Aftermarket Radiator...which are U using?

[ssms5411]

Re: Aftermarket Radiator...which are U using?

Neither LS1 nor LT1 radiators are "reverse" flow. What's reverse flow is the Gen II V8s cooling system but the radiator flows the same way as others, ie: in at the top left and out and the bottom right.

Heres some info for LT1 radiators so no one uses them.

One of the greatest features of the '92 and up Chevrolet LT1 engine is the reverse flow cooling system. In fact it is reverse flow cooling that is truly the key to the incredible performance of the modern LT1. Reverse flow cooling is vastly superior to the conventional cooling systems used on virtually all other engines. This is because it cools the cylinder heads first, preventing detonation and allowing for a much higher compression ratio and more spark advance on a given grade of gasoline. A fringe benefit is that cylinder bore temperatures are higher and more uniform, which reduces piston ring friction. Because of this new cooling system, the LT1 can easily meet ever increasing emissions standards with significant gains in power, durability, and reliability

The LT1 is completely different since it uses reverse flow cooling. The incoming coolant first encounters the thermostat, which now acts both on the inlet and outlet sides of the system. Depending on the engine coolant temperature, cold coolant from the radiator is carefully metered into the engine. This allows a more controlled amount of cold coolant to enter, which immediately mixes with the bypass coolant already flowing. This virtually eliminates the thermal shock present in the old system.

After entering through one side of the 2-way thermostat (at the appropriate temperature), the cold coolant is routed directly to the cylinder heads first, where the combustion chambers, spark plugs and exhaust ports are cooled. Then the heated coolant returns to the engine block and circulates around the cylinder barrels. The hot coolant from the block re-enters the water pump, and hits the other side of the 2-way thermostat, where it is either re-circulated back through the engine or directed to the radiator, depending on temperature.

The main concept behind reverse flow cooling is to cool the heads first, which greatly reduces the tendency for detonation, and is the primary reason that the LT1 can run 10.5 to 1 compression and fairly significant ignition advance on modern lead-free gasoline. Reverse flow cooling is THE KEY to the Generation II LT1s increased power, durability, and reliability over the first generation smallblock engine

[sekanda]

Re: Aftermarket Radiator...which are U using?

Thank you very much.

An aux transmisson cooler is mounted since I bought the car.
I´ll take the 9020 for 108 USD + 99 shipping to Austria.

The dealers in Austria take 600 usd for an aftermarket and 800 usd for an OEM. :omg:

lg.
Alex

[ssms5411]

Re: Aftermarket Radiator...which are U using?

I paid $200 shipped for a new all alm. 3 core radiator 2"s thick on ebay, it is a Champian radiator and has done great so far in the AZ heat. I run a 45,000 aux tranny cooler which is doing great also.

[Hib Halverson]

Re: Aftermarket Radiator...which are U using?

Heres some info for LT1 radiators so no one uses them.

One of the greatest features of the '92 and up Chevrolet LT1 engine is the reverse flow cooling system. In fact it is reverse flow cooling that is truly the key to the incredible performance of the modern LT1. Reverse flow cooling is vastly superior to the conventional cooling systems used on virtually all other engines. (snip)

IMO, that info doesn't discuss radiators at all. It discusses engine cooling system design.

As I said previously, the "reverse flow" cooling has to do with the Gen II V8's (LT1, LT4, L99) engine cooling jackets and coolant flow through them not the radiator.

The radiator used in 93-97 Camaros with both V6 engines and V8 engines was always a cross-flow radiator, aluminum-core/plastic-tanks, with the radiator inlet on the top of the driver side tank and the outlet at the bottom of the passenger side tank.

The engine's reverse flow cooling has no effect on the 93-97 radiator's suitability as an alternative to an OE V6 radiator.

[ssms5411]

Re: Aftermarket Radiator...which are U using?

The LT1 is completely different since it uses reverse flow cooling. The incoming coolant first encounters the thermostat, which now acts both on the inlet and outlet sides of the system. Depending on the engine coolant temperature, cold coolant from the radiator is carefully metered into the engine. This allows a more controlled amount of cold coolant to enter, which immediately mixes with the bypass coolant already flowing. This virtually eliminates the thermal shock present in the old system.

After entering through one side of the 2-way thermostat (at the appropriate temperature), the cold coolant is routed directly to the cylinder heads first, where the combustion chambers, spark plugs and exhaust ports are cooled. Then the heated coolant returns to the engine block and circulates around the cylinder barrels. The hot coolant from the block re-enters the water pump, and hits the other side of the 2-way thermostat, where it is either re-circulated back through the engine or directed to the radiator, depending on temperature.


We don't have this on 3.8's or LS1's, this is why TA Creations says to get a LT1 radiator if your swaping in a LT1 since the flow is different.

[Hib Halverson]

Re: Aftermarket Radiator...which are U using?

As I've said before and will say, again, the flow through the radiator in a car with a Gen II V8 (LT1, LT4 or L99) is no different. What is different, as others have posted, is the coolant flow through the engine.

The Gen II V8 cooling system was a one time solution to a difficult problem GM had with the traditional small block V8 architecture making 300 SAE net (or 330 SAE net in the case of the LT4) horsepower and meeting GM durability targets and that was high combustion chamber temperatures with the desired 10.5:1 compression ratio causing detonation. The solution was to cool the cylinder heads first rather than cooling them with coolant which had already been heated by flow through the block. That was a reversal of the coolant flow though a "traditional" or Gen 1 small block V8, hence the name "reverse flow cooling". This forced so many changes to the block and heads that GM called these engines "Generation II Small-Block V8s".

The Gen III V8s (LS1, LS6 and truck engines) and the 3800 don't use reverse flow cooling and do not need it so, in the interest of simplicity and lower cost, both engines use conventional cooling. The 3800's compression ratio is not high enough to present a problem. The Gen IIIs have a much better cooling jacket design but they need better cooling at the top of the bores so the return to conventional cooling was a good choice.