Hey all,

I just did a Fluidyne install. What a difference! The most noticeable aspect of the new radiator is the added thermal capacity. After a freeway run it takes a very noticeable amount of time for the temp to rise to 210 where my fans come on. It's similar to a warm up from cold in the 60 degree morning weather currently in So Cal. The added cooling capacity once warm is also noticeable. I can actually drive in light traffic and not trigger the cooling fans ... it seems that with the stock radiator, just slowing down triggered the fans. OK, so it wasn't that bad, but it was damn close.....

The install was a three hour job. About one hour to remove the stock splash guard, air box, intercooler, intercooler duct, battery and battery tray. Next 45 minutes trimming plastic from the stock fan assembly, testing the upper hose / hose clamp fit ... trimming some more plastic, etc. If I had to do this again, it would be a 5 minute thing tops. Last, 1 hour or so to bolt it all in, fill it up, and a quick test drive.

Compared to my other repair adventures with this car ... easy !!!!

I would highly recommend this for your first under hood adventure.

take care all,

James

 

I'm glad your happy with the install. Since you seem to be referencing a real temp gauge, you shouldn't ever hit 210F on the freeway (well moving on the freeway over 30-40mph). If I'm reading your post right, you hit 210F on the freeway then you should really take a look at your thermostat. I've seen lots of them go bad, even one with less than 1000 miles on it.

Jeff

 

I think he said that it took much longer after a freeway run for the temps to hit 210.

 

yep ... after the run when the car was in city trafic ...

 

How much lower are the temps overall?

 

James, do you need to remove bumpers as well? Or you don't need to

 

Hmm ... making note that I have a moded stock temp gauge and I've only had the radiator in for about 48 hours:

The car seems to run at about 190 with normal driving and 60 degree weather outside. If I boost (12psi) like crazy I can't get it over 200 ... drive very easy 180. Well, it's hard to tell on the last temp as the thermostat is closing down. I.E. it won't go lower. I should mention that these numbers are all taken between 45 and 55 MPH on 10PM city streets. I.E. almost no traffic and not slower than 45MPH. For comparisons sake, the old radiator would operate at about 200 with easy driving. Getting into the throttle meant that the fans would come on after a few minutes ... no two ways about it. Don't forget that my fans trip at 210, not 221.

When I drove the car to lunch today it almost tripped the fans on once ... this was in medium traffic, no faster than 40MPH and a temp of about 75 outside.

One more ... the first night that the radiator was in, I drove the car about 2 miles to Taco Bell. I made it threw the drive lane (60 seconds) and a bean burrito in the parking lot (120 seconds) before getting the car in motion again. This brought temps (from 190) to about 205. As soon as I hit 45MPH, the temp started to fall off fast. Half way home 195, home 180.

OK ... last one ... really. I've been able to drop the temp to 190 or 180 with just easy driving and no fans before parking the car at home about three times. In the past, I have always had to use my fan mod before parking the car ... either this or drive like my grandma all the way home.

 

Didn't. Have a look at this how to. It's not a Fluidyne install, but mine was the same ... save for my plastic shaving routine.

 

That's a good Howto. I did my Koyo a few weeks ago and had to shave mad plastic off the fan shroud assembly. Had to put the fans on the radiator AFTER putting it in the car, otherwise there wasn't enough clearance. Also played around with the brackets in different positions to get the radiator to sit lower. Then had to bend the AC condenser down about a half inch.

Even after that my hood rod rests on the plastic cover next to the airbox.

But the car runs good

 

A new way to measure radiator temps! The (120 second) bean burrito!

Damn dood - you must have been hungry!