Anyone know if there is a larger drop in replacement radiator for an lb7? Something of significant difference from stock to aftermarket?
Bigger replacement radiator
- Thread starter Chevy1925
- Start date
it only claims higher efficiency. core size, passes, ect are all the same as the stock radiator. im looking for something that has a great cooling capacity, 3 core would be great as well.
Hey James, have you looked to Ron Davis Racing?...I doubt they have one "available" but ya never know...
And, they might be willing to make one for ya...
http://www.rondavisradiators.com/custom.htm
And, they might be willing to make one for ya...
http://www.rondavisradiators.com/custom.htm
i have not dug into the custom radiators yet. there are quite a few i know of i could get to build one but usually a drop in one would be the cheaper route. Ron davis is just one of a few id call
If you are willing to make mounts you could measure the space you have to work with, call summit and order one that fits the space you have to work with then make mounts to mount it.
yup, viable options but just looking to see if anyone has a larger drop in first.
Why are you looking forna larger capacity radiator James? I'm not so sure there is a larger drop in replacement available James...I looked into it pretty deep when I replaced the LBZ engine...the "best" alternative I could source was from Mishimoto...
I talked to RDR about having one built and they said they could do it but they wanted my radiator there...then wanted to know if I wanted to bypass the internal trans cooler...I wasn't sure I wanted to and I figured it was something that was unnecessary for my truck anyways...and the stock rad went back in...
Its a HUGE BITCH! I can't see getting a bigger one in there...the coolant stack is rediculously tight on my LBZ...not sure how tight the LB7's are...
I talked to RDR about having one built and they said they could do it but they wanted my radiator there...then wanted to know if I wanted to bypass the internal trans cooler...I wasn't sure I wanted to and I figured it was something that was unnecessary for my truck anyways...and the stock rad went back in...
Its a HUGE BITCH! I can't see getting a bigger one in there...the coolant stack is rediculously tight on my LBZ...not sure how tight the LB7's are...
the condenser is the hardest thing to get around but its not bad on my truck.
towing out here during the summer is just killer on the cooling system, specially on 600hp. i find myself having a hard time lifting when she starts getting hot pulling the hills at 65-70mph. i can keep everything under a controlled temp until coolant temps start to rise. soon as they rise over 220, oil starts getting hot, trans temp starts creeping slowly, and fuel temp will slowly start to come up at the tail end. keeping the A/C off will hold temps from climbing if i leave it off at the bottom of the long climbs but with a baby girl on the way and the plan to buy a bigger fifth wheel this winter, id like to upgrade the rad so a/c can stay on. yes i could drop the tune HP and slow down up the hills when things start getting hot but when i can pull all winter long up the same hills without anything getting even warm, i have a hard time with that lol.
everyone likes to point to other issues to cause the coolant to rise but i am convinced i am overloading the stock rad with the power im pushing, the engine oil getting added heat from the added power and second turbo (even with the extra air-to-oil cooler) and the built trans adding heat to the rad. when air intake temps show 160-170 degrees, those external coolers only have 50* difference of air to cool the fluid passing by. plus the fact they are not all that efficent. the radiator is doing most of the knock down but if i cant pull that heat out with the mechanical fan, the domino affect starts.
I would suspect that you already have the upgraded trans cooler?
Weren't you running the "Killer Bee" cooling setup, at one time?
Maybe time for a vented hood? Use it seasonally, Summer time only?
That's a bitch, fer sure...dealing with the summer heat that you have to in AZ is no joke...
You make a really good point about the ambient temperature variable being so close to intake air temps and there not being a great enough difference between the two...not to mention air density being a huge factor as well...you're really fighting an uphill fight to keep a twin turbo, lifted, CC truck towing a 5th wheel camper trailer, running cool
I wish you the best of luck man, I know you'll figure something out
:thumb:
stock trans cooler but i dont see it move till coolant does. oil temps move faster than it does. yes, i have the big killer bee oil cooler up front. i may try adding a scoop on the skid plate to catch more air. i dont see underhood temps being too much of an issue with everything blanketed with levi's blankets and egts staying at 1200-1250 degrees. radiator just cant cool the coolant enough as it passes through and im turning 2700 rpm.
i have made SIGNIFICANT improvements over what it use to be. i use to be stuck to 3rd gear and 50mph anytime i hit a hill during the 110* heat. im almost there keeping her cool. hell i can hold 5th gear up 90% of the hills if traffic agrees with me.
that is something to consider that i didnt think of. i may just look into that using my window washer resi.
i have thought about it but i thought i read somewhere i have to change my intercooler out as well?
