Aftermarket radiator suggestions

[clayton]

Hey everyone, name is Clayton and I am new here. So here's the deal, I have a 95 gt with a 331 that heats up quick. After about 15 minutes of driving it heats up to 3/4 of the way on the gauge, and doesn't cool off until I turn the heater on. Then it stays around the A in NORMAL on the guage. The fan is working, and this car is still running the factory Tstat and factory rad. The engines mildly built...331, twisted wedge heads, 1.6 rockers, TFS stage 1 cam, track heat upper and lower intake, 30lb injectors, trick flow rails, 190 fuel pump, EGR delete, BBK shorty headers that leads to straight pipes. I'm guessing the stock rad just isn't cool enough for the build. So I'm replacing the Tstat with a 180 unit and looking for a good aluminum aftermarket rad for this motor. I've been reading reveiws on all different brands. I'd like one that is a direct fit for my 95 with no fabrication to mounting, clearance issues and one I can directly mount the factory electric fan to. Anyone have any suggestions? I do know I've read the SVE leaks from drain cockpit and you usually have to mess with ABS lines to get the rad to fit correctly. If I can get away with direct bolt up that would be great. Thanks for any input! Btw this is my first SN95...all prior mustangs were 1970, so a lot of the ropes around this car I'm just now learning. So far love the car, very fun ride and defenetly handles better than my last 1970 coupe

 

[ttocs]

have you checked to be sure the fan is going into high speed mode? Does it overheat if it is just sitting there idling or does it need to be moving/rolling?

 

[wmfateam]

Do you have the lower core support plastic air deflector?

 

[RAU03MACH]

welcome to the forums
change out the thermostat and get a champion radiator

 

[RAU03MACH]

Mustang 3-row Radiator (94-96)

www.championradiators.com

 

[clayton]

have you checked to be sure the fan is going into high speed mode? Does it overheat if it is just sitting there idling or does it need to be moving/rolling?

Fan runs I don't know how to tell the difference between high and low. It overheats mainly after driving it going down the road. Then ofcourse when you get stuck at red lights and sitting in traffic. So it does it both at idle and driving even up on the highway. I did flush out the system today....looked really corroded. It does have stock hoses with the metal springs in them which are all rusted and ofcourse stock radiator

 

[clayton]

Do you have the lower core support plastic air deflector?
View attachment 37336

Not sure if that's under there, I'm assuming it sits right underneath the radiator. I will sefenetly find out here soon, going to pull the whole factory unit out tonight. If not, I'll be sure to order one! Thanks

 

[clayton]

Mustang 3-row Radiator (94-96)

www.championradiators.com

Does the champion rad fit good with no mounting complications or issues with mounting factory fan and shroud?

 

[RAU03MACH]

yes it has mounting holes for the fan
and the post for the mounts
but its a 3 core but you will need to move the abs system back a little
but fits nice

 

[ttocs]

I would check the fan speeds and the air deflector as well, maybe try a flush and check the timing before I started replacing things. You increased the displacement by a little less than 10% and the stock rad should be able to keep up, I have read of higher hp systems that used it just fine.

There are a number of us that have had mishimoto rads for years and been happy with them if you do replace it. They bolt up with the stock fan just fine.

 

[from6to8]

I would check the fan speeds and the air deflector as well, maybe try a flush and check the timing before I started replacing things. You increased the displacement by a little less than 10% and the stock rad should be able to keep up, I have read of higher hp systems that used it just fine.

There are a number of us that have had mishimoto rads for years and been happy with them if you do replace it. They bolt up with the stock fan just fine.

yeah from what I've researched and came to understand from guys who have strokers and even 351's, they have tried everthing from stock to 3 and 4 cores and the stockers kept their car the same temp. It seems that the larger row radiators you would think would move more water faster but and I can't remember the exact words but they actually do not like one one think. You would be able to hear the difference in the high and low speed fan coming on. Turn the AC on and the high speed fan should jump right on. Listen to that tone and then next time you drive it and fan kicks on compare the tone.

 

[RAU03MACH]

a 3 core has more coolant in it than a 2 core
and will cool the engine down quicker
also aluminum will dissipate heat quicker

 

[RAU03MACH]

on stroker engines you will never get temp perfect
you can not daily drive one not expect problems
this is one reason why i dont like them
i have built them for people; i do try to talk them out of it

 

[from6to8]

on stroker engines you will never get temp perfect
you can not daily drive one not expect problems
this is one reason why i dont like them
i have built them for people; i do try to talk them out of it

so instead of a stroker what do you advise them to go with?

 

[from6to8]

a 3 core has more coolant in it than a 2 core
and will cool the engine down quicker
also aluminum will dissipate heat quicker

what I've come to realize also from what I always thought back in the day is that your car running at 210 is normal anyway no matter your setup. I used to get upset and worried when it got at or near 205 and always wanted to try and get it to run 180 190 like some folks say their cars run. So now as long as it isn't overheating and temping up and steadily rising, I'd take the 210-212 that it sometimes get at in hot azz summer humid days here in South Carolina and that's with the AC on. With AC off It actually will stay around 193 ish on hot hot humid days.

Here's what someone elightened me about when it comes to radiatiors:

Gt40 heads / SVO intake/ f303 cam/ Vortech S trim/ FRRP headers and a TwEECer RT for tuning.
Swapping radiators does nothing for temperatures if they are both in good condition/ not leaking/ clogged. Cooling ability is based on how much heat is being generated (horsepower) and how efficiently it can be rejected into the air via 2 modes:: coolant speed through the system and airflow over the core. Increasing the core size will give more area to reject heat, but only in the length & width dimensions, because increasing thickness results in a loss of airflow through the core. To rectify, a thicker core has less fins per inch vs a thinner core, and the fins are your actual surface area for heat rejection.The thermostat controls the minimum operating temperature, it will close at that designed temperature.Electric fans turn on and off at pre-programmed temperatures, so swapping any other parts doesn’t equal lower temperatures if the fan settings are the same. Increase coolant speed and increase airflow over the core. Think about all the new high hp coyote engines out there. Have you seen there radiator? It’s thin


If you lower the fan set points too much they will just run constantly, never being able to maintain or reach that lower temperature.

 

[RAU03MACH]

i am going 351 w personally to dissipate heat aluminum heads. intake. and try not to have the engine cluttered with a bunch of useless crap so the engine can get rid of heat quicker
there are tricks to cool an engine the right hoods
water Wetters

some of these gauges in these old cars are not correct or on the money
get yourself a pyro gun temp reader gun

 

[from6to8]

i am going 351 w personally to dissipate heat aluminum heads. intake. and try not to have the engine cluttered with a bunch of useless crap so the engine can get rid of heat quicker
there are tricks to cool an engine the right hoods
water Wetters

some of these gauges in these old cars are not correct or on the money
get yourself a pyro gun temp reader gun

i forgot to mention and recommend him as well to get an aftermarket water temp gauge............

 

[ttocs]

I have known people that droven strokers with no abnormal problems.

But now boost is an easy way to gain reliable hp.

 

[lutter94]

a 3 core has more coolant in it than a 2 core
and will cool the engine down quicker
also aluminum will dissipate heat quicker

You sure???? Ever heard of a cold case? It's an oversized 2 core. I'm pretty confident it has more cross sectional area than a 3 core.

 

[RAU03MACH]

i personally have good luck with 3 cores