GIANT radiator swap!!

[rusty510]

so, i needed a radiator but i didnt have much money....... then i ended up with this:

 

 

i had to relocate the battery:

 

and prop up my hood until i can get a roadster t-stat cap and cut off the one on the radiator:

 

also my scooter in true ratsun stylee:

 

 

ill post more pics of the actual install as soon as my friend emails them to me.

 

since its hard to find stock radiators in good shape and expensive to get one from troy ermish or custom made. and even the vw radiators are getting hard to find, this may be another option for those who dont have alotta cash and dont mind doing some "creative rearranging" (read; lots of cutting and hammering).

 

 

RATSUN BUDGET:

28"x16.5" chevy style aluminum radiator from jegs.com- $180

brackets & misc hardware from lowes- $15

hoses- $18

a few hours of you and your buddies beatin up some 30 year old japanese steel - PRICELESS

Edited November 14, 2008 by rusty510

[Bleach]

nice! You should try removing the fan and drive it. See if it even overheats.

[rusty510]

old vs new:

 

i had to remove this lip:

 

like so:

 

 

 

 

 

i will post more pictures showing clearance when i can.

[thisismatt]

For $180 you could have got one that fits :

[rusty510]

not down here.

[kiznook]

why do you wear a bandana to grind?

[thisismatt]

not down here.

Didn't you order it from JEGS? They have sizes a lot closer to stock...

[slodat]

Not to mention Experimental Engineering sells a very nice bracket setup for a Griffin radiator that bolts nicely into a 510..

[yellowdatsun]

As for the bandana, have you ever done a lot of grinding, and then seen the black crap that comes out of your nose? All that goes into your lungs as well. So if you don't have a filtered mask, a bandana works ok.

[slodat]

rusty510 - a few observations from the photos you posted.. You have a generic flex hose for your lower radiator hose. I have seen these cause all kinds of problems in that position. From what I can tell in your photos a stock 510 lower hose might fit. It's worth looking at.

 

That radiator looks to be too tall for the car.

 

Your battery positive cable to the starter appears to be passing through the body with no protective grommet. This is a disaster waiting to happen. It will happen sooner than later. Fix this at once!

 

This is a photo of the Experimental Engineering Griffin radiator setup:

 

EE's description of their radiator setup:

This Griffin radiator is the largest that will fit in a 510 without modification. This is a Griffin stock car radiator, not the Scirocco style. This radiator has a three-inch thick, high efficiency two oval row all aluminum cross flow design. It will easily cool a VG powered 510 in virtually any climate you will encounter. It also works very well with other 510 engines but electric fans must be used in all four-cylinder applications we

Edited November 15, 2008 by slodat

[RacnJsn95]

If all you need to close the hood is to remove the cap&bung, that shouldn't be more than an inch or so tall right? You coulda got a summit 15.5"x27.5" for $187.50... Heck, a 16x23.875" is only $152... Maybe I'll see if I can get one of those in the 620 :P

[rusty510]

Didn't you order it from JEGS? They have sizes a lot closer to stock...

 

could you show me please, cause i looked and didnt see any on jegs that were that much close. that said i didnt look at the "be cool" ones since they are more than double the price...

[rusty510]

Not to mention Experimental Engineering sells a very nice bracket setup for a Griffin radiator that bolts nicely into a 510..

 

that set up is about $100 more. not to mention that its still too thick, you have to buy an electric fan to make it fit. if i had the money for an electric fan then i wouldnt have had to push this one so far forward.

Edited November 16, 2008 by rusty510

[rusty510]

as for the stock lower hose, i tried my old one and it wouldnt fit. this one seems pretty hardy and was only $10. and the major part of making it fit height and width were not the hard part, i had to push it forward to clear the fan but keep it low to close the hood. i know they sell slim fans and all but im on a budget.

even the ones that are a little bit shorter would have had to been pushed forward to fit.

 

any way, i tried to do it up stock style and had a custom radiator with an efficient core and smaller top tank made with 510 brackets on the side. but that thing started leaking and not cooling as the guy who made it promised. so as broke as i was after that i went my own route... so say what you will, but i still have not been shown one that would fit any easier and cost around the same amount.

[rusty510]

As for the bandana, have you ever done a lot of grinding, and then seen the black crap that comes out of your nose? All that goes into your lungs as well. So if you don't have a filtered mask, a bandana works ok.

 

exactly. not to mention when the hot sparks hit you in face.

[slodat]

I ran a Fiero radiator in my 510. Brand new for $100. Aluminum. No propping the hood up bs. I'm sorry dude, but the way the core support was hacked up and the fact that the hood doesn't close.... Well.. there are a lot better ways to put a radiator in a 510 - even on a budget.

Edited November 16, 2008 by slodat

[rusty510]

how did you know a fiero rad would fit?

