Guest Lee Smith Posted March 20, 2002 Share Posted March 20, 2002 Hi all Will the 77 radiater keep the 350 SBC cool? I seems fairly thick, it must be a 3 core? I have seen posts that say the 4th core dosen't help all all that monch. The JTR book calls for somthing else. Thanks. Lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted March 20, 2002 Share Posted March 20, 2002 Depends on where you live Lee. If you live in Texas like I do the 3-row radiator will barely keep the L28 cool, much less the 2x size 350. If you live in the far North you might make it except in heavy traffic on the 5 or 6 really hot days. I'd save myself a lot of potential heartache and get a better radiator. Overheating is one of the quickest ways to kill a good motor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest greimann Posted March 20, 2002 Share Posted March 20, 2002 Ditto Mr. Phantom comments. Don't skimp on the cooling system. A larger radiator and electric fan will give you reliability and piece of mind. I use a Griffin radiator and Flexalite Black Magic fan. No overheating problems at all. There are other combinations that work as well too. Stay cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Juday Posted March 20, 2002 Share Posted March 20, 2002 The number of rows alone is not an indicator of efficiency. It is a factor of how well the heat in the water can transfer to the air going through the radiator. Therefore, how much, and how well, the air flows through the fins is just as important as how much, and how well the water flows through it. And speaking of the fins, their design is vital. If you have bent or dirty fins you are losing efficiency. This is how a well designed and properly shrouded single row radiator with a strong fan can out perform a pricey 4-row job. JTR recommends OEM parts for a reason. It is to their advantage (GM & Ford) to spend their money (and they have more of it than others do) on design. I'm not an expert on radiators, but I do know something about heat transfer. Just something to keep in mind when someone is trying to sell you an expensive radiator. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted March 20, 2002 Share Posted March 20, 2002 I was able to use the stock A/C radiator (I'm sure it was increased in size when the dealer air was added)for a while in my 72 240z using a stock 350 chevy. If you don't see really high temperatures you may have no problem using it provided you use a good fan. I'm running A/C now though so it wouldn't be enough. I'd suggest the 90's Cobra or Taurus or someone even mentioned a Escort fan (I think it was Scottie if I recall the post) as they're much better IMHO than the aftermarket fans and bang for buck they put out a HUGE blast of air that has to be felt to be believed. That said, I will tell you that you will see a heat increase probably when getting on it or cruising bumper to bumper, as the cooling is just marginal. I didn't try the water wetter and the other stuff out to try and lower temperatures. I noted that when I added my Howe aluminum radiator that all of that stopped, although mine still runs about 5-10 degree's hotter (maybe 185-190) when running on the freeway, why I donno. I can only speculate that much of the air is either going over the car, or under it and less is getting rammed into the radiator or perhaps the fan is hindering the airflow at freeway speed, I donno. (which doesn't seem logical, but thats what I've noted.). Good luck with your project. Regards, Lone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fl327 Posted March 21, 2002 Share Posted March 21, 2002 im getting away with the stock radiator, now having owned a couple zs now, i know that it has been modified, because the inlet and outlet or v8 sized, vs. i think 240 rad has an angled bottom hose part and both necks are real skinny. i believe its a three core, and it works well, except those 5 or 6 real hot frisco summer days, im not into electric fans being my only fan, i run a big flex fan and a turbo saab fan as a pusher, and it works great, im actually going to put the elec fan on my new 1971 corolla and installing two turbo saab fans as pushers, its summer time comiing soon, and i want to give these cats teh summertime blues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MegaShaft_2000 Posted March 21, 2002 Share Posted March 21, 2002 Originally posted by Dan Juday:JTR recommends OEM parts for a reason. It is to their advantage (GM & Ford) to spend their money (and they have more of it than others do) on design. I tend to disagree with that. I think GM and Ford design parts with cost as the major factor. They want a part that will do the job for the least amount of money. They have no intention of designing a part that will outperform good aftermarket parts. Why overkill on a design and lose money putting it in 50,000 cars when a lesser design will do the job cheaper? The savings add up fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted March 21, 2002 Share Posted March 21, 2002 Ah, but when you build 20,000+ (thats probably really low, it could be in the hundreds of thousands) units of something you can produce them real cheap, they put out more fans in a year than the aftermarket guys collectively I'll bet. By building alot of them, they are able to get a quality fan for a greatly