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Radiator brand recomendations?

chefmike

chefmike

Not just a truck... a project.
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Location
north GA mountains.
So i am leaking at my radiator inlet. Plastic? Really? It cracked and I have been limping along while leaning into the start of my busy season. Leaking off a quart in 7 miles.

So figuring to replace the radiator, as that is easier to schedule than getting a shop to attempt an end cap swap.

I am not towing much, just basic daily driver, run her until she dies shade tree love.

Who has been successful with what brands?

Lets not talk about my hydroboost that is still leaking. Still havent meanned up to that job...
 
If you were closer the one in my shed would work best for you. It had less than a thousand miles on it before my head gaskets let loose. It was a brand new genuine GM heavy duty model. SPECTRA seems to be making most all of teh aftermarkets now though, so it doesn't much matter who you buy it from anymore. I think even GM went to the SPECTRA units Vs the OEM VISTEON's back in the day.
 
Visteon is the good stuff

You absolutely DO NOT WANT one of the cheap ones off the net that has an epoxied core.
This is where the tubes are epoxied into the head plate.

The visteon OEM replacement units are all aluminum brazed cores and a very good quality.

I paid IIRC $270 for a new one for the DaHooooley

Get a new one, don't fool with an old used one if you can help it.


Missy
 
Missy Good Wench said:
Visteon is the good stuff

You absolutely DO NOT WANT one of the cheap ones off the net that has an epoxied core.
This is where the tubes are epoxied into the head plate.

The visteon OEM replacement units are all aluminum brazed cores and a very good quality.

I paid IIRC $270 for a new one for the DaHooooley

Get a new one, don't fool with an old used one if you can help it.


Missy
Click to expand...

That's about what I paid for the one just sitting in my shed. Got it straight from GM. Most all of them now though have gone to the cheap SPECTRA units.
 
I needed one on the road and the stealer was a few blocks away from my hotel room. I got shop rate through my business. was $400ish. Coupled with a new modified Hayden SD fan clutch and water wetter it solved my over heating issue
 
THEFERMANATOR said:
That's about what I paid for the one just sitting in my shed. Got it straight from GM. Most all of them now though have gone to the cheap SPECTRA units.
Click to expand...


I wonder if the OEM is now Spectra or some other aftermarket brand......FYI, Spectra also has a "Premium" spec product choice as well as the "Regular" aftermarket products.....Whatever that means.
 
Brooklyn Tow said:
I wonder if the OEM is now Spectra or some other aftermarket brand......FYI, Spectra also has a "Premium" spec product choice as well as the "Regular" aftermarket products.....Whatever that means.
Click to expand...

Not sure, I know the one I have is VISTEON.
 
You've probably already bought one by now, but on the advice of a member of another forum, I happened to check Amazon for a Delphi replacement and got a pretty good price on one for a '95 3500HD. Made in USA! If I recall it was just a little over $225 for a radiator that is normally much more expensive; the 3500HD model has the taller neck to clear the unique core support those trucks have. One from a 3500 "fits" but the cap hits the core support without that extra height.

In the past I bought a Spectra for another truck - a Frankenstein '94/'96 3500HD - for $200 delivered from a local jobber. It seemed to be of pretty good quality (maybe it was their "premium" line?) and was made in Canada, which I liked a lot better than what I guessed it would be...chinese.

Richard
 
I did get one in there: the Visteon from Fermanator's shed. I prefer to give money to one of you guys any day. He worked me a great deal on that and his old exhaust system. I got it all in and am loving life.

I think the price on Amazon is comparable to anything from anywhere else.
 
Sounds like you got a great deal. :)

I have discovered though there is a significant discount buying most parts through Amazon, vs. getting them locally or from the more common online sources like GMpartsdirect, Rockauto, etc. It's been my experience, anyway. Even with shipping, I've saved a bundle, and use it for things I don't need -right now- which unfortunately isn't often enough. Otherwise I'm down at the NAPA paying the big bucks.

Richard
 
someotherguy said:
Sounds like you got a great deal. :)

I have discovered though there is a significant discount buying most parts through Amazon, vs. getting them locally or from the more common online sources like GMpartsdirect, Rockauto, etc. It's been my experience, anyway. Even with shipping, I've saved a bundle, and use it for things I don't need -right now- which unfortunately isn't often enough. Otherwise I'm down at the NAPA paying the big bucks.

Richard
Click to expand...

Yep, I saw the Delphi one listed for almost $500.00 on the internet and Advance wanted $425.00 for one At $260.00 it was a bargain from rockauto.com
 
Lets just say he got a SMOKING deal on a genuine GM DELPHI radiator. It had less than 500 miles on it when my head gaskets let go, so it was almost new. And I needed the room in the shed, so he got a GOOD deal on it. And having all of them pipes out of teh shop helped out alot to as well as set him up with a BANKS exhaust for what a muffler would normally cost. Gotta love it when it works out for both parties:D.
 
someotherguy said:
You've probably already bought one by now, but on the advice of a member of another forum, I happened to check Amazon for a Delphi replacement and got a pretty good price on one for a '95 3500HD. Made in USA! If I recall it was just a little over $225 for a radiator that is normally much more expensive; the 3500HD model has the taller neck to clear the unique core support those trucks have. One from a 3500 "fits" but the cap hits the core support without that extra height.

In the past I bought a Spectra for another truck - a Frankenstein '94/'96 3500HD - for $200 delivered from a local jobber. It seemed to be of pretty good quality (maybe it was their "premium" line?) and was made in Canada, which I liked a lot better than what I guessed it would be...chinese.

Richard
Click to expand...

From my Many Rad changes on my 96 3500HD, there is no "Cap" on the rad......Are you talking 95 and earlier?

Do you have any part#'s for 3500 vs 3500HD?
 
Sorry Brooklyn...was talking about gassers, which have the pressure cap on the radiator, vs. on the recovery bottle like the diesels. Mainly I was making the point that I found a radiator that is usually pretty expensive, in a brand name (Delphi, USA) cheap off Amazon.

Richard
 
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