Radiator Relocation (1 Viewer)

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Project FJ80

Project FJ80

Joined
Jun 29, 2005
Threads
22
Messages
420
Location
Phoenix, AZ
Website
www.phxds.com
Hello All. Its been a while since ive last posted, but i was wondering what your thoughts are on relocating the radiator in the hood. Why? you might ask. because i need the radiator space for the intercooler, Since i am swapping in the Cummins 6bt.

By relocating the radiator in the hood, I could cut out a scoop or install a cowl to draw the air in, and puller fans to pull the air down and out. I see this as the best way to accomadate my needs, for the hood will allow me to run a longer radiator than stock providing the needed cooling. Water running in will not be a problem for I will have no computer/electronic equipment or sparkplugs to get wet.

As far a avi. space between the rad. and the top of the engine, it looks to be enough for the longer single core rad. and a set of duel electric fans. Also, by placing the rad. closer to the back of the hood, I wont have the issue of over streaching the rad. hoses when i open the hood. Thus allowing me to run the larger intercooler with twin electric fans pulling through the grill. and 2 pusher fans. one on the transmission cooler and one where there is empty space.

If you know of a better location to place the radiator that is of better location than the origional placement, and out of harms way., im all ears... If not., ill have to cut my hood open, reinforce it, and go from there... I dont have any pictures.. but ill run out and take some.. we just bought a camcorder which also takes pictures. Ill post and try to explain in more detail what i would like.

In the mean time.. what do you think?

-Ron
 
Don't mount it to the hood, mount it to the fender wells and use foam to seal it to the hood hole when closed. Unless your adding a big air scoop, you would want the air to blow up, following the natural airflow. I wouldn't mount the radiator like that, too heavy and in the way. If needed I would mount the intercooler there, smaller and lighter without all of the coolant weight and easer to remove for engine service, no need to drain coolant, shorter lines, etc.
 
Second that. It sounds very difficult to get rad hoses to do what you want to do, to bend and move without kinking. Not only that, but the radiator would probably deform from it's own weight as it's not designed to absorb the inertial impacts it will see mounted horizontally. You could mount the 'cooler on a rack over the engine, under a hood scoop, and if you have to remove it for engine access you wouldn't be messing with coolant- just remove the hoses and whatever fasteners you use. Or, I assume you don't have a stock tranny cooler any more- figure out a way to mount the intercooler in front of the stock radiator position and remote mount a tranny cooler somewhere.
IMHO the radiator won't survive mounted over the engine for long.

Also, don't you need more cooling w/ a diesel? Seems like a single core rad would be pushing it.

-Spike
 
Alright, I got some picts all cropped up for you too see.

I do like the idea of mounting the radiator to a braket that exttends from the engine or .. fenderwells... very nice.

Yes, the diesel does require more coolent than what the toyota can cycle.. which is why the hood looked so tempting.. i can streach a long rad. across it.. or across the fenderweels, and have a coolent tank where something else went. Lots of room under my hood now. But,.. As you can see.. there is very, very little room inbetween the shroud and the crank dampener.

Heres a few picts I wipped up.. sorry for how crude they are.. but i have to use whats laying around for props.
1.jpg
2.jpg
 
As you can see in the above picts.. not much room.. the Cummins is 3" longer than the toyota I-6 with no fan blade assy. You can also see how long of a radiator i could fit inbetween fenderwells, or in the hood.

In the picts below.. is what it looks like with a shroud in place and the hood close to closed.

Then a few ideas on hood scoops... or a cowl..
4.jpg
3.jpg
9.jpg
 
I would redo the core support bracing and mount the radiator and condenser as far forward as possible, almost touching the grill. Remove the top crossbar of the core support and have a look, I bet you can move the radiator and condenser forward about 3+" and use a belt driven fan. Then mount the intercooler under the scoop and the A/T cooler under the driver's seat, over the frame with a big electric fan.

Running radiators on their sides isn't a good idea for a couple of reasons. As Spike said they aren't designed for it, tend to fail early and are a pain to keep bled, most of the time you need burp tanks and even then it's almost impossible to get/keep all of the air out of them.
 
Oh yeah, with a 3" body lift, there's got to be tons of room above the frame for coolers.

-Spike
 
I went out and took a look. I can use a spacer bracket and move the core back a bit.. at least 2" maybe 4"... Which would allow me to use a 2 or 3 core radiator with a larger top to hold more antifreeze. and i can streach it about an inch or two on each side.
The duel scoops do look good though, I think .
 
I have already called them. They will be building the intercooler and exhaust setup for me., I have also taken my S2000 down there... they have some awsome exhaust manifolds and turbo setups.

I dont think the v-mount will work with what room I have to work with. unless i relocate the a/c equipment also.
 
How big of an intercooler are you having them build? Have they seen the truck?
 
i would not move the rad. i would mount the intercooler under the hood, or under the rad in place of the splash guard. but if you having an intercooler made, you can do alot of things with mounting, even two small coolers on either fender. or two small cooler on either side of the rad behind the headlights. lots and lots of places to mount a cooler rather than messing everything up moving the rad.
 
Tools R Us said:
Don't mount it to the hood, mount it to the fender wells and use foam to seal it to the hood hole when closed. Unless your adding a big air scoop, you would want the air to blow up, following the natural airflow. I wouldn't mount the radiator like that, too heavy and in the way. If needed I would mount the intercooler there, smaller and lighter without all of the coolant weight and easer to remove for engine service, no need to drain coolant, shorter lines, etc.
Click to expand...
Howdy! Didn't the original H1 Hummers use a top mounted radiator, or was that all air cleaner?? John
 
i believe so, do you have a point?
i think the radiator is already mounted and why bother creating more work when i dont think it will accomplish much, the cooler is not mounted and would make more sense IMOP to creatively mount it.
 
RHINO said:
i believe so, do you have a point?
i think the radiator is already mounted and why bother creating more work when i dont think it will accomplish much, the cooler is not mounted and would make more sense IMOP to creatively mount it.
Click to expand...
Howdy! Duh, yup. Point being that this new engine will require mucho more cooling than a stock radiator can probably accomplish. If there is not enough room to upgrade the system in the original area, the a monster crossflow mounted on it's own swing-up framework with center supports comes to mind. Flexable radiator hose is commonly available in a variety of diameters and lengths to handle the vertical travel. Proabably would need a custom burp can or a small bypass line mounted at a high point and routed back to the overflow tank. I have seen some way crazy cooling systems on the desert race trucks. Radiators usually behind the cab, leaning at a 45 degree angle, and they use a big radiator on them jobs. Hold up remarkably well considering how they are driven! John
 
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