Champion aluminum radiator specifications, including comparison to OEM

Champion 3-row and 4-row radiator specs, including OEM comparison

**EDIT** See Post #27 for an explanation of what's going on, but this post is being edited to include specs on Champion's new 4-row radiator (MC1165). I picked up my new 4-row from the Lake Elsinore facility on 8/5/2015. **EDIT**

**Original Post**I picked up a Champion aluminum 3 row radiator and installed it in the truck today. Part number is CC1165. This is the drop-in replacement for trucks that came with factory AC, so the tall and skinny radiator (not the low and wide model). This radiator is found all over the internet, mostly on eBay. DO NOT confuse it with the American Eagle radiator Part Number AE1165. While they are made and distributed by the same company, the AE model is 2 row, albeit with larger tubes than the 3 row. I confirmed this with Champion personnel, whom I met today when I picked this up as a Will Call from their Lake Elsinore distribution center. From what I could tell, this is only a distribution center. I saw no manufacturing equipment outside of a station where they test returned units. I didn't ask, but given the price point you can guess where they are actually made.

So, some specs:

PN: CC1165
Rows: 3
Tubes: 78 per row
Fins per inch: 18
Core dimensions: 30" wide, 23.5" tall. Sorry, forgot to get depth/thickness, but it seems comparable to OEM
Cap pressure (included): 16 psi.

PN: MC1165
Rows: 4
Tubes: 78 per row
Fins per inch: 18
Core dimensions: 30" wide, 23.75" tall. 2.75" wide (as wide as the tanks!!!)
Cap pressure (included): 16 psi.

OEM specs
Rows: 4
Tubes: 74 per row
Fins per inch: 16
Core dimensions: 30" wide, 24" tall. NOTE: the .5" difference is due to an approximate .25" overhang of the stock tank over the core at either end, so essentially the dimensions are identical.
Cap pressure: 13 psi

And now, pics!

3-row vs OEM (day of 3-row install)



3-row (day of 3-row install)


3-row vs 4-row (day of 4-row install). Note the difference in thickness of the 4-row core (goes all the way to the edge of the tank)


4-row core thickness:


3-row core thickness:



The radiators come equipped with a petcock, though the petcock on the 4-row was busted. No big deal since I just swapped the one from the 3-row:



And there's also a drain plug built in on the opposite end. Remember to tighten this down before filling it up, but remember this is aluminum so GO EASY!!!!!!! Also, note the fittings for the tranny cooler. Mine is a manual, so I don't use these. I plan on picking up some caps for them. The radiator comes with barbs that thread on to these.



A quick comparison of fins per inch:

Champion (3-row or 4-row):


OEM:


And some internal comparisons:

OEM (don't let the pic fool you. There are 4 rows in there):


Champion (3-row day of 3-row install). Note the wider tubes. No pics of the Champion 4-row tubes, but they're the same width as the 3-row, just with another row in there:


More to come.....

Looks quite nice...may just have to consider one of those...don't think I can get anything comparable locally...rofl.

As you would expect, not everything is going to fit perfectly. This is a picture of the mounting tab on the driver's side. I'm standing in front of the truck. Note the gap between the radiator tab and the tab in the truck.



For reference, this is the passenger side, tucked up nice and tight like it should be:



A little bit of measuring seemed to show the tab on the radiator had either been welded in a bit off or had been bent. All I did was shuffle the radiator a bit and gently snugged everything up bit by bit. In the end, it was fine. Here is the driver's side again after being bolted in. Sorry about the weird color. My phone's flash does weird things:



One other slight defect I found is that the machined neck where the cap sits doesn't line up to the hole in the radiator. Someone welded it off-center.



Oh, and for reference, the stock cap will fit on there. I checked, but didn't run it up to temp with it on there. I'm using the one that came with for now, with a brand new OEM one in the glove compartment just in case.

One last thing. Here's a pic of the gap between the radiator and the fan shroud. It seems bigger than the gap on the OE radiator. This pic is taken from the front of the truck with the hood open, looking down. Can anyone take a quick shot just to compare?



