agp23109
Full Access Member
I installed a new Champion Aluminum radiator as I was looking to achieve maximum cooling while towing. I have a mechanical Autometer temp gauge in the overtemp port and with the stock radiator I would see about 195-205 while driving empty. When towing I would see 215-235 while towing heavy depending on grades. Fan would kick in around 220-225 and would drop temps pretty well and keep temps down unless I was pulling a long grade in the Sierras. The stock radiator was only about 3 years old and was in as good of shape as it could be. After the install temps seem to stay around 200-205 while empty and when towing on flat ground in about 88 degrees I was hovering around 220-225. In similar situations with the old radiator I would be running around 210-220. My fan does not seem to be kicking on like it used to. When it does kick on it does not sound as loud as it used to and temps don't drop like it did with the old radiator. My concern is I am heading up to the Sierras this weekend and I'm worried about temps.
The thermostat was a Motorcraft unit and was replaced when the radiator was done 3 years ago. I did not replace it with the new radiator as it seemed to be functioning fine. Water pump was also replaced at that time as well. I used Final Charge coolant when I did the radiator this time around. Had regular coolant with SCA's before.
Fan clutch seems to be fine, no signs of leaking and will kick on, especially when I slow down and there is less air flow alowing the underhood temps to heat up. I also replaced the a/c condensor at the same time as the Champion radiator so there definitly isn't any blockage issues. Everyting is as clean as the day it rolled off the lot!
Unlike some peoples experiances, the Champion went in fine and everything bolted up with no problem. I know from reading other posts that the overtemp port will read hotter than the stock temp location. My stock temp gauge is not hooked up so I don't know what that is reading (as if it really matters since its a glorified idiot light).
I began looking at the intstall and other reasons for the increased temps. I noticed that the fan shroud now has about a 1" gap on both the top and the bottom. The old radiator was pretty much flush. Could this be the reason for the increased temps and poor fan peformance? I have a hard time believing that the fan decided to start to go bad at the same time the radiator was replaced. Coult the Final Charge coolant not be tranfering heat as well (50/50 mix with distilled water)? I know most people with the Champion radiator are singing their cooling praises so I wonder why mine is so different. If it is the shroud gap issues, what should I use to fill in the gap? Has any other Champion users experianced this?
Any sugestions would be appreciated. I am thinking of moving my temp probe to the stock location to see what that is registering. Will that be a pain to do since the engine is intact? Can I get to it with the injection pump installed? From reading other posts it appears the stock port is underneath the injection pump and I have not looked at it to see if I can get my probe installed.
One last thing, my injection pump is a u-haul remand unit and the injectors are new BB's with around 5k miles on them. Timing is set at 9.2 degrees at 2000 rpms via a ferret adapter.
Thanks in advance! (I tried to load pic's of the shroud gap but I'm having issues getting the pictures to upload.)
The thermostat was a Motorcraft unit and was replaced when the radiator was done 3 years ago. I did not replace it with the new radiator as it seemed to be functioning fine. Water pump was also replaced at that time as well. I used Final Charge coolant when I did the radiator this time around. Had regular coolant with SCA's before.
Fan clutch seems to be fine, no signs of leaking and will kick on, especially when I slow down and there is less air flow alowing the underhood temps to heat up. I also replaced the a/c condensor at the same time as the Champion radiator so there definitly isn't any blockage issues. Everyting is as clean as the day it rolled off the lot!
Unlike some peoples experiances, the Champion went in fine and everything bolted up with no problem. I know from reading other posts that the overtemp port will read hotter than the stock temp location. My stock temp gauge is not hooked up so I don't know what that is reading (as if it really matters since its a glorified idiot light).
I began looking at the intstall and other reasons for the increased temps. I noticed that the fan shroud now has about a 1" gap on both the top and the bottom. The old radiator was pretty much flush. Could this be the reason for the increased temps and poor fan peformance? I have a hard time believing that the fan decided to start to go bad at the same time the radiator was replaced. Coult the Final Charge coolant not be tranfering heat as well (50/50 mix with distilled water)? I know most people with the Champion radiator are singing their cooling praises so I wonder why mine is so different. If it is the shroud gap issues, what should I use to fill in the gap? Has any other Champion users experianced this?
Any sugestions would be appreciated. I am thinking of moving my temp probe to the stock location to see what that is registering. Will that be a pain to do since the engine is intact? Can I get to it with the injection pump installed? From reading other posts it appears the stock port is underneath the injection pump and I have not looked at it to see if I can get my probe installed.
One last thing, my injection pump is a u-haul remand unit and the injectors are new BB's with around 5k miles on them. Timing is set at 9.2 degrees at 2000 rpms via a ferret adapter.
Thanks in advance! (I tried to load pic's of the shroud gap but I'm having issues getting the pictures to upload.)
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