I noticed during the summer my 88 gl10turbo ran a little hot (im sure it has nothing to do with 280k ) and was curious how many people upgraded their radiators on these cars?? While working on it this weekend I noticed the rad on these cars are fairly small and I was thinking that a bigger and better flow rad would assist in the cooling of these cars. Any opinions or suggestions??

 

Thanks

It's fairly common to upgrade to a double row radiator on EA82Ts

I grabbed one from Advanced Auto for about $120 - Double Row core from a turbo. Now the car rarely ever goes above 1/8th on the gauge...

 

Well worth it.

Can anyone tell me how you tell if the radiator that is in the car is already a double row?

 

Should have asked this question at the WCSS!

 

David

I have never seen an aluminum 2-row-core replacement radiator, so that might be your first clue. And besides, if it is aluminum it is cruddy. Aluminum isn't as good a thermal conductor as copper and tends to form an insulative skin as they age.

 

If you can feel the thickness of the core, like sticking your hand into through the engine driven fan (with the engine off... do as I say, not as I do), the single-row is about 1/2 inch thick, and 2-row about 1 inch thick.

Can anyone tell me how you tell if the radiator that is in the car is already a double row?

 

Should have asked this question at the WCSS!

 

David

 

Looking down at the top of the radiator, note the "end tanks", now note the thickness of the "core (where the fins are)" - a single row radiator is roughly a third of the thickness of the end tanks, a double row is closer to filling it out from front to back. That's my estimation of it at least.

if you need a new radiator in spokane, call A-Star distributing; they often have the best price and carry reputable brands like modine or PCS? (P-something-something) .. there's another good shop across from the Kmart on east Sprague, can't remember the name. ask for a 2 row core. it'll probably be for an automatic, maybe for a turbo as well.

I grabbed one from Advanced Auto for about $120 - Double Row core from a turbo. Now the car rarely ever goes above 1/8th on the gauge...

 

Well worth it.

 

You wouldn't happen to recall the part number, would you? Was it a specific brand, on the shelves? Or did you have to have them order it for you from their little computers?

You wouldn't happen to recall the part number, would you? Was it a specific brand, on the shelves? Or did you have to have them order it for you from their little computers?

Yeah, I couldn't get the correct one at my Advance store. They ordered a "Ready Rad" brand 2-row that wouldn't phisically fit.

The manufacturer and part # would be great.

 

John

Yeah, I couldn't get the correct one at my Advance store. They ordered a "Ready Rad" brand 2-row that wouldn't phisically fit.

The manufacturer and part # would be great.

 

John

 

I don't recall. I think I ordered it for a 1989 GL Wagon Turbo. They had to order it, but had it for me the next day (Sunday even)...It has worked like a charm. My only complaint is that the new end tanks are plastic - but they haven't given me any troubles, just knowing they are plastic...

At the risk of sounding like a broken record (scratched CD???:-\):

 

On that Advanced Auto radiaor, is the core copper or aluminum? I don't know that I have seen plastic tanks on a copper core. The plastic tanks are common and durable, will outlast the aluminum core several times over.

Looking down at the top of the radiator, note the "end tanks", now note the thickness of the "core (where the fins are)" - a single row radiator is roughly a third of the thickness of the end tanks, a double row is closer to filling it out from front to back. That's my estimation of it at least.

 

OK. That makes sense. I have three radiators, all the same, and I can see two rows of fins in it, but it only takes up about a third/half of the tank width.

 

I could not believe that I had scored three different doublerow radiators.

 

I definitely want to get one, if somebody has a part number. The PKmobile is almost ready for a Baja trip

 

David