Get a LARGER capacity, 3 row radiator?

[aliter]

A mechanic (in case that makes a difference in their perspective on this) just told me that I should try to find a larger capacity, 3 row radiator for my car since its being replaced along with a remanufactured engine and transmission. The car is a FWD 86 Deville Touring Sedan. I don't know anything about radiators, but my first instinct is to replace it with *exactly* what came out (which is in decent condition, but 20 years old).

I'm all for making this engine and cooling system last. Anybody HERE using a better radiator or have a certain brand that is known to be good/bad?

I'm carefully shopping around for all the parts that the engine/trans/radiator installers will need to get this job done with the best quality. Right now I am just planning on getting everything by AC Delco from www.rockauto.com. I love my car and I don't mind paying for premium or Factory parts when its better to do so...I'm sinking almost $7,000 into this car right now as crazy as that may sound to some!

This car is giving me another 20 years dammit!

[100]

I have never experienced any overheating when I had an 83 Eldorado (4.1) and with my 95 DeVille. Well, when the water pump failed, it did. But my point is that the factory radiators have been good enough for me.

I might suggest to check the availability of the towing package for your year. I don't know anything about your car, but I believe, some Cadillacs have towing option and have larger capacity cooling system (maybe larger radiator, oil cooler, ATF cooler etc). Those were GM products so they must be very compatible with a Cadillac!

Good luck with your DeVille!

[aliter]

I have come across an aux. trasmission cooler part number, but nothing about a larger radiator or a "towing package" being available. I haven't had a problem with overheating per se (except when another part fails which happens periodically) but figure why not get a bigger radiator if I can find it. Just concerned if that might somehow pose other issues since it wasn't "designed" for a bigger radiator. I'm certainly no engineer, so I don't know if there would be any drawbacks to using something other than what it came with or even in using a cheaper aftermarket model. Some are more than half the cost of a Delco model. Thanks for the reply...my search continues...

[Black Sunshine]

Give BeCool a try. http://www.becool.com/ Call their main office and ask for Mitch in sales. Tell Mitch, "Gene Zebley, the guy with the twin turbo Impala, gave me your number and told me you could hook me up. This is what I need......" See if he's got it. If he does, you should get a deep discount off list and plenty of expert assistance. A lil more expensive than a stock replacement but WELL worth the money. Shaved 20 F off my temps.

[Ghost C]

I run my DeVille harder than some people drive racecars on a daily basis, and I have no issues with overheating. Someone telling you to get a "better" radiator is probably just trying to sap money out of you.

[HUF]

Originally Posted by Ghost C

I run my DeVille harder than some people drive racecars on a daily basis, and I have no issues with overheating. Someone telling you to get a "better" radiator is probably just trying to sap money out of you.

Thats' what I wanted to add.

[Black Sunshine]

When all's said and done the guy is investing a lot of money into his drivetrain. Why would you even suggest that a recommendation of spending a lil additional money to protect that investment is a bad idea? Nevermind. The link's still good if anyone wants to use it.

[aliter]

Hey Gene...thanks for the referral! I'll call on Monday to see what's available. The mechanic who gave me the advice to "upgrade" isn't the mechanic who is working on the car anyway, so I'm not worried about being sapped for more money. However, I certainly understand that point, as well! Its very easy for a mechanic to see me coming a MILE away with my love for my car and armed with the knowledge that I don't intend to get rid of it until it can't roll on 4 tires anymore. This guy is just a friend of the family who owns an import car repair shop...said he is usually able to order upgraded radiators for Acuras, Hondas, etc.

You're right I am sinking alot of money into the car and my current philosophy is that if its the least BIT better then I will go ahead and do it now while its torn apart. I happen to have the money at the moment and may not be able to afford such "frivolity" for a while ha ha!!

[Black Sunshine]

Wow!! A Caddy owner interested in preserving his baby for future generations. Way to go!!!

Do you have a thread somewhere describing everything you are doing? Link? If not, post up!! Inquiring mind(s) want to know.

I'd like to learn more since my main interest in Cadillac's (before buying one ) is serving the past two years on the Impala SS Club of America (ISSCA) Board of Directors and learning a lot about 91-96 Fleetwoods with LT1 power plants from my friends in the club.

[aliter]

I'll get some pics up one of these days...promise! Probably in late December when all the work is done. I'm not really doing "much" (ONLY an engine/transmission/radiator, A/C work, new tires, brakes...the important stuff ha ha) because the rest of the car looks just like it did 20 years ago. I figure that I am blessed with a clean, original car thats been in the family since new, and that I ought to do the best I can to enjoy it while also preserving it!

