best radiator brands.

[78 Chevyrado]

I got a big ol crack in the bottom of my rad, need a new one. 

I'm not paying more than $180 for a rad.  so none of the $700 ones please.   I could buy 3 or 4 cheap ones over a twenty year period for what one of those expensive rads cost...

Just stock replacement...  No squarebody Ive ever had has had overheating problems ever...

bit off topic...  but if any of you have gotten a hold of those so called low pressure rad caps they sell you when you ask for a stock replacement...  they make no pressure till it gets too hot...   the stant cap my truck calls for is now WRONG FOR MY TRUCK.  it made my truck overheat on the freeway...  stant is full of crap.  stant is full of crap stant is full of crap...  If you are having this problem let me know tomorrow ill give you the STANT PN for a cap that works correctly...  as in makes pressure all the time and keeps the truck cool like OE. 


Which brand should I get?  which is better?  Vista-Pro or Spectra?   this is all there is available without going to full aluminum and a $500+ price tag....

Not paying $500+ for any radiator unless it's in a rare vehicle, and old as they are our trucks are by no measure of the imagination rare...  ya know...  54 Hudson...  ill pay big for a rad...  78 c20...  I just can't do it...  ya know...

[Captkaos]

I used Murray on my Diesel...  from O'Reilly's  It was Copper..
I got an aluminum one from the local radiaor shop for my R10 when it had the 305, Aluminum with plastic tanks.  $150....

[78 Chevyrado]

I used Murray on my Diesel...  from O'Reilly's  It was Copper..
I got an aluminum one from the local radiaor shop for my R10 when it had the 305, Aluminum with plastic tanks.  $150....

Should I hunt up a metal tank unit, or is the new aluminum/plastic units fine?   I don't remember which I have now, I know I bought it in 2002...  bout5 years before I got the truck, and it's just failing now.   

[78 Chevyrado]

not bein a smart alec...  I dunno I haven't bought a rad for an old car since 2002 or 3.

back then you got what it came with...  brass n such...  solder n all lead is just a bonus...lol

[Captkaos]

I wouldn't think twice of a plastic / aluminum unit.

[SNWBLL]

I bought the heavy duty O'Reilly's stock replacement and it has worked perfectly. Even running a/c on hot days in Alabama.

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[78 Chevyrado]

Thanks for the input guys.  I'll get the murray replacement for it when I get to it.

[78 Chevyrado]

Got one coming.  bought it 2 hours ago.  should be at the store to pick up in 2 hours.

Will be nice to have the truck back.  haven't driven it in almost 6 weeks.

I'm gonna cruise it and mull over the cosmos later today...lol

[blazing816]

I have had a O'reily's aluminum with plastic caps, for almost 4 years now and have never had a problem, and my trucks stays at about 180-190 on 85F days.

[78 Chevyrado]

I ended upbuying from advance auto.  cuz oreillys had no specs for anything... 

My Truck had a three row brass tank...  this is important.

All i could find online is 2 row or 4 row...

I bit it and bought a 2 row, (knowing i could return it easily)

I found this. out

I had a three row rad.

I bought a two row rad.  although, the tubes inside were big enough to almost be a four row equivalent.  old rad had three rows, new one had two rows but both rows were 3 times wider than the single row in my three row.  so the two row is 1/4" wider than my old three row and would cool better

If this is hard to read I'm listening to jenna marbles right now.  Shes my girls friend.   look her up, its hard to type while shes talking super fast...dang women

[Stewart G Griffin]

i got one for my cavalier at Advance auto.  i think it's a Dorman brand and has held up just fine.

Unfortunately, i don't think gm/Ac delco no longer makes a radiator for the 73-87's.   i'm not sure if Delphi is/was still part of gm but i think they carry a part #.    24566394  That is for an 83, but i would imagine it would also fit at 78 or they also carry a part # for it.

[Stewart G Griffin]

P.S., i think the Spectra brand is made by Dorman, so it should be ok quality.

[Engineer]

i got one for my cavalier at Advance auto.  i think it's a Dorman brand and has held up just fine.

Unfortunately, i don't think gm/Ac delco no longer makes a radiator for the 73-87's.   i'm not sure if Delphi is/was still part of gm but i think they carry a part #.    24566394  That is for an 83, but i would imagine it would also fit at 78 or they also carry a part # for it.

Old thread, I know, but I bought a lightly used Delphi # RA1194. It is the replacement for the factory 4-core radiator used with the 454, and 400sb across many years up to '87. It is aluminum/plastic. On the tank it says "GM Harrison" just like the radiator in my '02 Silverado with the 8.1L.

[78 Chevyrado]

I got the "Ready-Rad Radiator 433730"

I misread something somewhere, or got scared by the TWO-row claim.

Well I put it in a while back, it started leaking last week, so I'm replacing it. 

I had a three-row in my small block truck.  this is an HD cooling rad.  for 350 or 454...  HD cooling.

I kinda crammed it in with my stock rubber mounts...  may be why it leaked...  tho two of the crimped parts to the tank weren't crimped so good...



Well I just ordered a set of new rubber BIG BLOCK mounts from summit, so we'll see if that fixes it.  if it fits better, i think ill have it fixed up. 

If this one fails ill get my money back and recore the old rad or pay out the butt for a brass one like it had when new.  we'll see.  pisses me off the most because i can't trust it...  i won't drive it more than 20 miles or so..  that don't fly.

[78 Chevyrado]

I'm all fixed up now

To use this radiator you need OER Radiator Retainer Pad - Big Block     OER PN# 6264100

They're not to cheap at $7 a piece at summit, but they work and will last another 40 years.