MoparcudaRay
Well-Known Member
Cold-Case Mopar Radiator installation
Better late than never!
My super positive experience, installing a Cold-Case aluminum radiator in my 1971 Barracuda pictures included.
Was having what I thought were radiator overheating problems with my aluminum Champion 4 row radiator that came with the car originally at purchase as fairly new.
After much ado I found out that the engine may have a blown head gasket so the radiator was not the factor for the extreme overheating issues.
I posted on my Mopar forums the problems I was having with another radiator company I tried and their lack of customer service.
That is when a representative from Cold-Case Radiators graciously reached out to me with an offer to try their radiator and that they would work with me and the Mopar community to address any fitment issues so that they would be able to sell us a product that fit right the first time hereafter.
Long story short I bought the radiator and installed. It was way easier than I thought. When I opened the well packaged box I was impressed on how well it looked already polished. They can be painted black for those that like or prefer the stock look. Once painted would be hard to tell it was not an original old Mopar style radiator. Also came with a fancy aluminum billet radiator cap.
The radiator pretty much fit as is but the holes at one end of the radiator support were not in the correct location. I had to drill 2 new holes.
Here is the BIG difference between the prior radiator company and Cold-Case, Cold-Case offered from the beginning to replace it with a correct fitting one if it did not fit right. The other more expensive radiator manufacturer said to just stop complaining about the little things, drill holes and live with it.
Cold-Case just asked me to give them the correct measurements in order to do so. So I will replace it with the “new” one when it comes in and report on that installation in the future.
I will insert pictures in order from the way it was packaged, opening, and preparation to final installation in installments. If any questions, I can answer them before proceeding to the next steps, in the pictures below them.
Technical data:
With Champion 4 row temperatures would reach up to 230 if ran more than a half hour in idle and about from 190 to 200 on the highway. Once off the freeway and onto the street would quickly overheat to around 220.
Under the same conditions the Cold-Case 2 row temperatures would only be 210 at idle and down to 180 to 190 on highway. Once off the freeway and onto the street would heat up to around 200.
Even with the overheating engine problem quite a big difference in temperature range.
I know I have to fix the underlying engine problem but at least in my mind it shows that even under those conditions, at least in my case the new radiator lessens the overheating problem.
The way it was when I bought it. Except with new chrome top radiator hose and removed chrome 5” radiator shroud.
Better late than never!
My super positive experience, installing a Cold-Case aluminum radiator in my 1971 Barracuda pictures included.
Was having what I thought were radiator overheating problems with my aluminum Champion 4 row radiator that came with the car originally at purchase as fairly new.
After much ado I found out that the engine may have a blown head gasket so the radiator was not the factor for the extreme overheating issues.
I posted on my Mopar forums the problems I was having with another radiator company I tried and their lack of customer service.
That is when a representative from Cold-Case Radiators graciously reached out to me with an offer to try their radiator and that they would work with me and the Mopar community to address any fitment issues so that they would be able to sell us a product that fit right the first time hereafter.
Long story short I bought the radiator and installed. It was way easier than I thought. When I opened the well packaged box I was impressed on how well it looked already polished. They can be painted black for those that like or prefer the stock look. Once painted would be hard to tell it was not an original old Mopar style radiator. Also came with a fancy aluminum billet radiator cap.
The radiator pretty much fit as is but the holes at one end of the radiator support were not in the correct location. I had to drill 2 new holes.
Here is the BIG difference between the prior radiator company and Cold-Case, Cold-Case offered from the beginning to replace it with a correct fitting one if it did not fit right. The other more expensive radiator manufacturer said to just stop complaining about the little things, drill holes and live with it.
Cold-Case just asked me to give them the correct measurements in order to do so. So I will replace it with the “new” one when it comes in and report on that installation in the future.
I will insert pictures in order from the way it was packaged, opening, and preparation to final installation in installments. If any questions, I can answer them before proceeding to the next steps, in the pictures below them.
Technical data:
With Champion 4 row temperatures would reach up to 230 if ran more than a half hour in idle and about from 190 to 200 on the highway. Once off the freeway and onto the street would quickly overheat to around 220.
Under the same conditions the Cold-Case 2 row temperatures would only be 210 at idle and down to 180 to 190 on highway. Once off the freeway and onto the street would heat up to around 200.
Even with the overheating engine problem quite a big difference in temperature range.
I know I have to fix the underlying engine problem but at least in my mind it shows that even under those conditions, at least in my case the new radiator lessens the overheating problem.
The way it was when I bought it. Except with new chrome top radiator hose and removed chrome 5” radiator shroud.