My first car (in 1991) was an all-original (even paint...perfect) 1963 Chevy II Nova hardtop coupe. I still have it at my dad's basement garage down in Atlanta...it has about 43,000 miles on it and I used to drive it to car shows all the time...mainly with National Nostalgic Nova Club. Won quite a few trophies when I still had to time to do that type of thing. I learned how to drive a manual transmission with its 3 speed on the column shifter.

I respect older cars and have no problem using the very best parts I can locate because I hate things continually breaking. But I also enjoy DRIVING and using my cars instead of storing them away which is why its worth the investment to do what I'm doing.

[86cadman]

I think that the mechanic is feeding you a line of BS about the radiator.

My Cadillac, which is also a 1986 FWD DeVille, recently had the radiator replaced. The common thing with these radiators is that after about 18 years they are prone to busting since the aluminum core gets stressed, and causes it to tear.

This happened on mine about 5 months ago, so I just went to Advance Auto and they looked up radiators for that car and had a few in stock, about $150, maybe a little less as I recall. It wasn't a OM part, but it fit and works perfectly.

Anyways, didn't you say somewhere earlier that your car had been sitting for 5 years? Mine sat for close to 6 years, and I've just gotten almost all the bugs worked out of it (hopefully).

[aliter]

Yeah it sat, too! My grandfather only drove it 18,000 miles from 1986 until 2001 and was never serviced and never had fluids changed except for oil every 3,000 (even if it took 3 years to go that far!). NEVER had a coolant change because he was under the impression that it was PERMANENT ha ha ha ha!

Good luck with your 86...let's keep them on the road! BARSLEAKS...remember to use it as you will see in MANY posts here. I never knew about that stuff until AFTER I had blown gaskets on 3 occasions.

Let me also clarify that the mechanic who suggested that I look into a better radiator is not in any way affiliated with the mechanic who works on my car...he doesn't touch American cars anyway; just a mechanic who educated me that radiators can come in upgraded versions (at least for the kind of cars that he services you can order radiators in 1, 2 or 3 rows depending on how much you want to spend and how much cooling capacity you want). He thought that it MAY offer a little help to an engine design that has issues with the cooling system knowing how many times I overheated and blew gaskets and such. He thought that keeping the engine a little cooler might help the situation. The mechanic who actually works on the car hasn't said anything about the radiator even needing to be replaced. Its in fine shape and he says why even replace it, but with all the money I'm spending I might as well stick a new one in while everything is apart for the new engine/trans. So its not that someone is trying to sell me something...its just information that I am throwing out to see if anyone has experience with it. THANKS EVERYBODY! Repairs don't start for a couple more weeks so if anyone else wants to chime in, please do!

[MachX]

My $.02. Cadillac builds their cars to perform from the factory. Unless you're towing 10000 lbs through the mountains in Saudi Arabia, the stock spec will be all you will ever need. As for the point about lowering operating temps by 20 degrees, you can do that simply by changing your thermostat (you can buy them at your local parts shop). The only problem with that is you are running your engine 20 degrees lower than what the engine needs for proper ignition. So you'll burn more fuel needlessly. If your temp doesn't climb above 190F, don't waste your money. Trust in the Cadillac engineers. Unless you plan on adding twin turbos to your engine.

[Edahall]

If I was fixing an older car to last another 20 years, I also would be interested in buying a higher quality radiator. I would at least look for a radiator that has metal tanks. Even if the radiator is not specifically made for your car, if it is the right dimensions, you should be able to make some custom brackets to make it fit.

Are you putting a 4.1 engine back in this car? If it was mine, I would for sure put in a 4.5 or 4.9. The 4.5 is a direct bolt in and had a bunch of upgrades done to it that makes it a much more durable and longer lasting engine. The biggest thing that comes to mind is roller lifters/camshaft and better oil pump. If you go this route, you'll need to put in an adjustable Fuel Pressure Regulator to dial in the extra fuel that the larger displacement engine needs. There are several members on this board that have had success going this route.

[aliter]

From what I have learned...it is not just a 100% direct fit to go from a 4.1 to a 4.5. Modifications must be made from what I have been told. Maybe I'm wrong...but anyway a 4.5 would be a better engine. However, because I cannot do modifications, I am stuck with using another 4.1. Its been hard enough to find a shop that will do a direct replacement...much less any modifications and tinkering or changes to make another engine work. I think the computers are different or something like that. The engine that I have ordered from Jasper has many updates and modifications that at least make it better than the original.

Anyway...when it was said to trust your Cadillac engineers...well I have a 1986 HT4100...obviously Cadillac engineers failed me greatly in this design! Ha ha! Just going to do the best I can with what I've got! Thanks for all the comments everyone!

The car goes in next week for the "major operation" and I decided to go with a Samsumg radiator that is stock specifications. Other options never panned out or required modifications. I have no doubt the stock type will be "fine". Just wanted to investigate other options along the way.