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Oversized Radiators

Flip97GTP

Flip97GTP

New member
Hello All,

I have a 97 Grand Prix GTP with no mods at the moment but I will be starting to add mods next year. Anyways, I would like to know what are the benefits of getting a oversized radiator for my 97 GTP. Is it a good idea or a bad one? Plus, my radiator has not been working efficiently.
 


if its running at 200 degrees. thats normal and where it wants to run. you already have the larger rad vs the n/a rad.

i have the smaller rad in my gs, its just fine. temps are the same.
 
Yea stick with stock size. Also if you plan on modding further and let's say you go the header route it tends to already have barely enough clearance as it is.
 


Yea that's good to know about the radiator and the headers because I'm going to be getting headers next year.
 
Yea i flushed my radiator quite a few times with the flush kit at the auto parts store and it helped but now the radiator has a little leak on the side.
 
I think so.

IIRC Mid 90's W body. The lower rad hose points at a slightly different angle, so apparently the lower rad hose from the same vehicle "works".

Whatever hose I bought worked but wasn't great.

CU1518 is stuck in my head for some reason. The trans cooler fittings are totally different as well.

I'm not sure anyone still makes the 1.25" rad either. You'll just have to hunt around for it if you want it.

Looks like the CU1518 is a 1" now, but this one is supposedly still a 1.25": VISTA-PRO Part # 432387
 
Flip97GTP said:
Hello All,

I have a 97 Grand Prix GTP with no mods at the moment but I will be starting to add mods next year. Anyways, I would like to know what are the benefits of getting a oversized radiator for my 97 GTP. Is it a good idea or a bad one? Plus, my radiator has not been working efficiently.
Click to expand...

I upgraded the rad in my old silver car, but that's only because I had an excuse to - the old one was clogged with dexcool sludge to the point it wasn't salvageable. I may upgrade in the spring, if only because with a 160* I run closer to 190-200 in the summer. (The fans come on at 170 and 175.) Either that or a trans cooler, I'm not sure yet.

With a stock car or even a mildly modded one, I wouldn't worry. Some genius at GM thought 212* was a good temperature to turn the cooling fans on (low speed) and 228* (high speed). A canned tune from DHP or Intense will fix that, along with a 180* thermostat. Because running over 200* invites predetonation and KR...
 


hensleya1 said:
With a stock car or even a mildly modded one, I wouldn't worry. Some genius at GM thought 212* was a good temperature to turn the cooling fans on (low speed) and 228* (high speed). A canned tune from DHP or Intense will fix that, along with a 180* thermostat. Because running over 200* invites predetonation and KR...
Click to expand...

I don't think GM was stupid by using those fan settings, remember, as an OEM they have to make compromises with emissions and fuel consumption... both of which go up by running the engine coolant temp lower. That said, as an enthusiast, you aren't bound by the same rules and can do as you like.
 
Also I am going to be getting the ZZP Stage 2 performance package next year and it comes with the 180**thermostat to reduce KR. So I think I'm going to just run with a new stock radiator.
 
I have a stock 15 yr old radiator in my 600+hp turbo car with a large FMIC blocking about 90% of it and my car still never even comes close to overheating.
 
Flip97GTP said:
Also I am going to be getting the ZZP Stage 2 performance package next year and it comes with the 180**thermostat to reduce KR. So I think I'm going to just run with a new stock radiator.
Click to expand...
I would think twice before you do that purchase.

Sent from BFE
 


That kit is what 700 bucks or something right?

Comes with what a
3.4 MPS
3" DP
CAI
ZZP PCM
104s
Belt
Tstat

Out of all those things only the downpipe is an actual supporting mod and most of the time a downpipe is not near enough for a 3.4 even some people with headers struggle to run on a 3.4 but everycar is different and dropping pulley sizes is all based on KR.

I want to say basic 3.4 setups range from stuff like this give or take

Headers
Headers/1.9s
Plog/DP
Plog/DP/1.9s

But its all based on how much your car knocks.
Not to mention everything in that kit can be had for probably 200-300 bucks and thats being generous and headers can be had 200-250ish and flow much better than a Downpipe. Or a Plog/DP combo for about the same money.

If you haven't yet give this a read http://www.grandprixforums.net/threads/17482-Safely-Modding-Your-3800-Powered-Car


Sent from BFE
 
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