Aluminum Radiator Recommendations Please..

pwhnts5

My 6' 4 Sons hate my X's
I am thinking about replacing the radiators in both my 79 (with AC) and my 86 X1/9's. Both are running good now, only get a little warm at 75 mph on long runs, otherwise they hold at 190 and fan comes on over that.

I have the 86 heading to paint, so thought I might as well do it before I put all the front trim back on. The 79 I drive most nice days and now it is due to be flushed and cleaned, I believe both have the original radiators in them. Thinking of just replacing both vs. taking old out to flush as that may cause more issues with their age.

I have looked at the ones from both Midwest and Vics, I don't need the performance one for daily drivers. What are thoughts on them for the money? Should I also just add new cooling fans to the kits, I would guess the new fans draw alot less power and are quieter then the originals. Hoping I can work a deal on set of two.

Thanks,

PW
 
I used Howe Racing & had them make one to spec - 3" core vs whatever stock is. Pretty sure the more commercially available units would be a better price point.
 
I have two MWB style rads

I have two MWB style rads, that I purchased during BobG's development phase. I have only installed one of them so far. It is in my 85 with some performance mods and works wonderfully.

Prior to install I was seeing behavior similar to your 79. It ran just a touch over 190 and would creep up the farther I drove or in traffic. The fan would kick in as needed and the PO had installed a 2nd fan on a manual switch which I turned on occasionally. If I was at an autocross, turning on the 2nd fan was part of the start up ritual before every run.

After trying all the tips and tricks I decided to get a new rad as I had been down this road with my 78 years ago. The aluminum rad keeps the temp a notch below 190 when driving, it will climb to 190 and the fan will come on in traffic. Once you start moving again it drops back down.

Here is a picture on the home bound leg of a 20 mile drive. Cruising along on a 2 lane hwy.
20140726_104834.jpg


And here is a picture taken after I got home, idling in the garage after the drive.
20140726_105751.jpg


It is really nice not having to stare at the temp gauge all the time. :)
 
Hsy Paul... go here...

http://xwebforums.com/forum/index.php?posts/253376/

I see you are running a front plate... move it and PROVE that at 75mph it now stays cool.

Secondly... I, as well as several others have found:

1. The STOCK fans and shrouds do a better job at cooling than the new fans.

2. Run TWO in parallel so they both go on and off at the same time.

3. My bone stock original radiator keeps my car at 185 - 190 on a 106 degree day stuck in traffic or going 80mph.

I leave this thread for your consideration...
 
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I agree with black tooth here except if you need to replace the MWB has the exact mounting for the original fans and for your AC equipment.
 
Thanks for the input...

Might try moving plate, yes we have to have them here.

Think I might try removing, flushing everything and then see if it is still good before investing in new ones.

Thanks for the input.

PW
 
Rads Clog On The Outside, Too

One thing I noticed about the stock rad is its construction materials; brass tanks, copper tubes, and steel fins, very closely spaced.

I read somewhere that during development of the X, the FIAT engineers specced an unusually-high-for-the-era fin count to enhance the heat dissipation.

A drawback of such a high fin density is that of course the fins are very closely spaced, and when made from steel (presumably for durability since the rad is very low to the ground and therefore more susceptible to physical damage from road debris) over time the paint will wear away and then rust will set in. On my stock rad, I notice that there was a significant rust "fuzz" in between the fins, which I'm sure inhibited air flow and also in effect insulated the fin surface from the flowing air. So, in a manner of speaking you could say that these rads can "clog" on the outside, too.
 
Moving the plate had no effect for me

Might try moving plate, yes we have to have them here.

Think I might try removing, flushing everything and then see if it is still good before investing in new ones.

Thanks for the input.

PW

I have tried the "removing/moving the plate" idea on two Xs and have never seen any change in behavior. It is a free test, so certainly give it a try. I did.

I have been down this road twice chasing cooling issues. I tried removing the plate, bleeding the rad frequently, flush and fill, power flush and fill. I asked a couple local radiator shops for estimates on a re-core and the prices were $50-$100 less than a new rad. (At the time, C Obert had stock rads for $225) For both cars, replacing the radiator was the only solution. Your mileage may vary.

There is a world of difference in the condition of a car that lives its life in the southwest vs a car that lives its life in the midwest/northeast. The rads on our cars rot from the outside in as much as inside out, due to the salt and chemicals used in the winter. I know we don't usually drive these cars in the snow "now", but at one time these cars were someones daily driver. I drove my brand new 1980 everywhere no matter the weather or how deep the snow was. It was my only car.

Just my :2c: :)
 
Sorry I am late to the party but I have an OPINION

I replaced my good stock radiator with the OEM bolt-in replacement (not their high zoot one) and and it is perfect. HOWEVER, DO NOT get the modern cooling fans. They do not move enough air compared with the stock fans. In fact, if you have AC the "new" fans will most certainly burn out your compressor clutch, as mine did. There is a reason that the stock fans make a bit more noise: They move a lot more air! Moving more air is a good thing. And since they are not on that much when they do so, the fact that they make more noise is of no consequence. But the aluminum radiators are nice. I would not hesitate to get another one of those. I am just about to get my stock fan motors rebuilt. Which was why I even bothered to begin with. As I have said before, "Texas heat" must be a pale and puny thing compared with New Mexico heat.
 
Old school re-core

I have had good luck with re-core of the stock rad. On 2 cars over the years. These old school shops are still around.
 
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