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Oil cooler & Heavy Duty Radiator

warp8

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 5, 2006
Messages
95
Location
Florida
My recently rebuilt 86 is running hot. 275 oil 230 water. The radiator is fairly new and I have tried everything to bring it down.

Anyone now a good source for an oil cooler & heavy duty radiator.
 
I have a GM oil cooler it sandwiches between the filter and the block and uses engine coolant to cool the oil was on a 87 GTA that I am parting out. you will need to "T" into your heater lines. Make me a reasonable offer before I Ebay it.
Craig sr.
 
I have a GM oil cooler it sandwiches between the filter and the block and uses engine coolant to cool the oil was on a 87 GTA that I am parting out. you will need to "T" into your heater lines. Make me a reasonable offer before I Ebay it.
Craig sr.

Thanks for the offer, but that would just further tax my radiator. I bit the bullet and ordered a Dewitt Direct replacement.

Now, has anyone installed an aftermarket oil to air cooler on an early C4.
 
230 coolant temp is pretty high. When you re-instlalled the current radiator, did you clean the A/C condensor coils? Anything lodged in there will restrict the flow of air to the radiator and that can cause high coolant temps. Is the lower air dam in place and in good shape?

Is the cooling fan coming on at the correct temp? If you have the B4P auxilary cooling fan, is it coming on?

Did you install new upper and lower radiator hoses when the you replaced the radiator? Collapsing of the lower hose (if it's old) can severely curtail the flow of coolant through the water pump. How about the thermostat? It could be sticking and not allowing full flow of coolant.

It's also possible that the impeller in the water pump is worn down to the point where the pump cannot flow enough coolant. If there was rust in the cooling systemat some point, then the impeller blades could be partially rusted away.
 
230 coolant temp is pretty high. When you re-instlalled the current radiator, diCustom Promd you clean the A/C condensor coils?

Yes

Anything lodged in there will restrict the flow of air to the radiator and that can cause high coolant temps. Is the lower air dam in place and in good shape?
Is the cooling fan coming on at the correct temp? If you have the B4P
auxilary cooling fan, is it coming on?

Custom Prom Fan on at 185



Did you install new upper and lower radiator hoses when the you replaced the radiator? Collapsing of the lower hose (if it's old) can severely curtail the flow of coolant through the water pump. How about the thermostat? It could be sticking and not allowing full flow of coolant.

Both hoses new

It's also possible that the impeller in the water pump is worn down to the point where the pump cannot flow enough coolant. If there was rust in the cooling systemat some point, then the impeller blades could be partially rusted away.

New water pump
 
Have you put one of these on. I was wondering what size and where to put it.

I haven't had a chance to put one on. I've been working on a project to help us make them more effectively. They're nice coolers.

You could call the Earl's help line and tell them what you want to accomplish. I think they could give you size guidance. I'll probably grab a set of brake lines before I do a cooler.
 
I haven't had a chance to put one on. I've been working on a project to help us make them more effectively. They're nice coolers.

You could call the Earl's help line and tell them what you want to accomplish. I think they could give you size guidance. I'll probably grab a set of brake lines before I do a cooler.

Forgot to add this: 310 609-1602
 
The one single item that made the most difference with cooling for me was a Robert Shaw thermostat (and that was AFTER a Dewitts radiator)

Bill
 
The thermostat may be restricting coolant flow if everything else is in good shape or new. Also check the pressure cap to see if it's maintaining the proper pressure. Might check the cooling system to see it it's holding pressure.

My radiator is still the original and while the engine has a few mods, I never see temps over 200-210 or so on the street in the summer. Although WA temps may not typically exceed 90 degrees for more than a few days, the car still runs cool. It has a 180 degree stat and the auxliary B4P fan.

Even doing track days with the car will not cause coolant temps to go much above 220 and oil temps will occasionally hit 240 after 4 or 5 laps at speed. I have the factory oil cooler in place and use Mobil-1 5W-30 and a Mobil-1 filter.

Did you verify that the fans are running? You can jump pins A and B in the ALDL and turn the ignition on and that forces the fans to run. There's always a possibility of an air pocket in the system if you have just drained/refilled the coolant. Coolant should be no more than a 50-50 mix of coolant and distilled water.
 
I installed the DeWitt today. Sure is a pretty radiator. Drops right in with new pads. Coolant level sensor was a ***** to get in.

Temps seem better. Will know more after road test.
 
I installed the DeWitt today. Sure is a pretty radiator. Drops right in with new pads. Coolant level sensor was a ***** to get in.

Temps seem better. Will know more after road test.

Please keep us posted on the DeWitt radiator, and any difference it makes.

Good luck!

/s/ Chris
 

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