Radiator

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directconnection340

directconnection340

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Hi everyone. Im getting ready to purchase a radiator for my 72 duster 340 rebuild. I"ve done about all the research I can look up on radiators. its a non ac car. Can anyone recommend should I go aluminum or copper/brass original. 3 core or 4 core. I believe the original was a 17x22

Thanks.
 
directconnection340 said:
Hi everyone. Im getting ready to purchase a radiator for my 72 duster 340 rebuild. I"ve done about all the research I can look up on radiators. its a non ac car. Can anyone recommend should I go aluminum or copper/brass original. 3 core or 4 core. I believe the original was a 17x22

Thanks.
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I went with the cold case aluminum 3 core with the 2 electric fans and shroud from them also I am very happy with my set up
 
IMHO

Copper brass and the cooling level designed for your engine.

There is much more to cooling than 3 core or 4 core.

  1. Do you have the correct water pump for your pulleys
  2. Do you have the correct radiator for your water pump
  3. Do you have the correct fan and or thermostic fan clutch for your application.
  4. Do you have the OEM correct fan shroud. If it had one for the application.
  5. Are you duplicating standard cooling A/C cooling or HD cooling
Each part of the system has to work with the other correctly to not have issues.

The factory was able to cool a 383 /440 with the propper components.

Also don't get hung up on keeping the engine temp to 180 deg under ALL driving conditions, it will make you crazy.
Good luck
 
The high efficiency two row would have cooled even better.
 
Aluminum looks wrong but cools great. Lots of Chinese junk radiators out there. Cooling fins per inch is the key. Shroud is best. Big fan blades. Good luck.
 
66Valiant528 said:
Aluminum looks wrong but cools great. Lots of Chinese junk radiators out there. Cooling fins per inch is the key. Shroud is best. Big fan blades. Good luck.
Click to expand...
Correct. That's exactly why some of the two row radiators cool better. More cooling fins per inch AND more tube exposure to air. Cramming too many tubes into a radiator can end up blocking air flow.
 
The more rows (thicker) you have in the radiator, the more airflow restriction it has...

Sometimes a two or three row is better than a four row.... You want area vs thickness for best cooling....
 
I have a ColdCase 2 row. Works well. The only downside is they are thicker and so fitting a fan can get difficult but do-able. Stock shroud works too but some work is needed to seal it around the core as it is spaces away from the core by the way they set up the mounting.

If you want OEM fit and look, get an OEM replacement. They work when everything else is correct (tune, shroud, seals, fan, etc)
 
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I am restoring/modifying my '68 Formula S FB 340 and need to change to the '70+ water pump setup as I am running Edelbrock aluminum heads and the alternator sill not clear the head when using the '68 iron WP. Didn't know this going in, but need to deal with it. I want to run an aluminum radiator with electric fans but I had clearance issues when running the 2018 version of the Champion radiator and fan combination. So I made careful measurements of the engine and had my brother measure his Cuda for clearance as mine is in the restoration shop without the engine installed. The drawing above is done in Excel with 1/2" square cellsto mock up any radiator if dimensions are given. The engine is 22.5"L x 19"W in dark blue. The timing chain cover is 2.5" and the aluminum WP is 5.5". My brother measured the distance from the timing chain/WP mounting face to the radiator support at 12". So this is the critical distance that the WP, fan (mechanical or electric) and radiator have to fit in.

The stock WP (iron) is 4 3/4" wide and the '70+ WP is 5 1/2" wide. If the radiator is 3" and the fan assembly is 3.5", there is no clearance especially considering that I am using the WP fan mounting face for measurement. So you have to include 1/4" for the bolts and fan pilol pin in these measurements.

The way I see it, if you run two each 10" electric fans, there may be clearance between the fans for the WP snout to fit without hitting anything. Can anyone verify that this is correct?
I am assuming that there are no dimensional changes between the 67-69 A-Bodies and the 70-74 A-bodies that would change this analysis. I live at 5800 feet in the Denver area so air density is about 25% less than at sea level. As cooling is a function of mass flow, not CFM itself, I need better radiator cooling than most people. I would appreciate any comments from people that live at higher altitudes on cooling. And yes, HP is down at this elevation as well. Having grown up in SoCal at sea level, I miss the added HP from my 340.

My Cuda is an original 340 FS FB in Black. Had AMD replace finders and rear valance, but otherwise solid sheetmetal. Added US Car Toos Stage II stiffening kit incluing subframe connectors, torque boxes, upper control arm support brackets, and radiator yoke support. Should be a solid foundation. Having the k-frame stiffened and then will begin reassembly.

20230111_102910[1].jpg


20230111_102854[1].jpg
 
Dana67Dart said:
IMHO

Copper brass and the cooling level designed for your engine.

There is much more to cooling than 3 core or 4 core.

  1. Do you have the correct water pump for your pulleys
  2. Do you have the correct radiator for your water pump
  3. Do you have the correct fan and or thermostic fan clutch for your application.
  4. Do you have the OEM correct fan shroud. If it had one for the application.
  5. Are you duplicating standard cooling A/C cooling or HD cooling
Each part of the system has to work with the other correctly to not have issues.

The factory was able to cool a 383 /440 with the propper components.

Also don't get hung up on keeping the engine temp to 180 deg under ALL driving conditions, it will make you crazy.
Good luck
Click to expand...
i agree
but iam not spending 600 to recore my 68 340 38086 rad
when i can get the job done for 250 with alum rad
and that super duper 5/16 is prolly 900
 
RLF Cuda said:
The way I see it, if you run two each 10" electric fans, there may be clearance between the fans for the WP snout to fit without hitting anything
Click to expand...
I guarantee you will have overheating problems.
 
a-bodyguy said:
i agree
but iam not spending 600 to recore my 68 340 38086 rad
when i can get the job done for 250 with alum rad
Click to expand...
Spend the 350 now or later, your choice.

Just search all the threads that have overheating in the title. And look for the common parts.

AL radiator, and electric fans
 
Dana67Dart said:
Spend the 350 now or later, your choice.

Just search all the threads that have overheating in the title. And look for the common parts.

AL radiator, and electric fans
Click to expand...
i was quoted 625 for the 38086 the 5/16 super duper what 900
some people have built 340s run 14.8 15.0
used properly it works fine its all in the setup
my 70 duster 10.4 to 1 243@50 single plane tall tires 3.23s auto
stock water pump
i ran no fan at all
no front bumper
never over heated
It would start to climb if stuck in say bumper to bumper fireworks traffic for 10 min just turn it off as soon as moving came right back to normal
no pinging on 94 mid 12s car on spray
chebby friends thought car was possessed not over heating with no fan :)
 
The Edelbrock heads must be different than my trick flows, I have no clearance issues with the cast iron pump. You are giving up 3/4's " there. Incorrect pulleys? I have no cooling issues with my set up.
Click to expand...
 
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