What radiator to get?

[dnvgalant]

Hey, I've been searching the forum for hours and have come up with nothing.

I'm trying to work out what radiator i can use in my GB with the 2.6 conversion i have done.

I'm thinking possibly an rx2 alloy one and getting flexihose to connect it up.

What have other people used? any downsides to having longer flexihoses?

[GB_BB4C]

I ran one out of a Ford Laser (dont ask what model (KE maybe???)) with an Injected 2.6lt. It just fit inbetween the rails and was about the same height as the Galant one. I just chose it as there is more surface area to cool down. I was running it with 2 electric fan's mounted on the front of it. Yhe other alternative is to get your Galant one made into a 3core.

[dnvgalant]

Thanks Mate, Gonna check the dimensions on some laser radiators.
Any idea on average cost of getting converted to 3 core?

[GB_BB4C]

no idea, few hundred i expect, but least ya know it's all new etc..
the laser one cost me about $50 at the wreckers and just happened to find one that had been redone recently.

The laser one is the NON alloy one that the later ones ran. So it has the copper top and bottom tanks.

[davetrees]

Why not just get the GB one re-cored with bigger capacity ?

[shuggy]

Hk works well for me. Only issue si you need two hose sizes

[A112H]

Measure in the engine bay the max size it will take and go searching ebay. Lots of the alloy rads on there list the sizes.
That is what I did and ended up with one designed for an EH Holden, works almost too good, lol.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Performance- ... 974wt_1037

That is the one I bought, as you can see it has no holes in the mounting plates so you can drill it to suit your car perfectly.

[camB]

How'd you go with this seller? Have a friend who had issues with size and outlet positions, only to find that they're a Chinese company with a Melbourne shipping address.

[A112H]

All good, runs too cold if anything, lol. Top outlet is smaller than the Sigma/Galant outlet but nothing a bit of stretchy, good silicone hose can't fix.
Best pic I could find, these joiners are good, they can work as a reducer and also have a bleed screw or you could fit a temp gauge in there.

[shuggy]

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/56mm-3-core- ... 3a7cd95148

i use that

[GB_BB4C]

What you's guys are using in you GC's and GD's is no good for us people with GA's and GB's as we dont have the height clearance that you have.
As Jason metioned, best thing is to measure what space you have and look on EBay for one or go to you local radiator shop and they may be able to assist you. This is how me and my mate found the Laser one, we then went to the wreckers to find a good condition one..

[71GA]

I am going through the same problems with my Ga at the moment. I decided to take my radiator to a radiator guy and he quoted me $330 to make a 2 core radiator with my tanks and around $460 to make a 3 core with my tanks, either way its a lot of money. If anyone has worked out which model laser radiator to use please let us know.

[GB_BB4C]

I think from memory they only had the two types, the earlier one that I used with the copper tanks and about half way through the range they changed to alloy ones. I'm talking KA to KF Lasers.

[71GA]

Cheers mate. After doing some Ebay investigating it looks like you probably used a KA-KB radiator as these were to only brass tank copper core ones i could find.
Thanks for your help

[geezer101]

What about using one from a FWD Colt? 3 core, brass tanks - core area is 300mm x 410mm, overall height max (including radiator cap) is 415mm x max width 470mm 'ish' (with side mounting brackets). Inlet and outlet are both on the drivers' side (but the top tank can easily be modded to left side inlet due to the way the tank has been pressed.

[71GA]

Hey guys i have had a go with a few of these radiators you have suggested. I first tried the ka-kb laser radiator and found it was still a bit too high and at very minimum i would have to cut the some of the battery tray away. After i gave up on the Laser one i headed back to U Pull it and checked just about every car on site and the best one i found was the Colt radiator as suggested by Geezer 101. I grabbed the best looking Colt radiator and compared it with the GA one, the core sizes were very similar except it was a 3 core, the top hose was on the wrong side and the overall height was still too heigh. I went to my radiator guy and asked for his opinion and the possibility of swapping tanks but we decided it'd still be too tall. In the end we decided to move/swap the top inlet to the other side, swap the bottom inlet with the GA one, put a goose neck filler in and block off the old filler. The overall price will be $65 for second hand radiator and around $100 for moving of hoses etc. Not sure if i would recommend going down this route as the radiator is still pretty tall but you do maintian orignal hoses.

[BAD-SIG]

After a bit of research I also found that the Colt radiators have a smaller 28mm inlet on the top tank, but the bottom outlet is 38mm, versus the Sigma's 35mm for both the inlet and outlet.

Here is the listing for the Sigma one: http://www.nationwideautoparts.com.au/o ... 20RADIATOR

And here is the listing for the Colt one: http://www.nationwideautoparts.com.au/o ... 20RADIATOR

If you don't mind a radiator that is wider, you can also go for the 79-86 L200 one, which is 375mm high but 600mm wide, 2 core with 35mm in/outlets: http://www.nationwideautoparts.com.au/o ... 20RADIATOR

Or a Datsun 720 ute one, which is 330x540mm, 3 core, 35mm in/outlets: http://www.nationwideautoparts.com.au/o ... 20RADIATOR

[71GA]

I have now fitted my modified colt radiator to my 1300 GA and i am very happy with the result. The car has gone from overheating to struggling to get up to temp.
In the end the radiator cost me around 190 dollars and works really well.

[IncorpoRatedX]

I use one from a might max, it bolts onto my galant the same way the stock one did, inlet and outlet are the same, but it's taller. Aluminum one on ebay ran me $75, cools my turbo 4g63 just fine.

[BAD-SIG]

It sounds like the Mighty Max/D50 one you got is the same as our Australian latter model Sigma one, they are the same width as the Galant but a bit taller. What does interest me is the fact that you found an aluminium one! I did a quick search on Ebay but couldn't find one for sale. Do you have a link or do you remember who you bought it from? Thanks.

**edit**

I found these ones, they ship them internationally and they are only $75. http://www.vistaautoparts.com/mighty_ma ... _Parts.htm
They are only 1 row, but are the right dimensions and it is made out of aluminium, which is lighter and cools better than a copper radiator. Is your's like this one?

[IncorpoRatedX]

yup that's basically mine.

[fridgeGB]

How tall is it from bottom tank to top of cap and is yours only a single core aswell?

[IncorpoRatedX]

it's the same size as that one, click the link. single core, taller than a stock colt (exact dimensions are in the link) I bought mine on ebay but the seller no longer carries that model (they didnt sell them often, i was watching the auction and there were 2 in stock for a LONG time, someone bought one so I bought the other)

[fridgeGB]

Yer it just shows the core dimensions, not the overall dimensions.

[IncorpoRatedX]

Oh sorry about that, yes, it's the same.

[BAD-SIG]

Awesome, now it's time to save up for the radiator then.