3-Row radiator talk

C

cfmustang

Famous Member
I know there has been a lot of discussion about this lately (probably because of Summer and warmer weather is finally here), but I was curious as to the various places everyone has bought their 3 row.

I was just about to replace my fuel sender and tank (because of an embarassing out of gas situtuation last week), but when I finally took my car out for an extended ride to the local cruse-in last night, I started fighting the cursed overheating problem.

As long as I was on the freeway, I was about dead center on the temp guage. However, a minute at a stoplight was enough to start it overheating and running poorly. Now it was about 83 out when I was driving it and that is the warmest it has been while I have been driving it since the rebuild.

I figure the fuel sender can wait, I can always just hit the gas station more frequently to keep it full, but the overheating has to be taken care of.

I have been looking at all the major parts houses and the three-row is always around $165 -$175 before shipping. It looks like they are all carring a the Modine unit. However, Autozone has a Transpro for $142 (and no shipping!).

Is the Transpro the same dimensions as the Modine that California Mustang, Tha Paddock, Dallas Mustang and Mustangs Unlimited carry? Also, how is the quality? I have heard of Modine, but not Transpro.
 
There are a few companies selling the two row flat tube aluminum radiators for mustangs. Great option. Wish I'd seen them before I hacked and slashed, although I've never had an over heating problem since the big crossflows were installed.
Rick(wrench)
 
I just put in Advanced Autos (Transpro) $142 dollar radiator on Saturday. It was listed for a '64 Falcon and was bigger than my old one, but works great. I had to bend some metal under the radiator to get the holes lined up. They had no listing for a '61 radiator, but got me new motor mounts for '61. My fan hasn't complained about being closer to the radiator yet anyway. Looks about right to me. I may still find a shroud for safety when under the hood with it running. It's great to have it running again.

Steve
 
With the bronco and the 3-row I bought from Mustangs Unlimited (at the time ran about $170.00 total), pulling an 18ft boat in 90 degree plus weather, he was running @ 210 degrees. Had it about 60mph w/ 4.10 gears, 33" BFG tires and a 160 thermo-stat, on hilly terrian. Timing set at 12 degrees BTDC, 16" flex fan w/ no shroud, and 93 octane fuel thru a Carter YF-1, originally for a 240 inline 6.

Kirk ' 73 bronco
 
I just ordered a 3 row 6cyl direct replacement radiator off eBay from a company called Northcoast Musclecar. The buy now price was $134. With shipping it was $151. I'm going to be using a high CFM electric fan, so those stoplight overheating problems shouldn't be a problem I hope. I'm also replacing the heater core, thermostat, and all hoses as part of my build.
 
I guess you hit my concern right on the head, Steve.

I am pretty much hoping to find a direct replacement...size and all. The radiators listed in the Mustang supply catalogs say they are all the exact same dimensions. I was just wondering if the Transpro from Autozone is the exact same dimensions or not.

Also, it wouldn't hurt to hear any comments about quality - pro or con.

By the time you figure shipping into the equation, the difference in price is quite a little bit.
 
Very satisfied w/ quality, and you know a freshly painted radiator does wonders for looks under the hood. I have had this radiator for over a year now and no worries at all.

Kirk ' 73 bronco

ps. there are two different 3-cores at Mustangs Unlimited, I took the cheaper. They also offer a 4-core, overkill in my opinion.
 
That is good to know, Kirk.

After looking at it closer it looks like the the value 3-row from Mustangs Unlimited is the Transpro unit. The more expensive 3-row model is the Modine.

I plan to order the Transpro 3-row from Autozone this afternoon only because that way I avoid the shipping charges.

Just curious, did that radiator come with a drain-cock or did you use the old one/buy a new one?

Also, does the 260-289 fan shroud fit for us inliners as well. The radiators seem to be the same size, so I was just wondering...
 
61Futura, don't count on a fan shroud for safety. I've seen broken fan blades sticking through the hood. One should never reach over the radiator and rev the motor. If you must do it, do it from the side.
 
I got a 3-core from Autozone (can't remember the brand), and it came with a drain cock (but no radiator cap, hmmm). I was sitting in Chicago rush-hour freeway traffic for 2 hours in 90 degree heat yesterday and it got up to 220. Is that acceptable? I'd never seen it above 190 (with 180 thermostat) before that. What temp does does everyone else run at in the heat?
 
