I haven't been working on that project. It kinda all boils down to this, I bought this truck for a grand and I plan on cutting this sh!t up.

[12sws27]

This is what I found when trying to find out the trans fluid cooler line sizes. Someone posted this in a thread about what rad to use in there V8 swap on a different forum. I think the info is from the Advanced Auto site.






(IROC)

Dimensions: 26 1/4" x 17 1/4" x 1"
Rows: 1
Tank Inlet: 2 1/2" x 18 3/4"
Tank Outlet: 2 1/2" x 18 3/4"
Hose Inlet: 1 5/16"; Top Left
Hose Outlet: 1 9/16"; Bottom Right
TOC: 11 1/2"
EOC: NOPE!
Construction: Plastic Tank Aluminum Core
Comments: Same width as s-10 4.3, but 2.25" taller, and 3/8" thinner.
Now compare to the S-10 4.3 Rad:


Dimensions: 26 1/4" x 15" x 1 3/8"
Rows: 1
Tank Inlet: 2 1/4" x 16 1/2"
Tank Outlet: 2 1/4" x 16 1/2"
Hose Inlet: 1 5/16"; Top Left
Hose Outlet: 1 9/16"; Bottom Right
TOC: 11 1/2"
EOC: 11 1/2"
Construction: Plastic Tank Aluminum Core
Comments: It's a bolt in!!!
And finally the Vette:


Dimensions: 23 5/8" x 15 1/4" x 1 3/8"
Rows: 1
Tank Inlet: 2 3/8" x 16 1/2"
Tank Outlet: 2 3/8" x 16 1/2"
Hose Inlet: 1 5/16"; Top Left
Hose Outlet: 1 5/16"; Bottom Right
TOC: 11 1/2"
EOC: NOT!
Construction: Plastic Tank Aluminum Core
Comments: 2-5/8 less width, .25" taller, same thickness as s-10 4.3.
TOC=Trans oil cooler
EOC=Engine oil cooler


So I got a answer to my question. My lines will fit the vette rad! :)

[12sws27]

I pussied out and just got the HD 4.3 radiator from JTR.

[Jongo88]

I pussied out and just got the HD 4.3 radiator from JTR.
Why???

[12sws27]

Why???
I got so much stuff that I want to do and so many things that need to be done to the Jimmy I don't feel like messing with it.

[12sws27]

Also, I think if I delete my oil cooler lines and do a slight re working of the air filter tubing to the charger I might be able to make something that will isolate the air filter from the heat of the rad. The radiator and upper rad hose being so close to my air filter is really the biggest reason I wanted to do this. The Vette radiator would of moved it away for the air filter about 2" the way I planed on installing it. If I had to money to spend on a E-fan and all the stuff needed to install it I might have went ahead with the Vette radiator. If I didn't need to spend money fixing my Jammer I might go ahead and get an e-fan. I have a huge list of stuff I want to do floating around in my head and it's driving me nuts. Figuring a way to get the vette radiator to fit in there good and secure while still looking good just doesn't have room to fit in my head. I need to free up some space. :D

[BigTruckDrivah]

Do you have to mount the rad in the core support to make a v8 fit? Or are they just doing that to make extra room?

[12sws27]

Not 100% sure, but I beleive you do. I you don't if the fan doesn't hit, it'll be so close that it won't do it's job and cool enough.

[Zygoat]

ill just say a couple of things.

you WANT to keep the trans cooler in the radiator. if you want an external trans cooler that is in ADDITION TO the one that is in the radiator. water cools 4X faster than air, air simply can not get the amount of heat out that you need; unless the trans cooler was HUGE.

second.

thicker cores allow more cooling, and they do NOT impede air flow.

what matters is the size of the air passages. (this is called density by manfuacturers, and refers to the number of tubes or "fins" in the core) it is very hard to get this info, but you can usually tell just by looking. Are there alot of "tubes" or fins running across it? how big is the space in between?

think of the space in between the fins as a straw (like if you poked a straw right through the rad) if you suck air through a straw only so much can go through. if you cut the straw to make it shorter, it does not change how much air can go through. however, with the longer straw the air takes longer to go all the way through. that means it is in contact with the rad longer, and more heat can be transfered out. (why thicker cores work better).

density then, is the number of fins in the core. more fins mean more contact area, and more heat dissipation. however this also means smaller space in between. back to the straw, this would be like trying to suck through a smaller straw. that DOES impede air flow, but as i said, more air is in contact with the rad so you don't need as much of it. it is a balancing act, but in general a bigger rad (in terms of frontal area) will cool better, and a thicker one will cool better as well. you just have to decide what works best for you.