Is anyone running this radiator?

[myk]

Got mine on Tuesday.  Billet Specialties (sigh) water neck with o-ring seal should show up today.  Not sure when I'll get to it, as I have 2 fence posts that need replacing, and the weather looks nice for the next couple of days.  Really need to get that done before the end of the weekend, but I may jump on the Charger instead, LOL.  We'll see.  Radiator looks good.  Was worried when I first saw the box.  Surprised it wasn't damaged.

Forget the fence! Lol...

[igozumn]

I might.  Wife is on vacation this week and already spent 2 or 3 hours in the yard planting stuff this morning.  Depends on how pooped she is when I get home, and how worn out she is after I get done with her.   Ahhhhhh yeaaaahhhhh.     




But seriously.  I just might back the Charger out and do it.  Might be nice to have it all done for cruising tomorrow night, cause, you know, putting off the fence posts until Saturday and driving the Charger around town is the adult thing to do, LOL.

[johnnycharger]

Hang in there buddy, I had to do EXACTLY what you're talking about on my car.  Does your radiator hit the battery tray?  Mine does...

Hey Myk
What did you do about the bottom hole on the driver's side. We're you able to cut it enough to line up or did you have to only use 3 bolts?

[cdr]

i got all 4 bolts in,, !st picture is the pass side,2nd is by the battery tray to see how i cut it.

[johnnycharger]

Hi CDR
Thanks for the pictures.  Looks all to familiar except the lower holes on mine are different. I don't know the right phrase but I would call them "drop down slots" .this is what is preventing me from getting the last hole. I would have to cut the piece completely off.

[johnnycharger]

[igozumn]

"Lot 666 then, a Charger in pieces.  Some of you may recall the strange affair, of the Phantom of the Coolant Leak.  A mystery never fully explained."

Yep.  The Charger won out over the fence posts.  Once I got "her" done, awwwww yeaaaahhhh, and dinner, I decided to git 'er done.  

Rad showed up Tuesday.  Box looked suspect.


But the stuff inside was good.






Billet Specialties o-ring thermostat housing arrived today.






I knew the new one was light, but didn't realize how light, until after I'd trial fitted it 5 or 6 times, almost putting it in with one hand.  Then I had to move the old one for garage cleanup.  Dang it weighs a lot!


Had to widen the slot about the width of a cutoff wheel on both sides.




And notch the frame on the passenger side.  Easier than taking off 1/2 inch by 6 inches of radiator bracket.


Had to cut off the corner on the passenger side.


Driver side fit decent.


But I did have to clearance for the battery tray.


Radiator is pretty well centered and the brackets are almost perfectly parallel with the core support opening.  I could have maybe moved it a hair towards the passenger side, but that would have required to possibly cut out the driver side corner, like I did for the passenger side upper bolt.  Didn't feel it was worth the effort.



Had to trim about 3/4" off the upper hose at the radiator and the lower hose fit kinda loose.  The protecto/shipping cap that was on the lower hose connection wouldn't fit on the old radiator, to give you some idea as to what I'm talking about.  Scared me for a second or two, thinking I'd received a wrong or misbuilt radiator.  But, it all tightened up ok and I drove it for about 25 minutes.  160 degree thermostat kept it cool, as the ambient temperature is around 58 right now.  And the best thing?  No leaks, knock on wood.  Need more seat time, of course, but it all looks good.  Anxious to get it out when the temps rise a bit.  

"Perhaps we have frightened away the ghost of so long ago with a little Alumination.  Gentleman!"





Side note: I'm on my way home about 10:30 tonight, running about 40-45 on a 4 lane street, when an SRT8 Charger passes me when I had to slow down for someone turning right, from my lane, in front of me.  I had to follow that Charger while looking at the tail lights all the way to the next light.  I had thought if I ended up next to him at the light, I should get out and snap a pick real quick of the tail lights of both our cars.  As I pull up next to him, I see a police officer sitting at the light to our left.  I'm thinking this would be good for a race.  That this old rusty thing and that new namesake would make a good go of it.  If only the cop was gone.  The officer and the car in front of him, rolled across the intersection during their green light, and it seemed like the Mopar gods were on our side, as it felt like it took a little longer than normal for the lights to cycle back to green for us.  When it did turn green, it was almost like neither of us was wanting to go.  The new guy hung back a hair.  Yeah, he knows.  I know.  I politely run it up through first, he hangs back.  I shift into 2nd and roll into it a little, the Fitech is on its game, now that it has over 200 miles on it.  But I also know I'mma gonna get my behind handed to me by this guy.  I punch it, he punches it and we both are at it for just a bit before I shut it down and he rolls by.  Tipped my lights at him as I turned of the main into my subdivision, thanking him for the smile that I would enjoy into my Thursday night slumber.