reduced price. Buying or manufacturing huge lots is always cheaper because of the quantity price breaks they get for the parts that get jobbed out. I've been pretty impressed with the OEM fans I've seen, the aftermarket ones I've seen (and its not like I'm a fan expert and have seen millions of them) are noticably cheaper looking than the stuff detroit put in its cars IMHO. Thats an opinion, but the bottom line is they still put out way more air and are cheaper to buy used than most of the aftermarket fans. *shrug* Regards, Lone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted March 21, 2002 Share Posted March 21, 2002 I have seen posts in here where fellows have used oem electric fans with "good" Datsun radiators with good results. That success maybe due to the amount of air that is either pushed or pulled through the radiator.I have always been slightly amazed that oem identical radiators would vary in cooling performance based on inside restriction (crud or rust) or air flow factors. I have seen radiators that you knew would over heat and would not while good looking ones would not stay cool. I could not find the exact Camaro radiator that JTR recomends so I went with an aluminum Griffin and will probably use an electric Ford OEM type fan. An overheating engine is an ordeal and frustration that I refuse to put myself thorough and when that corn gets about knee high where you are at , you will not like fooling with a radiator heating problem!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lee Smith Posted March 21, 2002 Share Posted March 21, 2002 Thanks all, for the info. The car will not have AC, & never see the stop/go of larger cities. Just my toy. I have always wanted a Vet, but couldn't see spending the $$ for a toy. I bought a 78Z in Jan. 01, Thinking it would be as close as I would ever get to Vet. Now I am starting a V8 Z, It should be as quick as the older Vets, but not in the same clase by far. I have always wanted a Lincoln Town Car too. We got a 98 LTC with 37K 3 weeks ago for $13750. It is Very Nice. The wife likes it Too. Maby I will get a Vet some day, but dought it. My $$ came to hard. I was wanting to use the Z radiator, the Z fan, adapted to the SBC IF I can get the shrouds to work, using what I have. I also have a 84 300ZX. Will the rad. & shrouds fit a 77? Just a thought, trying to use what I have. Lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
utvolman99 Posted March 21, 2002 Share Posted March 21, 2002 Man you need to read some of the performance threads on the board. With any kind of stout sbc you will be as fast as the new and old vets! It sounds like you are just doing a very basic switch but I think you will be happy with what you get. I have never driven a V8 Z but I have driven a ford 302 powered RX7. it was an almost stock 302 (intake, headers and a Holley 600). He could embarrass my other friends new 5.0! I mean run off and leave him! My big piece of advice to you is to make your plans and STICK to them. I started off trying to just build a low buck toy. Now I am gathering the parts for my 400+ HP small block, realizing that I will have to put in sub frame connector$ and a roll cage! Most on here get bitten by the go fast bug! It seems my project grows by a $1000 a day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgia Flash Posted March 21, 2002 Share Posted March 21, 2002 Lee I have owned 3 Z cars, a 79zx, 80zx and my current V-8 project mobile a 75z. I have also owned and just sold my first Corvette a 1987 with the 5.7 engine and the 4+3 Tranny. In regards to the "z being as close to a vette as you can get." I would have to say NO WAY! The Vette was a real screamer. I have never driven anything that would simply knock your head through the head rests on the seats like the Vette would do upon hard acceleration. Now, having said that. I was talking about a STOCK Z car, not a V-8 Z. I do not like the inline 6 of the Z and thus this is why I am trying to build my first Z-8. These guys are right when they say the little Z with the 8 should be a screamer, I just cant wait till I get that far into the project with mine. Still a long way from being there though I hear ya on the budget thingie, keep looking around for those bargains. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lee Smith Posted March 21, 2002 Share Posted March 21, 2002 My comment, the 78 being as close as I would ever get to a Vet meant me spending the $$ for a Vet. I agree that it isn't in the same class. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgia Flash Posted March 21, 2002 Share Posted March 21, 2002 cool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted March 21, 2002 Share Posted March 21, 2002 Just concentrate on coolant circulation and air flow on that Datsun radiator and you will know if you got lucky about a mile down the road! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted March 22, 2002 Share Posted March 22, 2002 Maybe Dave (KC6WFS) will chime in here....he's using a stock Z radiator in his ride with an aftermarket puller-type electric fan. That sucker doesn't overheat, even when gunning it on the freeway and then coming to a dead stop in bumper to bumper traffic on a pretty warm day. Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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