New radiator?

[85 720 king cab 4x2]

What’s the best radiator for 85 720 2.4L RWD go to be better to find an electric fan if you can find the shroud to fit it?? Any help would be great!

[Sephakrid]

Part: 8010943 (or other variations ending in 943) is available from NAPA/O'Reillys/Autozone as well as Rock Auto and even Walmart. They may have either aluminum or plastic tanks. I'd just buy from wherever is cheapest and has the best return policy since they're all about the same quality. I see a lot of people on Facebook running this style so they must work!

Mine bolted to the truck without modification but the brackets are slightly too thick, which places the fan shrould very close to the power steering pulley. You would also have to saw off the little tabs at the top of the shroud to get it to sit flush against the radiator.

 

I opted to recore my radiator instead to avoid modifying the fan shroud. It was 650 dollars, though!

[ElliotV]

I can confirm I work at AutoZone and was curious on the price of one if we even sold them only 270 bucks which honestly isn't too terrible. If you go to autozone the part number for them is A943 not all the stores will have it but they can probably have one in within a day. Both the 4x4 and 4x2 radiators are the same.

[bottomwatcher]

There was a thread saying the 720 radiators were NLA. So we have confirmed we can buy a new one?

[frankendat]

I was curious about 720 radiators as well. The skinny stock one appears less than. There are fatter aluminum 240 radiators that I have seen mounted with dual electric fans. I am told they will fit the 720 but are shorter. I wondered if the shorter radiator could be used and the space beneath used to mount the air conditioning radiator (on a slight angle). If the fatter aluminum 240 is used, then I do not think the air conditioning radiator would fit  up front (unless it could be fitted in the bottom gap). 

The 240 radiators seem to be plentiful.  

[frankendat]

If the fatter 240 is a no-go then is it possible to use the 720 Z24 radiator with the KA24E swap? Is it just an illusion or is the 720 Z24 radiator fatter than that skinny KA24E radiator I found in the 90 D21 (where I am pulling the KA)? Maybe an aluminum 720 Z24 radiator for the win?

[Thomas Perkins]

I have been using Auto Zone's radiators for 30 years on my 85 720. They have a lifetime warranty.No stores stock them,but only takes one day here to get them..It is very hard to find Auto parts stores stocking any of our 720 parts,but Auto Zone gets them here very fast.The heater core is not found at them.But I don't use a core no more I use a heating element.My last Radiator lasted 11 years.I put one from there in my wife's 2004 Lincoln LS.That was a job.Hard to find parts for her car too.

Edited April 9 by Thomas Perkins

[Thomas Perkins]

I just took this picture.Check my Radiator out.See my new a.c. hoses.The old one's use to travel across the engine,also have a new a.c. compressor.Also a new dryer.Not cheap for new custom made heating and air system.I paid someone to do it.

Edited April 9 by Thomas Perkins

[Thomas Perkins]

My heating element.No more heater core.Where the red wire is?Between the 2 clamps.The old opening in the firewall where the 2 heater core hoses went in,have been plugged with a  Dynamat patch.

Edited April 9 by Thomas Perkins

[Thomas Perkins]

On 4/3/2024 at 4:10 PM, 85 720 king cab 4x2 said:

What’s the best radiator for 85 720 2.4L RWD go to be better to find an electric fan if you can find the shroud to fit it?? Any help would be great!

Was your  85 720 made in Japan.My 85 was made in Tennessee.

[Thomas Perkins]

New control knobs.Heating and air.Old blower motor is gone.That is old school.See under dash at the right by speaker.

Edited April 9 by Thomas Perkins

[frankendat]

Great work Thomas Perkins! My 84 was built in Japan and has the Z24. I am doing to the KA swap. I am pulling the KA out of a 90 D21 and it has a skinny radiator that looks substandard. The Z24 radiator is thicker and looks better. Although, I have no technical data on either radiator. An aluminum Z24 radiator for my KA swap seems like it would be an excellent upgrade. If an aluminum radiator is not available, your Autozone find, also seems superior to the KA skinny radiator. Did you post the Autozone part number?

 

Hopefully, one of those with knowledge of the 720 KA swap will chime in

[Thomas Perkins]

The Auto Zone Radiator part number is Duralast A943.It shows that 2 stores have them but but they are not real close.But the hub warehouse is about 50 miles from me and they can get it here the same day.Say if I were to call them and ask for one when they open, it would be at the store by 2 pm.They are 268.99 here in Georgia.On my warranty parts I call them up and tell them I need a radiator and I have a warranty,they ask for my phone number and look up my warranty part and verify,then they order it and tell me when and what time it will be there.I just take my Radiator in when it comes in and get the new one and leave .I always keep up with every part in my little  black book.And receipt.I always put a new thermostat in too.

Edited April 10 by Thomas Perkins

[Thomas Perkins]

Here is where 720's are made.1979–1986 (Japan)

1980–1986 (US)

1980–1991 (Mexico)

1980–1987 (Taiwan)

Edited April 10 by Thomas Perkins

[frankendat]

22 hours ago, Thomas Perkins said:

New control knobs.Heating and air.Old blower motor is gone.That is old school.See under dash at the right by speaker.