[slodat]

how did you know a fiero rad would fit?

 

I bought all of the back issues of the Dime Quarterly. In one of those issues is a Radiator Swap Guide. It mentions the Fiero radiator as a good fit.

 

Additionally, I have seen it mentioned in a few 510 builds here, on the 510 realm and on the bluebirds mailing list. My first 510 build thread here on Ratsun has a photo of my car with a Fiero radiator.

[bonvo]

or a vw rabbit rad $120 brand new

[rusty510]

well i didnt buy all of the back issues of dime quarterly. and i havent seen anyone saying anything about a fiero radiator fitting. or maybe i would have looked into that. anyway what i dont understand what the problem is. i post up about how i made a badass radiator fit on a budget and all i get is naysayers telling me i should have done it a different way. i thought this was ratsun. i thought thats what we were all about, making it work for cheap even if ya got to cut a little. and had i seen a thread titled something like: "radiator swap" or "fiero radiator install" or "what radiator are you guys running" i would have be enlightened. but that didnt happen and i was just trying to share my knowledge.

[rusty510]

or a vw rabbit rad $120 brand new

 

i knew about the rabbit one, but i couldnt find one at least not for $120.

[rusty510]

and on the dime quarterly web page you linked about the radiator guide. when i click on the next page to see the application list it says "teaser article" and has no info. so what good does that do me or anyone trying to find one that fits? and on you build thread i see a radiator, but i dont see it listed under mods or you say anything about it. but the again i didnt read all 9 pages...

Edited November 16, 2008 by rusty510

[qwik510]

well i didnt buy all of the back issues of dime quarterly. and i havent seen anyone saying anything about a fiero radiator fitting. or maybe i would have looked into that. anyway what i dont understand what the problem is. i post up about how i made a badass radiator fit on a budget and all i get is naysayers telling me i should have done it a different way. i thought this was ratsun. i thought thats what we were all about, making it work for cheap even if ya got to cut a little. and had i seen a thread titled something like: "radiator swap" or "fiero radiator install" or "what radiator are you guys running" i would have be enlightened. but that didnt happen and i was just trying to share my knowledge.

 

 

Yes, this is Ratsun and Yes, you did install a big radiator but the Naysayers are just wondering why you would throw $180 at a radiator that doesn't fit right. If you had gone to the JY and bought a big radiator for say, $30 and almost made it fit then maybe someone would be cheering for you but

 

1. You obviously didn't do enough research

2. The once you bought is not a good Fit

3. You can't even close your hood

 

and on top of all that, You ran a hot battery cable through the firewall without a grommet which is a major No-No.

 

Maybe next time you go and spend $200 of your limited funds, you will make better choices.

Edited November 17, 2008 by qwik510

[INDY510]

and all i get is naysayers telling me i should have done it a different way. i thought this was ratsun. i thought thats what we were all about, making it work for cheap even if ya got to cut a little.

 

Yes this is Ratsun, and yes there are a lot of naysayers who try to act like they know what they are talking about.

 

I got a SH!TLOAD of naysayers when I tried to put a Yamaha R6 motor in my 510.

 

 

I think your radiator looks good

My only suggestion is, "I think you should wear some gloves when using power tools"

[slodat]

well i didnt buy all of the back issues of dime quarterly.

I highly recommend shelling out the cash for the DQ back issues. It is an encyclopedia of good info on 510's. Will save you a ton of heart ache.

 

i thought thats what we were all about, making it work for cheap even if ya got to cut a little.

I'm not sure where cheap fits in at all. Most of the cars on here that are put together and driven are far from cheap.

 

and on you build thread i see a radiator, but i dont see it listed under mods or you say anything about it. but the again i didnt read all 9 pages...

I was referring to my first 510 build thread. It is listed in the very first post. Point I'm making is there is a TON of info out there.

 

You ran a hot battery cable through the firewall without a grommet which is a majot No-No.

 

Maybe next time you go and spend $200 of your limited funds, you will make better choices.

I'm still blown away you haven't responded to my mention of this MAJOR hazard! It is not if, it is when it will be a problem. When that wire shorts to ground, the battery will discharge with all its might and you will have a fire or battery explosion on your hands.

 

Yes this is Ratsun, and yes there are a lot of naysayers who try to act like they know what they are talking about.

are you talking to me?

 

I got a SH!TLOAD of naysayers when I tried to put a Yamaha R6 motor in my 510.

Finish that story - you are installing an L series and wish you had not cut your firewall. Maybe listening to us stupid naysayers would have saved your firewall..

 

Y think your radiator looks good

My only suggestion is, "I think you should wear some gloves when using power tools"

Really? You honestly think a car that can't shut the hood because a GIANT radiator was hacked into it "looks good"?