[myk]

Hang in there buddy, I had to do EXACTLY what you're talking about on my car.  Does your radiator hit the battery tray?  Mine does...

Hey Myk
What did you do about the bottom hole on the driver's side. We're you able to cut it enough to line up or did you have to only use 3 bolts?

Uh yeah...I'm only using three bolts.  I could've done what Igo went through but I said forget it.  The rad won't budge at all so I'm good to go...

[johnnycharger]

Thanks Igozumn for all of the details and the story.

Thanks Myk, 3 bolts and screw it is exactly what I said too.


I got it all buttoned up and drove it today. Did about 5 miles in town and about 1mile of highway. Car ran great. Temp stayed at 180+/_. I let it idle for about 15 minutes in the driveway and the temp stayed at 180ish. I was very happy. I parked it for about two hours then attempted to drive it to the store....2 blocks down the road and I saw that my temp and oil pressure Guage were pegged all the way. Still seemed to drive fine so I creeper it back to the house. I figured there may be an air bubble or something in the line...
I came back to it 2 hours later ....popped the rad cap to let it Idle to purge the air but now the temp Guage is staying all the way cold and not moving at all and it does seem like it is flowing...
I checked the oil level to and it reads 1 quart lower than it did this morning.
It looks like I get some more interesting(probably frustrating ) troubleshooting to do....

[A383Wing]

sounds like yer voltage limiter is on it's way out...fix it now or you will be replacing the water, oil, & fuel gauge

[myk]

Thanks Igozumn for all of the details and the story.

Thanks Myk, 3 bolts and screw it is exactly what I said too.


I got it all buttoned up and drove it today. Did about 5 miles in town and about 1mile of highway. Car ran great. Temp stayed at 180+/_. I let it idle for about 15 minutes in the driveway and the temp stayed at 180ish. I was very happy. I parked it for about two hours then attempted to drive it to the store....2 blocks down the road and I saw that my temp and oil pressure Guage were pegged all the way. Still seemed to drive fine so I creeper it back to the house. I figured there may be an air bubble or something in the line...
I came back to it 2 hours later ....popped the rad cap to let it Idle to purge the air but now the temp Guage is staying all the way cold and not moving at all and it does seem like it is flowing...
I checked the oil level to and it reads 1 quart lower than it did this morning.
It looks like I get some more interesting(probably frustrating ) troubleshooting to do....

Sounds great.  After an hour and a half of stop and go driving at a cruise my car maintains at 210*, and about 150* at speed.  Oh and damn those gauges.  Honestly, I'm starting to like the stock gauges, and I might skip the aftermarket stuff and keep the stock gauges if I can get them accurate and reliable...

[johnnycharger]

sounds like yer voltage limiter is on it's way out...fix it now or you will be replacing the water, oil, & fuel gauge

I think you are on to something here. Everything ran and functioned just fine today.

[johnnycharger]

Thanks Igozumn for all of the details and the story.

Thanks Myk, 3 bolts and screw it is exactly what I said too.


I hear ya. I have been putting off sorting out my fuel gauge for way too long....
I got it all buttoned up and drove it today. Did about 5 miles in town and about 1mile of highway. Car ran great. Temp stayed at 180+/_. I let it idle for about 15 minutes in the driveway and the temp stayed at 180ish. I was very happy. I parked it for about two hours then attempted to drive it to the store....2 blocks down the road and I saw that my temp and oil pressure Guage were pegged all the way. Still seemed to drive fine so I creeper it back to the house. I figured there may be an air bubble or something in the line...
I came back to it 2 hours later ....popped the rad cap to let it Idle to purge the air but now the temp Guage is staying all the way cold and not moving at all and it does seem like it is flowing...
I checked the oil level to and it reads 1 quart lower than it did this morning.
It looks like I get some more interesting(probably frustrating ) troubleshooting to do....

Sounds great.  After an hour and a half of stop and go driving at a cruise my car maintains at 210*, and about 150* at speed.  Oh and damn those gauges.  Honestly, I'm starting to like the stock gauges, and I might skip the aftermarket stuff and keep the stock gauges if I can get them accurate and reliable...

Yea... I need to do a lot of work on my gauges too. Fuel one hasn't worked for a few (13)years...

[troy.70R/T]

Thanks for the info on this radiator. I think I'll give it a try for the price. Is any one not running a fan clutch? Is there anything reason why I can cant just let the fan always run?

[myk]

Well the idea is if the fan is always turning it's a needless drag on the engine; at freeway speeds you shouldn't need a fan to cool the car at all.  If it was always spinning you'd not only waste energy and gas spinning the fan, but you'd prematurely wear out related components as well.  That's what I understand,  anyway...