Good 3 row Aluminum radiators

[fgross2006]

I upgraded my 5.0 to an SVE from LMR when I got the car back in 2014.

The SVE has been in and out so many times since then that its pretty beat up and I'm sure it has a small leak. I smell antifreeze when I turn the car off but the engine is dry. It took almost a gallon of antifreeze yesterday.

Anyway, I see SVE radiators are 225 for aluminum and 240 for black aluminum. But I searched on ebay for 3 core aluminum radiators and I see a wide assortment ranging from $112 to $120. Quite a price difference. I have to think one should be as good as another, but has anyone purchased a 3 core from an ebay seller they recommend?

[dtmilsap]

I upgraded my 5.0 to an SVE from LMR when I got the car back in 2014.

The SVE has been in and out so many times since then that its pretty beat up and I'm sure it has a small leak. I smell antifreeze when I turn the car off but the engine is dry. It took almost a gallon of antifreeze yesterday.

Anyway, I see SVE radiators are 225 for aluminum and 240 for black aluminum. But I searched on ebay for 3 core aluminum radiators and I see a wide assortment ranging from $112 to $120. Quite a price difference. I have to think one should be as good as another, but has anyone purchased a 3 core from an ebay seller they recommend?

I am running a 2 row mishmotors radiator, stock fan 165 thermostat, engine is 363. Never has overheated.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[Broncojunkie]

I have used the cheap ebay 3-row welded all-aluminum radiators in 3 different vehicles so far with zero issues.

[gt pony]

I got mine from Amazon. Nice polished radiator with 19# cap. Fit perfectly and has been trouble free. As I recall it was around $160.

[mudgepondexpress]

I purchased a 3 row on Ebay from the seller: aluminum-pro. It fit well, no leaks, was polished and keeps the car at a consistent temperature. Cost of $135 with free shipping. I bought this one because I needed the automatic transmission cooler version. I would easily purchase another.

Kenny

[fgross2006]

I was thinking of taking a step up and getting a 4 row Champion. Anyone use that brand?

The SVE cools fine 99% of the time, but in heatwave weather we get in NY occasionally, in stop and go traffic my 5.0 comes very close to overheating.

Happened again last summer. When everything was closed due to covid, I was on a long drive through line to get White castles, and the layout of the lane didnt allow for me to get off the line so I was stuck there for around 30 minutes of inching up. By the time I got my food the needle was just below the Red. Once I got it moving at high speed it cooled down, but the temp climbed at every red light after that.

It only does this on crazy hot days. I was thinking a 4 row might be more efficient.

[Two86fiveoh's]

I've had great luck with the SVE in my 86, stays nice and cool no matter how hot it gets.

[fgross2006]

I've had great luck with the SVE in my 86, stays nice and cool no matter how hot it gets.

I could never get a handle on why mine does this. I put the SVE in as an upgrade from the thin stock 1 row radiator. I put in a 9 blade fan from LMR, a heavy duty fan clutch, a stock fan shroud. I played with different temp thermostats. Even tried running with no thermo. The best performance was to stick with stock 190 degree thermo. I even have a super duty fan clutch made for a truck but it fits the 5.0. It didnt make a difference so I switched back to the heavy duty clutch.

But since this only happens in really hot temp days and in stop and go traffic it never was critical. But in the interest of trying to one up my current set up I'm going to go for the Champion 4 row core. I have to change the SVE because it has a pin hole and slowly leaks. Its been in and out of my car so many times and it gets dinged up more each time so its time for a new one.

Anyone every try additives like Water Wetter or something like it?

[mudgepondexpress]

I like the Champion Radiator too! I have one in a V-8 Ford Courier. Well built unit. I will say if you are going that direction, go to a 2 * 1" tube radiator from Champion. More capacity, better cooling.

A lesson I learned a long time ago racing in circles, more blades don't always mean better cooling. I ran a 4 blade direct drive fan off a Maverick and it fixed my cooling problems while running 6800 RPM's. Too many blades blocks the airflow that should flow through the radiator when you are driving. Flex fans suck (and not in a good way)!

Water wetter is probably much like what we once called glub-glub. A non-foaming detergent that broke down the surface tension of the water (surfactant) thus it should transfer a bit more heat to the radiator tubes. Pretty expensive for what it is, but lots of roundy round guys swore by it (I used a tiny bit of detergent and a bottle of prestone corrosion inhibitor since we couldn't run anti-freeze).

Your mileage may vary

Kenny