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Ironmike

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Anyone out there have any experience with Griffin Exact Fit radiators?

Very pricey, but have to get this thing cooled down a bit. Currently running factory type rad with Derale 2600 CFM fan. Just don't like seeing 195 degrees driving down the highway. Cools down in traffic.

Just a hair away from 600HP. 4 speed Demon.

They claim their 2 row 1 1/4 tubes would give me 30% more capacity right off the bat. Any info, as usual, greatly appreciated.

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So it cools fine in traffic/low speeds but gets hot at highway speeds? Is there a coil of wire in your lower radiator hose? If not it can collapse at higher RPM's and cause poor water flow.
 
If you think the Griffin is pricey, check US Radiator. lol
 
There have been several threads about the griffin direct fit radiators, most involve cars running hot despite having really expensive radiators. They’re not nearly as impressive as their price tag would suggest.

Also, 195° isn’t hot. Let the haters talk crap, but on the street 195° is perfectly acceptable as long as it maintains it. Street cars and top fuel cars have very different needs.
 
72bluNblu said:
There have been several threads about the griffin direct fit radiators, most involve cars running hot despite having really expensive radiators. They’re not nearly as impressive as their price tag would suggest.

Also, 195° isn’t hot. Let the haters talk crap, but on the street 195° is perfectly acceptable as long as it maintains it. Street cars and top fuel cars have very different needs.
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Exactly what I was thinking - 195 isn’t hot, especially if you’re running aluminum heads
 
I'm no way in the world a hater, but I don't like anything I have to run 195 or hotter.
 
RustyRatRod said:
I'm no way in the world a hater, but I don't like anything I have to run 195 or hotter.
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Because you’ve bought into all the drag racing hoopla. Running a street car sub 180° is entirely pointless.

People seem to think it makes more power, but that’s not true. Colder air coming into the engine makes more power, and on a street car the air intake temperature is not the same as coolant temperature. Coolant temp itself has very little to do with power.

Sure, in a drag car where you’re going to shut down after a minute and ice the intake. But on a street car with an engine compartment being heated by the exhaust manifolds or headers for miles on end? Nope.
 
first off 195 is fine. does it stop at 195 or does it continue to climb when on the highway? a lot of these cars originally had 195 stats in them.

but if you are that worried about it, how about a picture of the rad and fan set up? is the electric fan blocking air flow at speed? it runs 195 on the highway, what rpm ya turning? whats it "cool" down to when off the highway? are you running the proper water pump? whats the pulley situation?
 
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Ironmike said:
Anyone out there have any experience with Griffin Exact Fit radiators?

Very pricey, but have to get this thing cooled down a bit. Currently running factory type rad with Derale 2600 CFM fan. Just don't like seeing 195 degrees driving down the highway. Cools down in traffic.

Just a hair away from 600HP. 4 speed Demon.

They claim their 2 row 1 1/4 tubes would give me 30% more capacity right off the bat. Any info, as usual, greatly appreciated.

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I`m running a 28x19 griffin , its part of a combination that took me awhile to get right ,
195 ain't bad , but something is impeding your air flow , probably the elec fan...
68 fastback / 505c.i./ 3;73 gears ....2 computer programs say 703 h.p. , but never been on Dyno...
 
Ricks70Duster340 said:
So it cools fine in traffic/low speeds but gets hot at highway speeds? Is there a coil of wire in your lower radiator hose? If not it can collapse at higher RPM's and cause poor water flow.
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Yep. Anti collapse wire in there. Will get hot(190ish), just cruising around at around even at 45 MPH steadily. Head into town hit a bunch of stop lights, comes right down to 175-180'
was told this is a classic sign of not enough capacity.

I personally feel like the electric fan and shroud combo just doesn't let in enough air at cruise speed. My fan turns 2600RPM constant, or so Derale says. At 60 MPH my engine driven fan would have been 3200.(Engine RPM)

I just don't want to give up 40HP or so, with the engine driven fan.
 
whats this electric fan and shroud kit look lile? sure sounds like not enough air getting through at speed to me. i prefer belt driven fans myself.
 
abodyjoe said:
first off 195 is fine. does it stop at 195 or does it continue to climb when on the highway? a lot of these cars originally had 195 stats in them.

but if you are that worried about it, how about a picture of the rad and fan set up? is the electric fan blocking air flow at speed? it runs 195 on the highway, what rpm ya turning? whats it "cool" down to when off the highway? are you running the proper water pump? whats the pulley situation?
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here's a couple pics. Pulley looks to be a 1 to 1 ratio.

rad2.jpg


ras1.jpg
 
Hey man....I prefer belt driven fans too, but it's a proven fact they eat a LOT of horsepower. See Enginemasters fan episode.
 
Ironmike said:
Hey man....I prefer belt driven fans too, but it's a proven fact they eat a LOT of horsepower. See Enginemasters fan episode.
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run hot or give up a few hp. i know what way i'm going... i mean you still have a heater and winshield washers in the car so its not like you are trying to get every tiny bit of performance out of the car anyway.. doubt you would even fee a difference.
 
I’m certainly no expert, but 2 things that I’ve always read and heard from guys with way more knowledge than me is belted fans got a bad rap for robbing power and the actual numbers for a clutch fan is 9-12 hp, and as far as electric fans go, you need a 3000 CFM minimum setup for a performance engine.
 
I'm going to really give it a thorough shakedown to see if it gets hotter than 195. Then I'll go from there. I'm glad I saved my shroud, just in case I go back to an engine driven fan. I'm with Rusty, on the fact I JUST DON'T like 195. I know it's probably ok, but........so close to TOO HOT!

The little 3 tube factory rad will probably go away for the Cold Case replacement no matter what I do. I think. :BangHead:
 
Forgot to mention that dyno numbers are a fact. Just watch the episode. 35- 40 Horsepower. That's substantial. Maybe not necessary in my case but still substantial.

We carefully choose our parts, build our engines with utmost care and cost for performance, and a fan robs us. The numbers don't lie. How much does it cost us for an instant 40 HP gain? Sounds stupid I know but somehow it matters.
 
Ironmike said:
Forgot to mention that dyno numbers are a fact. Just watch the episode. 35- 40 Horsepower. That's substantial. Maybe not necessary in my case but still substantial.

We carefully choose our parts, build our engines with utmost care and cost for performance, and a fan robs us. The numbers don't lie. How much does it cost us for an instant 40 HP gain? Sounds stupid I know but somehow it matters.
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I’d like to watch that episode- do you have a link?
 
Does your shroud have little rubber flappers to let airflow in at speed? You can see all the little flaps on my cooling package both above and below the fans. That's "just" a Champion 22" radiator. This is what's in my avatar car and it seems to cool just fine, even down here in Florida when driven on the streets in the summer heat. I'd say it runs between 170-190F depending on if I have 1 or 2 fans turned on and the type of driving being done. I believe those little flaps help at speed but have no way to prove it. Car has a 4.10 axle in it.

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I visited a friend the other day. He owns a body-restoration shop, mainly Mopars. He has started doing Hellcat swaps and says Griffin is the only radiator that he will use. He says-you get what you pay for.
 
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