Aluminum Radiator with Windstar E-fan Questions...

[RichLo]

So My radiator on my 1993 K1500 305 5-speed has a hole in it. I want to upgrade now since I plan on swapping a healthy 355 in it soon. So I found this 34" 3-core all aluminum radiator and Ford Windstar e-fan setup on rockauto:

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=10332340&cc=1050961&jsn=4

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=1375523&cc=1362844&jsn=6

So, would this setup work and be a direct replacement? I know I'll need to fab up mounts for the fans but will the radiator drop in place since I think I have the smaller 28" radiator now?

And is that fan setup good enough? A bunch of other non gmt-400 related forums rave about those fans as the best factory fans available.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

 

[df2x4]

You may have seen it, but there have been a couple of threads here lately regarding the quality of those Liland Global radiators. The general opinion of them is not great.

https://www.gmt400.com/threads/liland-global-radiator.44583/

https://www.gmt400.com/threads/radiator-upgrade-recommendations.44149/

 

[RichLo]

Thanks for those, Some good info and links in that second one. I might switch game plans and go with a larger 3500 OE style radiator instead like this one.

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=271655&cc=1053313&jsn=1808

Does anybody have recommendations on fan controllers? I would like a complete kit if possible but there's a ton of options out there and I dont want to get a chinese one that'll fail after a year.

 

[454cid]

Thanks for those, Some good info and links in that second one. I might switch game plans and go with a larger 3500 OE style radiator instead like this one.

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=271655&cc=1053313&jsn=1808

Does anybody have recommendations on fan controllers? I would like a complete kit if possible but there's a ton of options out there and I dont want to get a chinese one that'll fail after a year.

That's one that I'm considering... it's between that and the TYC. I didn't like the TYC blower motor that I bought, but the heater core has been fine. Google tells me that people are saying that Spectra and TYC should both be good. That info is not specific to our trucks, However.

 

[skylark]

I'll vote for the Leland Global. I just got one not too long ago for my S10. It was a perfect fit and all of the welds looked good.

 

[RichLo]

So after more research I decided to get the largest standard replacement radiator available in the link below. I decided against the all aluminum one basically for the fact that there are millions of these radiators that last 200k+ miles without any problems and this is meant got a K3500HD 7.4l so it should have plenty of cooling for anything I ever want to do in the future. (It is HUGE by the way!!!)

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=271655&cc=1161458&jsn=9993

I have not bought E-fans yet but I intend to buy the Windstar ones in the link above for the same fact as the radiator, there are millions of them that last forever and every forum review I've heard say they outperform all aftermarket radiator fans within this price range.

I will start by just wiring two toggle switches to relays for each fan and watch my temp closely. But I will get a real fan controller soon after getting it back on the road and seeing how much I need fans or not. I may just have one fan running all the time and that could be good enough?

 

[454cid]

Would you post a picture of the radiator where the fins end? I'd like to see how even they are. Also, if you happen to see anything you think might be a defect, or less than perfect.

My two radiators have lasted about 9 years before having issues.

 

[RichLo]

Sure thing, the top two are how the majority of the radiator is and the last one is the only defect that I could find on it

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[RichLo]

The other side (front side) is surprisingly perfect, no bent fins or anything

 

[Supercharged111]

You need factory mounts from a 3500 to hold that in the vehicle. I believe lowers are all the same, but you'll need 2500/3500 uppers.