Radiator Upgrades

[philbey]

Folks,

 

Just wondering what sort of Radiator upgrades people have slotted into there early KE's? I was going to rip mine out and get it flushed, but if there's a known swap over that fits up nicely and gives a bit more capacity, slap some pics up.

 

Especially if its a KE1x.

 

TP.

[stanza]

Not meaning to Hijack your thread, I was also thinking about this the other day, my ke70 needs a new radiator and i had the same thoughts.

[Felix]

A ke20 radiator is a bit taller and is a simple upgrade having more capacity. You just need to redrill the mounting holes in the radiator to be able to bolt it straight into your ke1x. I have one in my ke16.

[styler]

i found getting the original recored in 3 row was the best option, factory fit. bigger radiators

from other cars didnt get the extra airflow and had to custom mounted.

[Redwarf]

^^^^^^

As above. Ran a pretty hot 2TG through one and it coped well.

[philbey]

Hmm, I'm thinking a recored ke20 item would be a good place to start. Upullit here I come!

 

Any price indications on getting it recored?

 

TP.

[styler]

about $300, thats full recondition, recore and respray. i also got a bung welded in for a temp sensor for my thermofan

which was about $10, i just had to find a popular thread for it out of the tridon catalogue so i had a wide range of sensor temperatures avaliable to me.

 

tridon catalogue from toymods

 

also i got the drain cock down the bottom welded up for $10 and ill just pull off the hose off to drain as i don't

want it coming undone or breaking up as its old plastic, but new ones are avaliable.

 

drain cocks from nice products

 

also out of interest a new ke20 radiator goes for about $230, its standard 2 row.

Edited September 14, 2008 by styler

[Taz_Rx]

+1 for 3 core recondition.

 

as for easy replacements, I'm running a VN (I think) commonwhore rad. It's obviously a bit wider than any corolla one, and just fits into a '55 engine bay......

 

 

These ones have no cap on them (its on the overflow bottle), but the later VP onwards ones do have caps on the passenger side. *BTW I might have the models round the wrong way* :y:

 

As the inlet outlets are in the same spots as a rolla, all that needs to be done is extend the top hose. You can see I have done this with the cap (which is just about to be replaced) in the extension pipe.

 

Cooling is fantastic, I'm not running an engine OR thermo fan, and the only time it ever gets slightly hot (just over 90o) is in maccas drive through on a hot day!!! :y:

 

The little "tray" on the top of the rad is also great for sittinhg bolts and nuts etc in while working in the engine bay! :)

[Falken_KE30]

Where do ya get that pipe with radiator cap from??

[Taz_Rx]

Pipe is a bit of old exhaust actually!! Bought the cap and got it welded at a radiator place - $20.

 

You can have that one in the next 2 weeks if you want it!?

[Falken_KE30]

yeah why not,

Was looking into a bigger radiator later on..

[Taz_Rx]

They're cheap as chips (I paid $80 for a great condition one) and Steve Orders probably has like 50 of them, so they're not hard to find either. And they only take about half an hour to fit (drill holes in stone tray and make simple brackets).

 

I just getting a pretty alloy pipe made to replace the whole lot, so you can have the hose attached to it too!

[philbey]

Nice one Taz and Styler. Got all the info I need now!

 

I migthink I'll run with the recore job. I'm going to the wrecker tomorrow though, I'll have a peek in the VPs VNs and see what I reckon.

 

Also, anyone managed to get a quick easy thermofan setup including shroud? And I don't mean screws through the damn fins.

[Redwarf]

Nssan Pulsar N13-ish (I think) was a reasonable fit with very minimal mods. I mounted mine to the existing shroud holes....

[philbey]

Damn, wishing I checked this thread before I went to the wreckers today. Came back with an early 90's lancer thermo, but its just too deep.

 

I'll take it back saturday and swap it for a pulsar one. Cheers Red.