Champion Radiator Aluminum 3 core swap

So I replaced my radiator this weekend and so far it's working fine (didn't drive it much as I was quite busy with other things) but I noticed the petcock valve is weeping coolant. Even after I took it out and put a good amount of Teflon tape on it. So question is should I drain it again and add even more tape than last time or should I use some type of radiator epoxy or something similar to stop it.

 

I actually put a LOT of tape when I installed mine 30k ago, no issues since then

 

Mine was too. I finally figured out that you have to turn the outer part with the ears out, like you’re unscrewing it. It feels like there’s some rubber in there so I was careful to not put too much force in it. When it stopped weeping I left it alone.

 

My issue is that I installed what I thought was a 170 degree stant a year ago. It didnt do much and I was told over and over that only a better radiator will help lower temps. Well nothing has changed. I’m thinking I got a 180 in a 170 box on the thermostat.

So here we go again, making a mess and having to fuck with it all over again to change the thermostat again. This time I have a OEM Toyota 170 degree Camry thermostat. Gotta go back in anyway because USPS fucked me when I paid for expedited shipping on belts to be delivered Sunday. Some dipshit marked it delivered to the mailbox but I never got them.

 

Then I'll try and drain it one of these nights and add a bunch more tape and hope it fixes it.

I'm not leaking from the valve it self but the nut that it's attached to so I guess just a bunch more Teflon and it will hopefully work

 

Pull the whole petcock out if needed to see what going on, put a lot of tape on should do it. That tape is so
thin it takes a lot if you have a larger gap

 

Could try pipe dope as well. Won’t degrade over time, it stays tacky, and I believe is more resistant to temperatures.

 

Going to do both so I don't have to deal with it again haha

 

Ebay
New Fan Shroud for Toyota Tacoma 1996-2000
TO3110111 1671107020 723650024621
$33

Courtesy of @BlackPearl

 

Yeah, out of stock everywhere. But damn that’s a much better price than what I just paid for. Got one from Amazon and I’m going to have to cut it up.

 

Don't see the need for a 170 stat unless you're running a blower. Motor was designed to run at 185

 

That’s why I want to run the 170.

 

I have the 185 stat with supercharger and the engine never runs at 185.

It runs at 188-190

 

That's fine. Under 200 is great. Lower that 180 isn't really good

 

Mine runs at 190-196. Exactly like it did before.

I’d like it to run ~185

 

Getting a 170 stat I don’t think will change your numbers, but try and let me know

 

This is always a debated subject. I’ve been told that before. Magnuson includes a 170 in the 4.0 kit. I don’t know why a company like magnuson would do that if it didn’t do anything at all.

You may be correct. It’s possible my system is rusted on the inside not allowing the water to take the heat with it.

It’s also possible I do in fact have a 170 stat and it allows the water to move too fast and won’t take the heat with it.

Or maybe it’s just the fact you like in a high altitude dry climate and I’m in a sea level humid climate.

 

4.0 is a totally different motor and different blower. It's a sleeved block so keeping temps down is more important. And it uses an air to water intercooler. Separate from the coolant obviously but can't really compare that to our motor.

Long as it's under 205 it's fine. You're under 200 so I wouldn't expect much of a change.

 

So I got my leak to stop and it runs fine (other than AC clutch going bad) and I'm still getting the same temps 194-203. Little disappointed that nothing changed but since my original radiator shit the bed it's not as bad

 

Yep. Mine didn’t change much either. I really think the stock radiator could cool just fine and the thermostat does make a difference despite what people say. Just using a OEM thermostat with the juggle turned to 6 gives people about 8 degrees lower temps on a stock radiator. For me, using a cheap parts store stat without a jiggle valve gave me a drop of 5 degrees or so even before the new radiator.

For my case I really think it’s the thermostat that sucks. It will work it’s way up to 199 then drop to 190 and sometimes lower then do it over and over.

I have a 180 and 170 superstat waiting to install. When I get a chance I’ll install one and report back. Just haven’t decided which one to try yet.