Champion Radiators for the IDI

[tbrumm]

Well, the Motorcraft cap that was on the truck when I bought it is 16lbs - says it right on top. Now, maybe it is not the original cap, but it sure looks like it. It has a plastic top over the metal cap with the Motorcraft logo on it and it states 16lbs. I bought the truck with 32,000 miles and I doubt the PO changed it out before I bought the truck but ya never know.

 

[FORDF250HDXLT]

I doubt the PO changed it out before I bought the truck but ya never know.

now ya know.

 

[ADV]

How will an aluminum radiator hold up to road salt?

 

[chris142]

How will an aluminum radiator hold up to road salt?

pretty much all cars made in the lasy 15 yrs use an aluminum radiator core. How do those do?

 

[pennsylvaniabo]

I'm running one, it came with bent tabs and busted trans cooler fittings...but I have a manual, so I negotiated for a rebate on shipping. But back to the radiator. It works great, cools well, leak free, and a big upgrade over my old rad.

 

[tbrumm]

Mine has been in for a few weeks now and so far so good!

 

[cpdenton]

All right.

My Christmas present is coming. New champion 3 row. I'm going through the whole cooling system with a new motorcraft thermostat and water pump also.

About this 16 x1.5 fitting that is on this radiator. Where did you guys get your adapter fitting to make it work. I have a 5 speed now, and would not need it, but I ordered a coolant filter also. Would this be a good place to put a coolant filter in the system and get it back to the radiator? I was thinking mount it down on the frame with a couple of shutoff valves so I don't dump fluid during a filter change. I like mounting it down out of the way and not cluttering up an already busy engine compartment.

 

[tbrumm]

Here is where I purchased my adapter fitting from. It worked great. I think the Ford hose barb fitting is 3/8"npt but you better verify as I can't remember for sure. This place makes other sizes too.
http://www.threadtoolsupply.com/aluminum-thread-adapter-m16-38npt.html
I have my coolant filter mounted off the fuel filter and tied into the heater hoses will ball valves, and I guess I can't see a reason why your idea of using that port to return filtered coolant to the radiator wouldn't work. I have my external trans filter mounted on the frame there so I already have "clutter". I am still liking my Champion - no leaks! Good luck and let us know how the install goes.

 

[OLDBULL8]

When I bought a radiator for my 90, I got it from Radiators.com, It is an OEM from Visteon made in Mexico. It is the brass/copper, cost four/five years ago was $280 shipped. About a year after that I was in Azone when the guy from Radiators was there informing the personel about there radiators, he was actually going from Azone store to store doing that. No problems with it so far, gave the 90 to my Grandson a year ago, and he's run the crap out of it.

Edit: One other thing, filled it with FleetGard then, SCA's is still good.

 

[dsltech83]

Since we're on the subject of aftermarket radiators, I found this here critter (linking to AutoZone's page cause linking to RockAuto is something I'm yet to master):
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/parts/_/N-9pdak?itemIdentifier=998153_0_0_

AZ has them for $280 and Rock wants around $250, so as far as cost goes they are more or less comparable to the Champions. Looking at the pictures the tanks are welded to the core, and overall shape appears to be very close to the OEM design. Dunno where the 2" or 2-1/4" thickness comes from, but Rock does say they are 4-row design. I have Spectra fuel tanks and they are made in Canada, kinda doubt the radiators also come from there but maybe at least Mexico? In any case I'm thinking the quality control may be better with a larger and better known aftermarket brand... So does anyone have personal experience with said radiators they'd like to share with the rest of the class?

Those Radiators are now plastic tank crimped jobs. I ordered one for my truck cause I needed it right then, went ahead and installed it, I'll see how long it lasts. The thing vibrates like mad when idling so I doubt that it will last. At least it has a lifetime warranty right......

 

[79jasper]

Fin count is as important as tube count or tube size. A 12 or 13 fin per inch will not cool well enough no matter the tube or row count. I prefer 15 or 16 fins per inch for the best cooling. If anyone really has an oem radiater in thier rigs please count and post what the fins per inch are. But you have to know its what came off the assembly line for your rig. Not what the p o tells you when you got the truck. I'll bet you have a 4 row with 56 tubes total count and 15 fins per inch. The Champions are a nice modification for our rigs at a fair price.

From my 88: 53 tubes, 13 fins per inch, 3 row, ½ inch tube width.

My 6.2 diesel: 45 tubes, 19 fins per inch, 3 row, ⅜ tube width.

Just a comparison.

Sent from my USCC-C6721 using Tapatalk

 

[SearsMech]

I went with the Champion based on the fact that many on here have installed it and have had good results. My OEM radiator is in good shape (internally at least)and only has 75,000 miles on it now and I run a coolant filter. But, I have had 2 seam leaks in the last year which the radiator guy was able to solder and seal up. Now, the upper tank has small crack in it (above the seam). The radiator guy said he could silver solder a piece of brass over the crack, as he has repaired them that way before, but cost would be around $100. Between the cost of the other two repairs and the latest repair, and not knowing when the next reapir might be needed, I though a replacment radiator was in order. Plus, pulling that brass and copper monster out and reinstalling it twice in the past year has gotten really old really fast.

Don't for get to scrap that old brass radiator! $75.00 is what they gave me for mine.

 

[tbrumm]

yep - the old rad has already been "recycled'. only got $40 for it-copper market must have been down that day. At least I don't have to hear the wife complain about that ugly radiator sitting outside the back door anymore.

 

[jas88]

I believe that my '88 donor truck had it's original radiator still in place. I base that on this tag that is brazed on the top of it:

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This radiator has 4 rows and 53 columns, with ~12 fins per inch. It is 3 1/2" thick.

I went the cheap-and-lifetime-warranty route that tbrumm went, I bought a "Tough One" radiator from Advance Auto Parts. It was $230 shipped and comes with a lifetime warranty. For that price, of course it is a plastic/aluminum affair made in China, but, you know, all my other Fords came from the factory with plastic/aluminum radiators (including my '91 F150) and I've not had a problem, so they are maybe not as bad as some folks believe.

This new radiator has 2 rows and 69 (!) columns but the rows are much wider that the OEM rad such that the radiator thickness is 3". It also has 16 fins/inch, so, it sounds like an upgrade to the OEM radiator, at least from a cooling standpoint.

This brings up the subject of rows - I still see most folks refer to the number of rows as the end-all, be-all of cooling capacity, but, I have noticed for many, many years that most radiators now are made with less rows, but wider tubes. Now, I understand the deal about more surface area and such, but I just think it's not possible to just say "I have a 4-row" and let it go at that. My new 2-row is thicker than the 3-row that is in my F150. So I think the radiator thickness is as important to know as how many rows.

Anyway, the price was right, it has a lifetime warranty, it fit in place perfectly, and it's got more columns and more fins than the OEM unit. I hope it will be a good one for me.

 

[typ4]

Overall core thickness and fins per inch make the difference.