I wish I could tell you for sure, but I don't know. I've never tried to swap the radiators and intercoolers around like that, but I wouldn't be surprised if you did have to.
I know that this something you've talked about every summer since I've joined :spit:
The vented hood I mentioned only for the IDEA that it would allow air to flow and escape more freely, hooefully with the end result being: a greater volume air moving more efficiently from the nose thru the coolant stack and out...basically shifting the dynamic pressure to make cooling more efficient...
Just a COCOAL thought...
I dunno James.
My take would be to get the better trans cooler ASAP...I know you said that trans temps rise AFTER coolant temps, and engine oil temps are more of an issue...but I always feel like every little bit helps and it just may be enough to keep ya from downshifting...
Think about it for a sec, if the trans temps climb aftet coolant temps, then the trans cooler/fluid is technically taking heat AWAY FROM the radiator... Right? CUZ if its running cooler than the coolant and passing thru the radiator, then its cooling whatever it comes in contact with on/in the radiator... Even if just a tiny bit
Considering everything you've already done and everything youve got to evaluate for, maybe an LBZ Mshimoto radiator and intercooler is just what you need
The vented hood I mentioned only for the IDEA that it would allow air to flow and escape more freely, hooefully with the end result being: a greater volume air moving more efficiently from the nose thru the coolant stack and out...basically shifting the dynamic pressure to make cooling more efficient...
Just a COCOAL thought...
I dunno James.
My take would be to get the better trans cooler ASAP...I know you said that trans temps rise AFTER coolant temps, and engine oil temps are more of an issue...but I always feel like every little bit helps and it just may be enough to keep ya from downshifting...
Think about it for a sec, if the trans temps climb aftet coolant temps, then the trans cooler/fluid is technically taking heat AWAY FROM the radiator... Right? CUZ if its running cooler than the coolant and passing thru the radiator, then its cooling whatever it comes in contact with on/in the radiator... Even if just a tiny bit
Considering everything you've already done and everything youve got to evaluate for, maybe an LBZ Mshimoto radiator and intercooler is just what you need
I know that this something you've talked about every summer since I've joined :spit:
The vented hood I mentioned only for the IDEA that it would allow air to flow and escape more freely, hooefully with the end result being: a greater volume air moving more efficiently from the nose thru the coolant stack and out...basically shifting the dynamic pressure to make cooling more efficient...
Just a COCOAL thought...
I dunno James.
My take would be to get the better trans cooler ASAP...I know you said that trans temps rise AFTER coolant temps, and engine oil temps are more of an issue...but I always feel like every little bit helps and it just may be enough to keep ya from downshifting...
Think about it for a sec, if the trans temps climb aftet coolant temps, then the trans cooler/fluid is technically taking heat AWAY FROM the radiator... Right? CUZ if its running cooler than the coolant and passing thru the radiator, then its cooling whatever it comes in contact with on/in the radiator... Even if just a tiny bit
Considering everything you've already done and everything youve got to evaluate for, maybe an LBZ Mshimoto radiator and intercooler is just what you need
i hear ya but it tells me the heat exchanger is adding heat to the trans fuild, not taking it away and we have surpassed what the stock air-to-oil cooler can do for wisking away heat. i agree, it will only help but im after the bigger culprit IMHO, the radiator. if i keep the coolant cool, trans will stay cooler and engine oil will stay cooler at their peaks. its another reason IMHO the stock engine oil cooler cools that engine oil a hell of alot better than people think. i seem to be the only on that page of thinking, even when Michael (super diesel) was talking about oil cooling. you can follow it every damn time the engine oil hits 240+, coolant temp starts climbing. at that point, engine oil is inducing more heat into the radiator than can be pulled away. i bet you would see a heck of a difference in coolant temps before and after the stock cooler when pulling a hill loaded. they all load the radiator up and while all these coolers are cooling the small arteries (so to speak), the biggest one has not been addressed that sees it all (minus fuel temps), the rad.
I don't know, my opinion is that the reason your ECT rises sharply after 240° oil temp is more dependant on flow differences, volume differences, and point of measure than the direct effect of oil temp on coolant temp. But then there's the fact that depending on the oil, the coefficient of friction goes up tremendously causing heat loading that the coolant can't take care of quickly and then you may even be reaching the point of evaporation causing even more flow problems.
and that very well may be true. i dont know for sure, its only my theory ive been trying to disprove these last few years. for what its worth, i run rotella t6 full syn 5w-40 in the summer and reg dino oil rotella 15w-40 in the winter just due to cost and so much less heat in the winter i dont have to worry about killing the dino oil at high temps