IROCaholic

Alright I just installed my griffin 2 row aluminum radiator last week and my car is over heating still. Now I have been told that the stock fan will not cool the big griffin is this true. Also I think the cooling problem may have started when I installed an aftermarket trans cool in front of the radiator. Could this be blocking the radiator from incoming air? Thanks for the help guys.

meeklay812

I recently did this exact swap with a Griffin 31 x 19 with a tranny cooler in front of it with the stock single fan that came with my lo3. I haven't had any problems with it yet, then again i have yet to drive it in hot weather...

Timz2882

iTrader: (1)

i got the griffin 31x19 and TCI trans cooler. and single mechanical fan and it doesnt even get to 180*, ill let you know since this yr i got a actual workin temp gauge, so ill find out this spring/summer but i didnt feel a differnce from last summer and the winter.

IROCaholic

I think the problem i am having is that the air dam isnt functioning properly therefore not feeding enough air to the radiator. So I will probably go to a more powerful fan. Does anyone know the size of the stock fan?

Timz2882

iTrader: (1)

go to the dealer and see if they have a new air dam. wouldnt hurt to try and might save your self alot of money and time.

1quickIROC

Did you guys have to do any mods to get the radiator in. I'm thinking of doing this swap and need to know how hard it will be to put the alum. rad. in.

Timz2882

iTrader: (1)

i had to take the dremal to my fan shroud but other then that nope.

cc 82Z-28

iTrader: (7)

I have the same exact stuff on my 82 Z-28, Griffin Rad and a trans cooler in front of it and I don't have any overheating problems anymore. But you definately need the fan shroud on the radiator and the air dam that mounts below the radiator support or it simply won't have enough air going through the radiator to cool it down. Put those on and your problem will go away.

GodSpeedGTA

iTrader: (1)

Hey guys does a trans cooler come with every aluminum radiator or did you buy yours separate after purchasing the griffin?

also what all kinds of adjusting did you have to do to fit 31X19 aluminum radiator?

last but not least im going to purchase an aluminum race radiator and im looking at this one on ebay
click here

Is this a good deal? Is there a cheaper route? I want to get a 2 row 1 - 1.25" tube radiator with a nice trans cooler with no epoxy used on it

IROCaholic

This radiator was probably the easiest non direct fit part I have ever put on my car. It took me like three hours. All I did was cut some rubber for the bottom mounts and cut my fan shroud to accomdate the top of the rad. Then I used some washers to keep the fan from hitting the rad and bam I was ready to go. Also you need an aftermarket trans cooler there isnt one with this radiator.
GodSpeedGTA I would go with the griffin 31x19 with dual 1'' cores like I said before it was an easy install and the craftsmanship on this radiator is very nice. Also I have heard that dual 1.25 core rads are alot harder to install. Combine that with an aftermarket trans and you should be set cool just about any SBC. Hey I just noticed your in houston you should check out the south central region board, Us houston guys are having a big meet in march I hope to see you there.

GodSpeedGTA

iTrader: (1)

Irocaholic im down with the get together thing but also did you check that ebay link with the aluminum radiator?? do you think 322 bucks is worth it it comes with a 7 row trans cooler already and its two row 1" tubes what do you think? Grab that link and check it out...i need to get one soon my rad is leaking slowly right now

IROCaholic

I did check it out and I am saying that the griffin is a better deal. The griffin was $210 to my door. Combine that with about a $60 B&M trans cooler and you are looking at the exact same cooling power for a better deal. Niether one of them is hard to install at all either.

1quickIROC

IROCaholic, where did you get your radiator from?

IROCaholic

www.jegs.com

grover85

iTrader: (1)

To the guys with the griffen radiators. Do you like them? I was thinking about buying one to replace my stock 3 core brass.

Barry85Iroc

I put in a 2-fan stock setup, and it works fine.

IROCaholic

Well I just bought a Zirgo 3300 cfm fan and installed a 190 degree thremostat and the car never sees higher than 210 so I guess my prob is fixed.

Barry85Iroc

Are you running A/C?

IROCaholic

Nope!

Barry85Iroc

Then you should be OK. May go up slightly in the summer when the real heat hits.

esc

iTrader: (6)

I have a Griffen with 2 1.5" cores. They made a special part # just for me when I ordered it about 6 years ago. (I actually had to buy it through Summit)

When it arrived the corner was bent and the cap wouldn't seal properly. I welded on a new water neck and it was fine. But there are a few options available...

W or w/o heater hose
W or W/o Auto Tranny cooling fittings

Make sure you specify wehat you need. You can also specify -AN fittings for the tranny cooling (I wish I had), but you would probably have to talk to Griffen directly for that. You might even end up with YOUR own part number like I did.

When I put it in I origionally switched to a dual electric fan setup from a '92 Z-28. It ran a little cooler when ideling but at speed it ran really hot. The faster I went the hotter it ran.

So I switched back to a flex fan. The flex fan runs 5 to 10d hotter at idle, but the faster I go the cooler it runs.

Griffen warned me when I ordered the radiator that 2 1.5" cores would be tough to draw air through at idle, but they also said that anything smaller might get hot with more than 500hp.

One final note: When I switched from my stock '82 SC front end to a '92 the car immediatly ran 40d hotter. nstalling the air dam under the radiator got 20d back.

malcolmdyer

I swapped a 91 front onto my 86 and it runs hotter cruising,
210º even with the airdam installed.
Idling my dual fans get it down to 185º.
I am lacking the air baffles that guide the air to the radiator,
these came stock on later models I believe.
It would be appreciated if someone could put up a pic of this behind the rad area so I can judge what I need.

GodSpeedGTA

iTrader: (1)

Does anyone have the exact dimensions of the radiators for our cars or atleast GTAs (i dunno if its diff) im checking into the griffin and all but id like something as close to exact as possible.

Night rider327

iTrader: (13)

Advance auto part's website shows pics with sizes on stock rasd.

I looked up a 1988 camaro 350 and it shows

Core size 26.25" x 17.25" x 1-3/8" 1 row

Thank sizes
Inlet 2.5" x 18.75"
Outlet 2.5" x 18.75"

Hose fittings
Inlet 1 5/16"
Outlet 1-9/16"
Plastic tanks/alum. core


I just bought the summit alum, 2 rows of 1" cores 31" x 19" alum rad. It fits great. I'll have some pictures later this week, but it fits fine. The top is alittle higher than stock, left to right seems about the same.

My hoses fits, my stock rad. cap fits. No probs that I see.

I made some homemade mounts out of plumbers pipe strap for my elec fan (non stock) and to bolt the rad in the car.