So there is no heater core in your truck? Instead of the coolant heating up, passing through an area with a blower and the heat transferring from the fins to the air. Electrical power is used to heat up an element passing through an area with a blower and the heat transferring from the fins to the air. Yes?

[datzenmike]

Electric heater? No way.

 

A 60 amp alternator would in theory produce 720 watts about half what a hair drier makes and there's nothing left over for recharging the battery or headlights or anything else.

[ElliotV]

Yeah ditto on that I was chilling at a stoplight and since I got my idle down to about 900rpm with be wipers going headlights on and defroster on full blast I was chilling at 12.8v I was worried my alternator was bad until I just idled up and it jumped in voltage. I wonder if anyone has upgraded alternators before with a bolt in version. Looking online it looks like the later d21 and even frontiers with the 2.4 have the same mounting methods. I wonder if someone could stick a alternator out of one of those in. It would make getting a replacement easier and 140a would be awesome especially for sound system upgrades.

Edited April 10 by ElliotV

[frankendat]

2 hours ago, ElliotV said:

Yeah ditto on that I was chilling at a stoplight and since I got my idle down to about 900rpm with be wipers going headlights on and defroster on full blast I was chilling at 12.8v I was worried my alternator was bad until I just idled up and it jumped in voltage. I wonder if anyone has upgraded alternators before with a bolt in version. Looking online it looks like the later d21 and even frontiers with the 2.4 have the same mounting methods. I wonder if someone could stick a alternator out of one of those in. It would make getting a replacement easier and 140a would be awesome especially for sound system upgrades.

Ask and you shall receive  http://nissannut.com/projects/alt_upgrade/

http://www.infamousnissan.com/forum/showthread.php?t=43911

 

Edited April 11 by frankendat

[ElliotV]

That is definitly going on the upgrades list right after carb and exhaust because I do have plans to upgrade to a electric fan so I don't have to deal with the fan clutch and that will allow me to run the fan without any issues

[ElliotV]

3 hours ago, frankendat said:

Ask and you shall receive  http://nissannut.com/projects/alt_upgrade/

http://www.infamousnissan.com/forum/showthread.php?t=43911

 

That is definetly going on the list of upgrades right after carb and exhaust

Edited April 11 by ElliotV

[Crashtd420]

13 hours ago, ElliotV said:

Yeah ditto on that I was chilling at a stoplight and since I got my idle down to about 900rpm with be wipers going headlights on and defroster on full blast I was chilling at 12.8v I was worried my alternator was bad until I just idled up and it jumped in voltage. I wonder if anyone has upgraded alternators before with a bolt in version. Looking online it looks like the later d21 and even frontiers with the 2.4 have the same mounting methods. I wonder if someone could stick a alternator out of one of those in. It would make getting a replacement easier and 140a would be awesome especially for sound system upgrades.

The only down fall going with the 140 Amp is the drive... usually when you get close to or over 100 Amp they are using serpentine belts... a standard v belt will start to have issues.... 

[datzenmike]

My 710 was upgraded to a KA (80? amp) Had to put Vee belt pulley on. It takes a lot to turn them and once at a stop light with headlights on (and low battery) it let out a screech. Wow it was loud.

 

My '76 has a 100 amp alternator and I made sure the belt fit tightly.

[bottomwatcher]

14 hours ago, Crashtd420 said:

The only down fall going with the 140 Amp is the drive... usually when you get close to or over 100 Amp they are using serpentine belts... a standard v belt will start to have issues.... 

Yep single pully is really only good up to 100 amps and even then the higher tension usually leads to shorter waterpump life. Everything is a trade off. It can be mitigated by using a much larger pulley but then you are reducing rpms and output. You can figure up a load chart by adding all of the accessories amperage. Changing lights to LED is probably the most effective method of reducing alternator load. The high resistance load of incandescent lighting is where most of the output goes.

[frankendat]

17 hours ago, Crashtd420 said:

The only down fall going with the 140 Amp is the drive... usually when you get close to or over 100 Amp they are using serpentine belts... a standard v belt will start to have issues.... 

 

14 hours ago, datzenmike said:

My 710 was upgraded to a KA (80? amp) Had to put Vee belt pulley on. It takes a lot to turn them and once at a stop light with headlights on (and low battery) it let out a screech. Wow it was loud.

 

My '76 has a 100 amp alternator and I made sure the belt fit tightly.

 

2 hours ago, bottomwatcher said:

Yep single pully is really only good up to 100 amps and even then the higher tension usually leads to shorter waterpump life. Everything is a trade off. It can be mitigated by using a much larger pulley but then you are reducing rpms and output. You can figure up a load chart by adding all of the accessories amperage. Changing lights to LED is probably the most effective method of reducing alternator load. The high resistance load of incandescent lighting is where most of the output goes.

Those are all good points that I did not know. There is always something it. On my current salvage, I have gone to cutting all bolts, because of the insane amount of bolts rust fused together. The cutoff wheel budget is significantly higher than anticipated.