different radiators into sigma

[brendon]

Anyone fitted a different cars radiator into a sigma. (Ge or wagon)

Was going to open up a radiator catalog later today and look at dimensions but thought id check here first.

Contemplating if I need to upgrade the cooling with the ecotec conversion. Kit supplier is silent on it in the instructions except for fitting an electric fan

[cheaterparts]

Anyone fitted a different cars radiator into a sigma. (Ge or wagon)

I use a Commodore aluminium radiator in my GE with a 2.6 NA - the engine is moved 65 mm back in the engine bay though and the radiator is fitted backwards

I'll try and do some pics tonight for you on the mounts - I have to shoot off to work now ---

[Scorpma82]

there was heaps of talk about an alloy S15 radiatot fitting in with relative ease.

honestly tho....as long as u run a good water pump, and u have good quality coolant ur running a thermofan....and everything in the cooling system allows good flow throughout ...oh and dont flog the ass out of the motor....that the original radiator should suffice.....if anything....add an extra core

[brendon]

cheers guys. thanks for the quick replies
I'd be interested in seeing that cheater, and I'll investigate the s15 option too.

yeah I thought i would be right but with the build I'm trying to cover all basis (over engineer) it so its will be right the first time

[Scorpma82]

no matter how much u 'over engineer' the car.....ther will always be a weakspot somewhere in the car

[geezer101]

no matter how much u 'over engineer' the car.....ther will always be a weakspot somewhere in the car

IDT he means 'over engineer' - more of 'improve efficiency'. It's like anything we rely on to keep functioning - once it's basic infrastructure fails it has a cascade effect. Stock radiator is o.k. under every day circumstances, but when it reaches it's limit that's when all the other weak points start to show. Extra coolant in the system and improved heat transfer is a good safety net - next step is binning the water pump driven fan and setting up an electric thermo fan.

[Scorpma82]

cheers guys. thanks for the quick replies
I'd be interested in seeing that cheater, and I'll investigate the s15 option too.

yeah I thought i would be right but with the build I'm trying to cover all basis (over engineer) it so its will be right the first time

Thats the bit i went on

[brendon]

yeah wrong words i wrote it at 1 something this morning when i should have been asleep

not really a strength/weakness thing more ensuring I rarely/never hit the 'limit' of the particular component by making it more efficient through larger volume, different materials etc.
Obviously somewhere else would/could break first but if i can 'easily' upgrade components i planned to

[amgis_obrut]

I have a VH commodore alloy radiator in my GH, Requires a decent amount of work to fit

[brendon]

anyone got any pics cheater/amgis?

also can someone point my to the talk about the s15 radiator chatter, I can't find it through the search function

[InsaneTD]

I believe the S15 radiator is discussed in this thread. http://www.sigma-galant.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=11333

[brendon]

cheers

[steinie]

hi there, my first post here.... I see is an old thread but still worth knowing.

My GK Sigma has a delica radiator fitted, visually looks the same but is a tiny bit taller so it did touch the mounts for the castor bars at the bottom,
as I had a thermo fan anyway the radiator got 4 spacers between the core and the mounts on the support, I actually used the small spacers from child seat anchors about 8mm high.
the holes on the sides line up with the original holes in the support
the factory fan shroud even fits with a bit of a bend

this radiator is a three core.

[amgis_obrut]

Car GH Sigma
Radiator VH V8 Commodore alloy 50mm 2 core
Where from Ebay
Cost $230
Mods to fit
Trim top of slam panel for clearance, enlarge radiator opening to expose entire core, lower radiator mounts are 5x25mm plate welded to caster rod mounts, top radiator mounts are 3mm alloy plate welded to side tanks and bolt to the radiator support panel though you could make some brackets and use the locating pins on the side tanks, inlet/outlet repositioned to suit engine

there is no need to cut the entire slam panel section out like I have

[SnQQpY]

Hi guys... new here and just going through the posts/boards to see what people are doing. Love the work that amgis_obrut has done to his GH to fit that 8 in.

I did this to mine a few years back and I've kept the old boat anchor (Astron) in mine and have turbo'd it. I found that the smaller radiators didn't have enough volume for the motor temp so I updated to a S14 50mm thick alloy radiator (about 150 from chinese importers). That radiator will basically go in in about an hour once you have all the parts.

To secure the base, I've simply gotten a piece of flat aluminium from bunnings that is 40mm wide with the holes for the locating rubbers cut out with a hole-saw. A couple of self-tapping screws each side to hold it down and that part is done.

To secure the top, I simply used standard top straps from a Nissan. The standard rubbers go through the pins and on the top of the lock panel I used rubber shocl bushes that had thread on both sides. 2x holes drilled and 2x nuts screwed in from underneath and the radiator was in... But only after I cleared the fouling from where the original flat mounts were by cutting them out both making the hole slightly larger/wider for extra air volume and ensuring the radiator didn't touch anywhere.

Radiator gets taken out whenever I need to work on the car (which, when you own an astron is often) and slides out in a matter of minutes.
BTW - Clutch fan off of a GJ works better for me than a Davies Craig 18" thermo and I've had no need for a shroud since the upgrade.

** Can't upload any photos - That new that i haven't learnt how to yet.