I need a new radiator

[Broncosaurus!]

Mine is leaking where the core meets the side plastic piece. So I'm guessing its better to replace than fix. Thing always ran hot anyway. I also want to go with an electric fan while i'm at it. But anyway should I go with a stock replacement or all metal and is it worth the extra cost?

 

[davids78bronco]

Definitely get one with the brass tanks, if you can find one. Check your modine dealer (NAPA), and see if they can help you. Now might also be a good time to consider getting a larger radiator. If yours is a 2 row radiator, consider getting a 3 row

Changing to an electric can can be as easy as you want it to be, but is also more expensive. Most guys opt to do it themselves, with a HD relay, and an electric fan from a Taurus

 

[shuagriz]

If you want to spend alot of cash you could go with a Flex-a-lite system. They are kick butt, but not cheap ($887 on broncograveyard.com) Thats with an all aluminum radiator and electric fan. Just for the fan is around $270-$290. I'm looking for a radiator for my bronco and am probably going to go with a 2 core plastic tank set up for now cause I can't aford anything else and I need to get it running so I can get it through emissions. I want brass tanks but can't find one under $250. If I had time to save up and shop around, I would get a 3 core brass tank radiator and a flex-a-lite electric fan.

 

[Broncosaurus!]

Yeah those fan prices are bull@#$%, I have seen them, I dont blame you, I blame felx a lite, I mean come on its a tiny electric motor and some plastic. The relay and temp sensor are the difficult parts, and they are cheap!

 

[miesk5]

I agree w/David on a Modine brand...Modine

 

[shuagriz]

Yeah those fan prices are bull@#$%, I have seen them, I dont blame you, I blame felx a lite, I mean come on its a tiny electric motor and some plastic. The relay and temp sensor are the difficult parts, and they are cheap!

supply and demand. If people keep forking over the cash then they are going to keep charging so much. I'm going to look into that Taurus electric fan swap. Hmmm might be able save some money $-)

 

[Broncosaurus!]

I see that a solenoid is needed, would my extra starte solenoid work, or is it not designed for continuous use? I hate electrical crap.

 

[firelt90bronco]

Be Cool makes a nice radiator.

 

[Broncosaurus!]

I see that a solenoid is needed, would my extra starte solenoid work, or is it not designed for continuous use? I hate electrical crap.

so about the solenoid, anyone know?

also I just ordered a taurus fan off ebay for $50, now looking for a new radiator and getting the other electrical components.

 

[Justshootme84]

Don't know about the solenoid or relay parts, but one of the 3- or 4- core radiators goes for about $170 new down here in Texas. They're getting cheaper now than a few years ago. I still have the F-250 radiator in my Bronco that was bought 7-8 years ago. Go bigger, and add an auxiallry cooler for your transmission while you're at it.

P.S>: BroncoSaurus, I can't reply to PM's, so I sent you an e-mail at the hotmail adddress. Post up here if you don't get it, JSM84

 

[Yardape]

I have never heard about this solenoid for an electric fan

 

[Broncosaurus!]

I ordered a new 2 core radiator for $100, assumed the electric fan upgrade would make up for getting less than a 3 or 4 core rad. especially since from the factory they came with a 1 or 2, I thought I was going above stock far enough. I didnt find any 3 or 4 core rads for less than 300 anyway.

JSM, I was going to ask about buying your electric fan parts but realized you probably wouldn't have to change anything for the new motor and therefore probably weren't selling them. Or the front end lift parts, but you said they were gone already so probably not much else I could buy off of you.

 

[miesk5]

I see that a solenoid is needed, would my extra starte solenoid work, or is it not designed for continuous use? I hate electrical crap.

yo!

The Ford starter solenoid (mtd. on fender) is only meant for intermittent duty - it will work for awhile, then it go South - it is designed to pass as much as 400 amps of current, but only for a short period of time. The solenoid's magnetic coil has only 3-4 ohms of resistance. If used for continuous duty, the coil will overheat and fail. The low resistance provides higher the contact pressure that's needed to keep the contact resistance to a minimum.

So, try this:

Relay 85 amp Continuous by sixlitre!

He says it is...It's a Cole-Hersee part # 24117;

it does look like the stock Ford starter sol...

AZ or NAPA should have a sim unit...ck for cont duty and current..

BeCool, verify sizes, they have some incorrect sizes in their catalogs.

Save $ for the Modine 3 row... fan shroud alts may be needed.

 

[Broncosaurus!]

Would it be ok if I just wired the fan to be on all the time the engine is running? Thats the way my stock fan is. The wiring parts are just pretty expensive and I don't feel like spending the cash right now, or doing the work or thinking etc. How about just a 3 position switch from off low or hi?

 

[Broncosaurus!]

also, how does the tranny cooler work, does it have a water jacket like the engine, or does it run ATF through a separate part of the radiator?

 

[Yardape]

The tranny cooler runs atf through a seperate section of the rad. If you are towing that big trailer you should consider an aftermarket tranny cooler. Its a mini rad that sits in front of your radiator. You might have a small one there, I'd get one off an F-250 If I were you

 

[Broncosaurus!]

Ok, what about the fan, can I just let it run full time, maybe just have a hi lo selector switch?

 

[Broncosaurus!]

Just reading about the fan at http://www.fordmuscle.com/archives/2003/02...icfan/index.php and they added a 3g alternator to keep up with the juice flow, do I need to do that, how much does my stock alt put out btw?

 

[Yardape]

This isnt really my field of expertise but I think its a 75amp. As for the fan you can get a thermostatic switch for it, it doesnt cost that much, its a box with a dial on it to set the temperature that you want the fan to come at, it has a copper wire coming out of it that you stick into the upper rad hose where it attaches to the rad. That is the proper way, I dont think its advisable to run the fan all the time, it will not allow your engine to run at the ideal temp.