Champion Radiator Aluminum 3 core swap

Looks like I'll be sticking with stock since the all aluminum radiator is unreliable. I got 13 years out of the original radiator, and this one has 7 on it so far so good. I can't justify paying for a fancy radiator when the stock one works fine for me. I'm hitting temps between 190-194 on average.

 

Probably going to have one made with Extruded Cooling Tubes (ECT).
This is an old technology but new to having it added to the radiator and is far superior.

I want my temperature at 186-188 ALL the time even in 100 plus degrees at idle.

Those dam aluminum heads are so sensitive to heat and I want mine to be always in the green zone.

My old stock radiator my temperature would push 200 degrees on a hot day and that’s why I switched to
the champion larger radiator.

 

I'm wondering how many people who have popped this radiator have changed out the cap to the "better" one than the "cheap" one that come with the radiator.

The "better" one is rated at a higher pressure.

 

I switched to a different radiator cap but it was the same pressure as the original one

 

Haha, guess what, they are out of stock again.
My radiator, It’s just weeping a small amount right now, so when they are back in stock I will replace it and keep it as a backup.

I will look at getting a different high performance radiator tho

 

In my Camaro I'm running a Griffin aluminum 2 core(1.25 tubes) 31"x19.5" by 3" wide radiator . With a high flow 180° thermostat the built sbc won't go over 180° on a 105° ambient air day in the High Desert . This is even with a very loose 10" 4k stall converter

My old brass 3 core radiator with a 160° thermostat on 105° day would run at 220°

 

That’s what I want.

 

Did you go with a Extruded Cooling Tube design?

 

Nope just standard 1.25" tubes

 

What makes you think a different radiator will keep any cooler at idle? It’s supposedly rated for “500hp” I don’t think that is the radiators fault. There are a number of variables at play. The bottom radiator hose on mine is always cool enough to rest your hand on. Even on 100 degrees days with uncomfortable levels of humidity.

Anyway, add yours to the list of failures. Then we can send this thread to champion to see what they do about it. And keep us updated on where you’re getting your custom radiator

 

I’m ok with the temperature going up a little at idle. The weeping is my issue.

I’m thinking these radiators are not built well enough to take much pressure.

The weeping I have is on the bottom around two of the vertical tube joints connected to the bottom header.

These radiators are probably rated around 20 pounds pressure.

The Extruded Cooling Tube design are rated at 60-100 pounds and are made of much higher quality thicker aluminum.

Just thinking my next step.

As I said before I really was sold on the champion radiator till now 15 months later

 

I’m curious what the failure rate is on Champions. Seems extremely high on such a small sample size. It’s little fucked up that Champion seems to be content with failures possibly killing people motors from overheating then being out of stock on replacements.

Anyway, Ive read that Champion uses epoxy to keep the tubes in. I believe this is why it seems to look like rust where they fail.

 

I was almost going to get a Champion radiator for my Camaro until I did some research !!! . The radiator I was looking at was rated at 850hp and was a 3 row design . What I found out was for Champion to build a 3 row would result in smaller dia tubes

These tubes were also only 3/4" which would not allow heat transfer properly . End result would be radiator that wouldn't be able to cool the motor


As I mentioned my Griffin radiator with 2 rows and 1.25 tubes outperforms the Champion

 

Im not an expert but from what I understand is that slower flow is many times better. If the water moves too fast it can’t effectively take heat with it. Your fan can move too much air too having the same effect. This is why if you run without a thermostat if can actually overheat your motor. I read up on this comparing 2 rows to 3 rows.

 

I've talked with a few race engine builders here and they said the champion radiator due to its 3 row design using small tubes is a very inefficient design

 

Well it’s cheap. But with with the Superstant 170 degree thermostat I run my water temps are a consistent 181-185. I’ve seen it get to 190 a few times while boosting up a long hill with the torque converter unlocked. The trans doesn’t go above 190 either.

I’d like to add that with the last regular 170 STANT with a much smaller hole it ran 189-197. The thermostat design has a pretty significant impact despite the temperature ratings.

 

The champion radiator does a much better job over stock and keeps the temps down.
But to have to take a chance on it popping a leak and again they are out of stock for warranty is a problem, last year this time they were out of stock for 4 months or so.

 

Has anyone done a radiator bushing kit or modification? So that the radiator has some flexibility instead
of a direct solid bolt mount.

If so what type bushing or setup did you go with.

 

Could be because the Tacoma’s do not have radiator bushings. Possibly a simple fix with adding
bushing to either side or one side of the radiator and the mount so the radiator can flex a bit. I think most vehicles have radiator bushings.

 

The Champion already makes things tighter. I wouldn’t really want less room to work. But if they keep it from breaking it may be necessary.