I haven't taken it for a spin yet, but I did let it get to temp so I could burp the system and top it off. I also don't have an aftermarket coolant temp gauge, so no real numbers. Although, Santa says if I'm real good, I'll get one of these and a triple gauge pillar pod to put it in at Christmas:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/ATM-6337/

Mike

Thank you for the comparison!

I wonder how the Champion compares to the Rodney Red in terms of cooling ability...?

I switched out the leaky stock radiator for one of these about 6 months ago.

I also put a turbo on my truck right about the same time (which adds more heat to the equation)

Towing my 10k pound trailer before and after the aluminum radiator+turbo combination resulted in my coolant temps being just the same as before.

It stays right about 185-190; at the top of a long hill (and I go straight to full throttle on hills), it might creep up to 200-205.

All I did was de-burr the radiator and installed it. The mounting brackets are definitely capable of slicing up your hands.

Thanks for the temps, bike-maker! Good to know. I just got back from running a few errands. All I have is the worthless stock gauge, so all I can compare is what letter of NORMAL it's on versus what I'm used to. Admittedly, it seems to be running a wee bit warmer, but considering that a) it's 103 here today b) I had the AC on full blast and c) it was at slow city speeds with lots of lights, I'm not terribly worried about it. Right now it's sitting in the 'ORM' part of the gauge whereas I'm used to seeing it more in the 'NOR' section.

*sigh* I need a real gauge already!

Mike

Auto meter 72 bucks at orileys.

I just installed the AE1165 in my truck. I would have probably gone with the one you have if I had seen this first, but lots of guys seem to do fine with the two row. I've been running it pretty ******* mountain grades (granted its cooler weather) and haven't been able to get it as hot as I could with the factory one.

American Eagles main head quarters is not too far from me. I got the 2r as the 3r was out of stock. Mine is also a little too narrow and it wont fit onto the pins on the bottom. I also had to Cut off the lifting brackets that are welded to the top tank as they were preventing my hood from shutting.

I have seen my temp get over to the "L" and then the fan clutch hooked up but it stayed on the "L" untill I got out of the hills. I pulled over and with my temp gun it was 237* I believe (If my memory is correct).

I'm not so sure that the 2R is much if any improvement over the OE 4R.

Nice documentary!

I have the same one on my pickup. I've been real pleased. My fan doesn't kick in at all unless I'm really loaded down heavy on a hot day.

Might have to look into one of these, as my truck gets a bit warm for comfort crawlin round da bush sometimes.

Even with less rows, the fins per inch are greater so they kinda negates the missing row.

Just a slight update.......

I developed a pinhole peak in my lower radiator hose, likely from getting a bit too crazy with the hose clamp. While installing the new one, I noticed the clearance between the fan shroud and the hose was a bit too close for comfort. In fact, they were actually touching ever so slightly. I didn't take a pic (sorry), but the specific location I'm talking about is just past where the hose makes the angle to head up to the water pump. It seemed like the shroud was either sitting too low, too far out from the radiator, or both. My guess is the mounting holes for the shroud on the radiator weren't cut quite right.

My solution was to do two things. First, I removed the OEM quicknut that I had originally decided to reuse from the OEM radiator and replaced it with a regular nut (1/4"-28), a lock washer, and a standard flat washer. This gave me a bit more wiggle room since, unlike the quicknut, the nut wasn't locked into any particular location. Second, rather then try to mess with the aluminum tabs on the radiator, I took the easy route and reemed the holes in the plastic fan shroud just a little bit so I could shift the whole shroud up a bit.

These gave me the results I need, although the clearance is still tighter than I'd like. I'll drive it like this for a bit and check the hose. So long as I see no indication of rubbing, I'm good to go.

Mike

I was getting ready to order one from Champion. Would you still recommend it or do you feel this is a Manufacturing defect or something else.

Thanks
Jim

Do they make a 4 row aluminum radiator for our trucks? I was told that anything less than a 4 row for the idi's will not be able to dissipate heat as well. I currently have the stock radiator in my truck....but it was replaced many years ago with the OEM rad. Just wondering if an aluminum 3 row cools as good as the OEM 4 row.

I run that radiator and my truck runs at 180 degrees all day long. I think I got it shipped for $250. The tabs on the top sides were a little long so I just bent them down.