Aluminum Radiator

[MachineVX]

Here's another possible engine dress up option -- aluminum radiator

Does anybody know if any of these will fit?

http://www.jegs.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=174714&prmenbr=361&homepage=081004

[Maugan_VX]

Whether it will fit is a direct relation to the formula of (Time x Money)

That being said, if you could find the right dimensions or closeabouts, I'm sure it wouldn't be too difficult.

Be sure to get a transmission cooler while you're at it. (because that one doesn't have one)

[newthings]

I have a Ron Davis (Az.) radiator and electric fan shroud for the VX. Davis now has the VX template and you can order one. It has the trans cooler built in.
Pricey at $600-700.
Since I moved to Oregon, I haven't felt the need that I did in California. I will post photos when I get it in.
Roy

[MachineVX]

Could you post contact info for him?

[Hotsauce]

http://www.rondavisradiators.com/

Newthings: Let me know if you want to unload that rad.


John C.

[newthings]

John,
Getting the rad was a long fight, but the next guy can order off the RD product list. I will get it and the fan in this winter. Photos to follow.

Roy

[azskyrider]

Roy,

Is there a part number or something to reference the Rad other than state for a VX? The shop is just down the way from me.



Thanks,
Andrew

[newthings]

I can't remember the reps name, but we went over that the rad could be identified by asking for the Isuzu Vehicross. My name may be in the files, also.
Roy Hackett

[Hotsauce]

Any update on this?

Now that its getting hot again I have renewed interest.

John C.

[newthings]

Aluminum Radiator

[majork]

I contacted Ron Davis and he claimed ignorance on having done a radiator for a Vehicross

Said I needed to provide him an invoice number and date...


do you have that info......or maybe you can call him up and refresh his memory

[Tone]

And how about some of the installed pictures?

[Cyrk]

Nice looking, so what will this do for me? Are there any performance benefits?

[newthings]

The build sheet number off of my radiator is 5225. Contact Dwane (ext 6) at Ron Davis and he will be able to find the product details to build more.
Also, the fans shroud with two fans has a seperate build sheet number. Dwane should have that in the same file.

Cyrk,
If you are running hot, this will make you less hot.
The rad is about twice as thick as the stock rad. This unit has a trans cooler, but further cooling can be had by remoting the trans cooler. I looked and space is a real problem, so I had the trans cooler built in (As stock). I am adding a trans temp sensor to quantify just how hot the trans oil gets. If you can find a place for a remote cooler, you should make a BIG improvement for few bucks by keeping the stock rad. Since trans oil needs to be hot to work properly, a temp operated bypass is used on remote units to recirc oil until the temp comes up. Using the remote cooler inline with the stock cooler should put you somewher in between, but not needing a bypass.

Tone,
Install is less urgent in Oregon than SoCal, but I will get it done. Stock fan will not be used.

Roy

[Tone]

Why do you think more cooling is good, especially in your state? Our engines are designed to work best around 190 degees water temp, cooler could leave more deposits in the cylinders. Tranny's are designed to work at a very certain temp and the vehicle's cooling system is designed to maintain that temp unless towing.

Why not put a gauge in FIRST and see what it runs at before you change from the stock design. I'm just having trouble understanding the time and money to replace a system that essentially works fine, as it was designed to. I saw no performance or mileage gains from removing the stock mechanical fan.

[newthings]

Hello Tone,
(OT Thanks for the speedo cal unit)
To be more accurate, I should have said, more cooling capacity, rather than more cooling. The radiator could be as big as a house and the thermostat will meter in the fluid at the target temperature. The object is not to run 'cooler', but to have more capacity or head space when crawling slowly at high ambiants and low air flows.
The radiator came before the state.
The capacity argument holds for trans temp, also. The built in cooler will slave the trans oil temp to the engine coolant. In the remote trans cooler case, the temp operated bypass will perform the same function.
More temp capacity should enable the trans to operate at spec temps even when the loads are heavy.
Since the trans cooler is built in, I will accept what trans temp comes out for reasons above.
I just like the idea of monitoring such a vital parameter.
I believe Swordy posted he explored the upper ranges to his temp guage in the summertime. My own observations of climbing the Grapevine Hill on US-5 on 100 degree days did not give me confidence that "a system that essentially works fine", is so fine for my needs.
Most consumer systems are built to deal with 80-90% of all possible operating conditions. This is just economics. If we want to play at the edges, we have to add the support system to the basic platform.
As to the fan: I will be able to run the fan full on with slow travel speed.
I do not expect a power boost.
Yes, the package is expensive. It would not be the first time I spent more than the final value might support. Can you not say the same?

Roy