Earl, I did the fan trick on mine so it's always on high. I believe mine is plugged up like you mention (factory rad) is there a good product that will clean the internals to where the rad is efficient again. I see royal purple has a something called Royal flush, or are these products just a waste of money. My stock rad is in good shape and would like to keep it.
F Body Radiator
- Thread starter Justin85
- Start date
That radiator has looooooong since served it purpose. It's just not possible to clean them out.
10 years ago I desoldered the end caps on a 70,000 unit and it looked like a crime scene in there. Once the flues get completely clogged no chemicals can get in there to even think about cleaning them out. Plus anything that could ''flash eat' that scale would have to take out an alum water pump, rubber lines, and/or gaskets. It would damn sure clean out some scale that's plugging multiple leaks too.
Look up a radiator for an '89 IROC with a tree fiddy at adance auto parts website. Enter TRT30 (or try TRT41) in the discount code and see how that looks to you. Look up t a trans cooler and/or oil cooler while you're there too.
10 years ago I desoldered the end caps on a 70,000 unit and it looked like a crime scene in there. Once the flues get completely clogged no chemicals can get in there to even think about cleaning them out. Plus anything that could ''flash eat' that scale would have to take out an alum water pump, rubber lines, and/or gaskets. It would damn sure clean out some scale that's plugging multiple leaks too.
Look up a radiator for an '89 IROC with a tree fiddy at adance auto parts website. Enter TRT30 (or try TRT41) in the discount code and see how that looks to you. Look up t a trans cooler and/or oil cooler while you're there too.
Good ole fashioned radiator shops used to have a selection of rods that were shaped to ream out the cooling passages. I doubt many do that anymore. My first car had the radiator rebuilt that way. Worked great.
corsair231
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jul 8, 2005
When my stocker started leaking I took it to a local guy who re-cored it. By keeping the original tanks I got to keep the oil and trans coolers in place plus it was about half of what a new one cost. I was trying to keep it stock then. Now I will probably go the F-body and external cooler route if I need another one.
I think the price, availability and they do perform well. I had one in my last el camino. My current el camino has the factory radiator I took down to the radiator shop. They take the end cap off and clean them.....so they say. On the highway temp creeps up. I did a 2 week long flush, flushed it 7 or 8 times with fresh water...I'm about to trash the factory radiator and just do what I should have done in the first place. Spend the $100 bucks on an F body radiator. I spent more "repairing" the factory radiator
So... One hundred bucks for the radiator, plus purchasing a new tranny cooler & engine oil cooler. Then plumbing everything... Still probably around $300 to $350 or so. Does the F-Body radiator work well with a FMIC?
What about the fan? Still use the OEM fan?
Speaking of fans... If you have a dual fan set-up, how do you modify the wiring to run both fans at the same time?
What about the fan? Still use the OEM fan?
Speaking of fans... If you have a dual fan set-up, how do you modify the wiring to run both fans at the same time?
I didn't run an engine oil cooler and already had an external trans cooler. I plan on running the same setup on my buick when I get the new build together. I had and have the dual intrepid fan on both setups. I don't recall how I had it hooked up in my old ride but currently use a thermostat probe in the fins of the radiator and a dual relay harness I made out of a single relay kit from pep boys. Comes on at 180 turns off at 165
I had a FMIC in my old ride. Worked just fine. But Cali never gets over 90 degrees....ok sometimes..
It also knocks something like 26 pounds off the nose of the car (in front of the front axle) too.
it also has a lifetime warranty and it's still an instock item. If there's every a problem anywhere in the nation it can be replaced for the cost of a coolant change.
With the discount code it's $70 plus tax and it works. Plus,if you pad the order $5 (antifreeze perhaps) they'll ship it for free. and if you sign up for speedperks you'll get a $5 or $20 coupon on the next purchase that can be combined with the discount code on the next pass.
Honestly I don't see how Advanced makes any money with the online discounts and speedperks deals. I space my orders out so that I pay just a little over 1/2 price for all the stuff I get from there.
I can see factoring in the cost of an external trans cooler, but honestly, every TR out there should already have an external trans cooler. So that expense should have already been taken care of.
it also has a lifetime warranty and it's still an instock item. If there's every a problem anywhere in the nation it can be replaced for the cost of a coolant change.
With the discount code it's $70 plus tax and it works. Plus,if you pad the order $5 (antifreeze perhaps) they'll ship it for free. and if you sign up for speedperks you'll get a $5 or $20 coupon on the next purchase that can be combined with the discount code on the next pass.
Honestly I don't see how Advanced makes any money with the online discounts and speedperks deals. I space my orders out so that I pay just a little over 1/2 price for all the stuff I get from there.
I can see factoring in the cost of an external trans cooler, but honestly, every TR out there should already have an external trans cooler. So that expense should have already been taken care of.
I don't know either! But hey, as long as they stay in business long enough to ship my radiator....
I'm kicking myself in the ass. I just had my factory radiator AND my buddy had his "flushed" within the past two months. Cost me $90, I should have just bought a new one. Oh well.
Frederickdav
Active Member
- Joined
- Oct 10, 2014
I found out when my fan kicks on: 197+-. Now I wonder if a sensor is bad.
Sounds like you have something going on... Since we jump out the hi/lo resistor the chip turns it on before hi-temp/hi-speed switch gets on the clock..
What chip do you have? Sounds like it's time to test the low speed relay circuit.
www.vortexbuicks-etc.com/fancircuitA.jpg
What chip do you have? Sounds like it's time to test the low speed relay circuit.
www.vortexbuicks-etc.com/fancircuitA.jpg
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It was about 78 outside today and with the AC on the most I seen was around 174 and that was sitting in traffic with the AC on max.. The Fbody Rad works well, My question was more about seeing what you all had to say about them. They are a nice cheap unit. Maybe not the best but very good.
Frederickdav
Active Member
- Joined
- Oct 10, 2014
That's another thing I need to find out, what chip the previous owner put in.
