YAY! I love it when Fedex/ UPS comes to visit!

[Rot Box]

In an attempt to keep the beast cool I decided to pull the trigger on an all aluminum 3 core Champion radiator. High altitude + Turbo + lots of weight = very high temps in an IDI if you don't know what you're doing. I drive by the coolant temp gauge more than any other guage in the middle of summer and it gets old in a hurry. I ordered it right from Champion and had it shipped so I didn't have to mess around with Ebay. The sales lady was very helpful and nice and shipping was very fast--great customer service in my book. The packaging sucked but overall the quality of the radiator looks like any other aluminum piece I've seen over the years--meaning it looks really nice! Lifetime no questions asked warrantee makes me happy as well.

Seems like a killer deal for the price which came to just over $250 shipped and it should be lightyears more efficient than the cheap ass brass parts store replacements. I'll be sure to give a full report when I get some miles racked up on it.

I replaced my T-stat, block heater and cord along with a full oil cooler rebuild all of which I used Motorcraft/Ford parts for everything. Should be good to go for awhile I hope...

You must be registered for see images attach

Its HUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[jlwoods99]

I just installed one and am totally happy with it. The packaging was fine lots of styrofoam and bubble wrap. No damage at all.

Jim

 

[icanfixall]

Welcome to the world of aluminum radiaters. I have had my aluminum Rodney Red two row for about 6 years now. Even towing I have a tuff time seeing any temp past 210. Its really interesting how a metal change makes such a big differance.. But it does... This I know for sure.

 

[SparkandFire]

YAY! I love it when Fedex/ UPS comes to visit!

I don't ... It usually means my wife's makeup or oatmeal has arrived...

 

[riotwarrior]

Damn....NICE way to go, I hope it works for you too. Driving by temp gauge does get old doesn't it. Been there done that...sux large!

I will be in same boat once truck built a bit more...heavy/turbo'd/and HOT summers.....just itching to get mine...hopefully...this weekend

 

[WhiskeyBottle2]

Mine just came yesterday...going to flush system with old radiator and then install it with all new hoses, heater hoses, clamps, etc...Look closely at bottom of box on inside...if you are auto tranny...the tranny cooler fittings are in a little plastic bag...

What do you think of the rad cap that comes with? Seems like a good one, but mine says 10lbs...What does yours say?

 

[icanfixall]

That 10 lb cap may be that pressure to protect the construction of the radiater. Call and ask before you increase the pressure. Nothing worse than expanding the new aluminum radiater because you felt the pressure cap should be higher. I think my rodney red aluminum radiater has a 12 or 13 lb cap on it. I will check it the next time I lift the hood.

 

[SparkandFire]

I have had no issues whatsoever running a 7 LB cap. The hottest I ever got the engine, when I killed the 7.3, the coolant was all still in the primary loop, the overflow bottle never got more than 1/2" above the cold fill mark.

 

[WhiskeyBottle2]

10 lb rad cap

That 10 lb cap may be that pressure to protect the construction of the radiater. Call and ask before you increase the pressure. Nothing worse than expanding the new aluminum radiater because you felt the pressure cap should be higher. I think my rodney red aluminum radiater has a 12 or 13 lb cap on it. I will check it the next time I lift the hood.

Yeah I think I will either use the cap that came with...which is most likely...or go with a 7 lb'er...

 

[Devon Harley]

what are your temps running with that rad? How fast do they climb?

 

[chris142]

Every Champion Radiator or American Eagle I've seen came with a 16LB cap. Did you confuse the 1.1 with 10 or 11psi? A .9 is 13lb and 1.1 is 16. I put a 13 on mine as I don't see a reason to have a 16 on it.

 

['94IDITurbo7.3]

glad you got one that was not damaged.

 

[Rot Box]

I'll have to check and see what cap is on mine. I'm too busy trying to figure out why my dang oil filter is leaking

I'm glad it wasn't damaged too. A few bent fins here and there doesn't bother me I'm glad it didn't leak or anything. That said the nice lady made if very clear that if this radiator starts leaking for any reason I can send it back to be repaired and if the damage isn't repairable they'll send me a new one. Hopefully its not like everything else with a lifetime warrantee and I have to replace it every six months

 

[whiteboyslo]

Every Champion Radiator or American Eagle I've seen came with a 16LB cap. Did you confuse the 1.1 with 10 or 11psi? A .9 is 13lb and 1.1 is 16. I put a 13 on mine as I don't see a reason to have a 16 on it.

Same. When I picked mine up from Champion via Will Call, they even offered to upgrade me to a 20lb cap free of charge. I figured 16 was enough. I still have a brand new OEM 13lb cap to swap on if I wanted to, but the distance between the sealing gasket under the flange of the cap and the bottom of the cap seems to be just a SLIGHT bit shorter, making me worry that the cap won't work correctly if I wanted to use it.

Anyway, I've had my Champion in for a month or two now with no complaints. My OE gauge seems to fluctuate a wee bit more than I remember, but the fan clutch barely ever locks in anymore, which is more indicative to me that the rad is doing its job. It does seem to hold temp forever, though. I swear, sometimes it takes hours before it cools off enough for me to pop the cap, and even then it seems to stay pressurized a good bit longer.

Mike