When I did my 5.0 Ranger swap 5 years ago I got a new one from radiatorstores.com

$99 shipped
 
It went fine. I got the Transpro from Autozone along with upper/lower radiator hoses, a new 160 deg thermostat and water neck gasket.

It took a little longer than I expected (about 2 to 3 hours) because I had never done it before. Also, I had got it fitted in (very carfully because I left the fan in) and noticed the fan looked too close for my comfort. I had to pull it out, dig in the attic for my original fan spacer and change that out, then put it all back together. Not too bad.

The only other problem I had was I could not get the lower radiator hose off because it is hidden behind the power steering pump bracket which has one bolt that will not budge and is rounding. Of course a week after I put it all together, I noticed a small leak from the water pump or where that hose meets the pump (can't decide where). It isn't that bad, so I have left it for now.

The tempurature got better, but was still hot after a while till I fixed my timing issue. Now, it is cool as can be even on 90 degree days.
 
Hey Guys. I've just been down this road with my "6T6Pony." I'd orginally installed a 3 row that I bought off Ebay back during the major restoration a couple of years ago. I don't remember the company/radiator brand. My Stang has only been on the road off and on since last fall trying to work out all the bugs after 20 years of sitting parked. Anyway, I'd been having intermittant problems with stalling when hot and finally was able to see gas boiling out of the carb after coasting to a stop. The temp was only about 190. So I ordered a 6-blade fan from NPD and one size shroud fits all. I installed the new blade and that made a big difference just by itself. What a PAIN working with the close clearances with our sixes!! WIth a 1/2 inch spacer on the fan pulley, I now have about 1/2 to 5/8 clearance from the fan blade to the radiator. The real tight squeeze is in front of the vibration dampner which is only about 1/3 inch clearance. Close to the alternator pulley bolt too. But so far so good.

Yesterday was the TEST coming home from work. It was 100 degrees outside with a major crash on the freeway. Stupid idiots anyway. So sitting in traffic, stop and go for about 30 minutes and the engine temp never rose above 190-195 on the autometer mechanical gauge. By the time I got home it was pushing about 200 but running fine. BTW I'm running a 160 thermostat for the summer too. AND the new Autolite 1100 from Pony Carburetors just installed on Saturday, is running like a dream! No stumble or hesitation at all. It's a SMOOTH ride!

I guess I'll try to modify the shroud and install for the future. Sitting in traffic, vinyl seats, 100 degrees and NO AC was not fun! Definitely have to budget for that in the future!
 
I'm honestly kinda baffled by the overheating problems suffered by many on this board. I bought a 3row radiator from MustangsPlus a few years back and have been running it with a stock belt fan ( no shroud) for several years with no problems at all. I'm looking at switching to an electric fan only to reduce parastatic losses, and noise, when cruising on the highway.

If I had everything to do over again, I'd just buy a universal fit aluminum radiator close to the factory size and modify my firewall to suite.

*edited to add* It regularly gets over 100 here and I've drive it alot in that temp range. Gauge hovers happily halfway through it's sweep. Tstat was sticking for awhile.... it was fun to watch the temp gauge then!
 
I,m baffled also. I have maverick's with a 170 with a stock radiator a four bladed stock fan and no shroud. I have trouble getting them to run warm enough. In summer of 1978 in Chicago while driving my 1972 maverick on the tri state expressway I lost the fan belt, all I could tell was the altinator lite came on, I drove 35 miles at 70+ mph with no sign of over heat, two miles after leaving the expressway I noticed a small amount of steam coming from the hood and realized that my altinator was proubly good and I have broken the belt. I changed the belt at a resterant, had a spair in the trunk, and drove for the rest of the day with no problems. In 1999 I had a front end colligeon while driving my 1969.5 maverick, I rear ended somebody not my proudest moment, and after repairing enogh damage to make the car drivable I found that there was not enough room for the fan. I removed it and drove the car successfully for many months without a fan, long lites as well and stop and go could be a problem, I eventually retrofitted a sentra fan and had no further problem. I would commonlly block over half the radiator to get heat in the winter. The only time I ever overheated a 170 maverick was when a thermostat stuck closed.
 
Like I said with mine, the radiator was only part of the issue. Severely retarded timing (because the TDC mark on the damper was 10 degrees off) was the major problem with my car. I am willing to bet that fixing that issue alone would have mostly fixed my issue. The radiator is now just insurance.

I am willing to bet that ignition timing is the major problem for most here.
 
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