I replaced my radiator with one from 1800 radiator on my 03 tonight shortly after my engine rebuild. Price was $235 which was cheaper than I could find anywhere else. I liked that my retailer let me order it online without paying for it last thursday, and I met the driver today to pick it up and look at it. Looked great and only at that point did I pay themwhich I liked. While driving after the rebuild temps would creep up to around 220 while at idle at stop lights. At highway speeds it would stay around 200. I replaced the fan with one from an 01 disco and put in a chevy fan clutch and it helped a little with temps moving slower but same thing. Lower hose would be luke warm with upper hose so hot you could barely stand to touch it. I put in a new radiator tonight and I can offer a few tips.

Take out the battery and battery box and the air box to get at the lower screws. I used a 90 degree phillips to remove them slowly but surely. I didn't remove the grill or headlights etc like rave says. On the passenger side there is a lower screw that holds up one side of the transmission cooler. Remove that screw and remove the cooler line on the passenger side line and the cooler has to slide towards the passenger side to come clear of the radiator. Thats the only tricky part. Once the upper bolts and other screws are removed the radiator can be rocked backward slightly and then lifted straight up. New one is installed in reverse. I didn't have to remove fan or clutch to do it this way. I ran the motor in the garage after refillling and bleeding and big difference in the way it heats up. Much slower to get warm, and lower hose is much warmer now and upper hose is a little cooler to the touch. I will drive it for a couple days and see how it does in traffic.

 

Good write up. Did old radiator seem to weigh more than new one (like from calcium build up)? Do you plan to remove side tank on old radiator to examine source of restriction? Photos would be great.

Any ideas on coolant maintenance history on this truck?

My indy shop radiator guy says a good rule of thumb is no more than ten degrees variation in surface temp over the radiator (no hot spots, etc.). I think most of the crud starts to fill up the lower level and you just keep losing one cross tube after another over time.

 

Did you replace your t/stat, did you get rid of the Dexcool and did you add any Water Wetter or Purple Ice to the coolant system?

 

Yes old radiator was noticeably heavier than the new one. Some of that I'm sure was from a little bit of coolant still in it. Pulling the old temp sender and looking inside it there is a lot of scaly rust junk. I am pretty sure the old one was clogged up good. I hadn't thought about cutting up the old one, I plan to keep it for an emergency if the new one were to leak I would have the old one to use temporarily. It did fine at highway speeds just got warm in traffic and idling. As for maintenance judging from the rest of the truck I am sure zero. Everything on this truck is low on fluid and or the fluid that was in there was filthy. Another big reason I wanted to buy a new one is the old coolant that was there when I got it looked like pond water. A mix of dexcool and green stuff. I tried using prestone flush treatment but it had no effect on the coolant flow

 

I replaced t stat when I rebuilt the motor along with new water pump. I haven't added any water treatment yet. I'm hoping to drive it for awhile with coolant/water only and see how it does

 

No dex cool. Using peak 50/50.

 

Well the emergency spare when allowed to dry out will probably finish clogging up. Rad shop might be able to get more flow out of it with their "hot acid" treatment (they have some stuff that is safe for aluminum) - should be a mosdest price and then you have something good for the spares shelf. Also suggest closing off any holes while stored, don't want critters building a nest inside.

Don't try the DIY muratic acid flush, too strong for aluminum.

 

Probably right. I didn't think about but when that coolant mix dries comepletely it probably will seal up all the way

 

GRRRRRR frustration. I drove home tonight in traffic and water temp is doing same old tricks just slower to do it. When stopped and idling temp slowly rises. When driving over 40 or so it cools off much lower than before, around 195-200. If you rev it up in neutral while its hot it cools back down to 200-205. Any ideas on why? New fan clutch, new radiator, new coolant, new thermostat, new water pump. I am beginning to think the T stat is acting up, but its brand new. I have double checked the routing of the belt and it is correct. i read in the rave where t state should be completely open by 205. One thing to note is the temperature outside has no bearing on this. It is about 50 out today and its doing the same thing as when it was 80 a few days ago. I am confused and not sure what to do next to figure this thing out. Any ideas?

 

Most important question: Did it come with a bag of Mexican hard candy? That used to be my favorite thing about ordering from them.