Excellent job, by all...MTS appreciates your hard work and effort.

 

I can't wait to do this in conjunction with a SuperMod eFan.

Well done

 

Great write up. I know some have the Supermod EFan already, But if you are going to be getting one. Have them mock it for the radiator swap. That is what I did. Holes and pins are already there for the swap.

 

You could but if your not doing it right away like i did with the radiator its just like 5 minutes with a drill and a trip for longer bolts. We need someone to attempt it with the stock fan/shroud so we can add to it what it would take for someone who wanted to keep the stock fan.

 

Yup. supermod-efan is pretty straight forward. I'm kinda thinking a stock fan shroud....not so much.

 

I'd say if you used the v8 shroud you'd be better off. Depending on if the stock fan sits in around the same place height wise on the radiator as ours do.

 

I have been watching these V8 radiator chats with a great deal of interest because of my results. When I did my conversion to the LS6 engine I stayed with the stock 5 cyl. rad. and used two Spal 12" fans. This worked well except on 110 degree days in trafic in town, when it would get up to 240 once in a great while. If I turned the ac off or got on the fwy. it would cool of quickly. When I switched to the LS3 a few months ago I also put in a new V8 radiator and retained the same fans(6sp. stick, no trans cooler needed). The radiator capacity is not much different because the biggest difference is in the 5.3 block and the 5 cyl block but I thought it would help with intown cooling. No such luck in my case, it now does not cool as well in town as before. I gained 20 cu. inches in the swap which could be part of the problem, but Ron Davis Radiator and a few other cooling experts say that the biggest problem is the added thickness of the core is not letting my fans pull as much air as it used to. I think they are correct and I will say I think we (in Phx.) do have the most adept cooling experts in the country. I hope I am the only one with this problem.

 

I'll report back after this weekend, once I've had a run with the trailer, but as far as your case goes, I would say what is said makes sense, but only to a certain degree. Yes a thicker core would increase the suction required theoretically. However....go with bigger fans then. A thicker core equals more surface area, which allows a more efficient thermal drop. A radiator will only be able to cool a maximum amount between inlet and outlet. So if its rated for a 20F drop, then coolant coming in at 200F, should be able to be cooled to 180 on the outlet. You will never be able to exceed what the radiator is capable of, no matter how much airflow you add to it. However, you can increase cooling by making the pump flow more coolant quicker. Hope this makes more sense. I would say overall they are blowing smoke up your ass to get you to buy their products. I would either go with bigger efans, or take a look at going to a higher flow water pump. If you talking your having issues intown...thats low RPMs, low flow conditions. That's where having a larger radiator plays in your favor. Hope this helps a little bit.

 

I am sort of maxed out on the fan thing and they suggested going back to the other radiator.I had not given the flow thing much thought, thats an idea. On other hot rods I have had, sometimes faster or more flow thru the rad. has (removing thermostat) not helped as it flowed thru to fast to cool???? Some of the guys here feel that one big core cools better than two or more because they think the front core only blocks the rest.?? Who Knows, another 6 weeks and it won't be a problem. Cooling here is always a challenge because the asphalt is at least 150 and that is what you are pulling in when you are on city streets. I added a mister system just for emergencies. We will do anything to keep from turning off the AC here! One other thing, I have had poor luck with aftermarket radiators, except for Dewitt which works on the vette.

 

I can't remember, does that factory v8 radiator have a nipple for the heads vent or no?

 

No.

 

It's the skyjacker skidplate. It's better to pm people off topic questions.

 

Gonna have to say the V8 rad mod was totally worth it. Had the truck and trailer loaded the heaviest to date (9400#s combined) and 95% of the time she didn't climb above 200F. The highest I saw was 220F, and that was a pretty solid hill climb. It was running 85-90F outside. Very impressed.

 

Definitely on the future plans. Going to do this with the Efan at the same time!! Great write up!

 

Yea it helps. If you order the efan tell him your going to do the v8 swap so you dont have to mod it.

 

I'm thinking of doing this, as well as using PCM for less fan, or derale duel fans if they will fit Derale Performance High Output Dual RAD Fan and Shroud Kits 16825 - SummitRacing.com They are 4000cfm verses my 3,300 cfm black magic 180.

Now if I order a 2006-2009 Hummer H3 rad for a 3.7L 5spd will that be the thicker rad, without the tranny cooler? Just thinking that might give me more capacity, since I have a manual trans anyway?

Or maybe I can get a aux pusher fan in front between the grille and condenser? Anyone else try that? My a/c is useless until I'm moving, don't seem to be getting the airflow over it? The truck also heats up to much in the summer on long hard climbs.

 

How hot did you hit again Jamie?

 

above half on the stock gauge, and about 212 degrees Fahrenheit? On the scanner from what I remember.

 

That's still not too bad, I think I was about the same that day out at Kansas City and I'm on a 2000cfm fan I believe.

 

So wheb unhooking the front condenser (step 6), do you let the liquid leak?

 

Nope. Just take the 2 10mm bolts to unbolt the condenser from the radiator. Then I used a screw driver to help it out of the holder on the bottom. Just pop the condenser out and it'll sit there while you swap radiators.

 

Is the H3 3.7 radiator also a 2 core 13qt set up?

Where I have a 5 speed now I was looking at going with the H3 MA5 radiator

 

I.ve wondered this two Jeremy, and some how I think that it is? Let me know if you find out?

I don't want to change it unless my 04 rad pops... can you believe it still has the stock GM 04 rad?? no upper right or upper left leak? Its also been in and out of the truck Twice..

 

I don't have a clue

 

Hmm... For some reason I thought there was alot more to this swap than that...

Guess I'm gonna have to do this now also.

 

Disclaimer
I'm a 5-speed so i went to Lowes and bought two 3/8" flared plugs in the plumbing department part number: A159[/IMG]

Is automatic the same part?

 

Anyone from VA that's done this willing to help me install mine, an efan, and a thermostat spacer.

 

@Kpooch, I've not done the rad swap, but I have the SFAN4500 and only live an hour away. Going to Orlando this weekend, you in a hurry?

 

Awesome that would be nice. I'm not in a huge hurry, just want to get it done before Thanksgiving. I'm free whenever.