[Christopher Moore]

When comparing the Mishimoto and Griffin radiators, consider the following:

Tube Diameter: Griffin's 1.25" tubes allow better coolant flow compared to Mishimoto's assumed 1" tubes.
Core Design: Griffin's crossflow design is generally more efficient than Mishimoto's downflow.
Cooling Efficiency: A thinner core with larger tubes (Griffin) can outperform a thicker core with smaller tubes (Mishimoto).

Given your overheating issues with the Mishimoto, the Griffin's design might offer better performance in high-heat conditions. Upgrading to higher CFM fans is also a good idea.

 

[Chance EG]

When comparing the Mishimoto and Griffin radiators, consider the following:

Tube Diameter: Griffin's 1.25" tubes allow better coolant flow compared to Mishimoto's assumed 1" tubes.
Core Design: Griffin's crossflow design is generally more efficient than Mishimoto's downflow.
Cooling Efficiency: A thinner core with larger tubes (Griffin) can outperform a thicker core with smaller tubes (Mishimoto).

Given your overheating issues with the Mishimoto, the Griffin's design might offer better performance in high-heat conditions. Upgrading to higher CFM fans is also a good idea.

Yeah, I think I'm writing the 3row Mishi off my list of considerations. I haven't messed with Mishimoto products much in the past, but considering I'm already dissatisfied with both their rad cap and fans I don't really like the idea of buying another radiator from them anyway (if it comes down to that).

I'll get the Griffin or Cold Case 1.25" dual core if I end up swapping rads.

For fans I'm still looking at either the Spal 30102029 1450CFM, or maybe the 30102038 1650 CFM fans - The more flow the better but I need to measure and make sure I'm not slamming the fans right up against the block, I feel like they need at least some space to allow the air to move past the engine and to the firewall/out the hood.

 

[267154]

I use the above radiator. Using an aftermarket A/C condenser. Also have a 14x14 trans cooler with 800cfm pusher fan mounted in front of condenser. The rad fans are duel Spal using a Derale shroud. The fans pull 3800cfm. All this is hooked up to a Pwm controller. The controller takes the temp of the water coming out of the engine before it goes into the rad. My fans start rotation at ~165 and control from there. I shut them off above 55mph, but they are always on 100% when the A/C is on.

How about pump, T-stat and coolant mixture? Your car is a Fox, correct?

 

[352stroker]

Check out Champion Radiators. I've run two of them now. One currently in my 85 G.T. 3 core and one in my kids 86 G.T. 4 core. Both work well.

 

[azmack]

How about pump, T-stat and coolant mixture? Your car is a Fox, correct?

Pump is GMB high performance 125-1560P. Stat is 185 high flow. Coolant is 60/40 distilled and glycol.

The summit radiator isn’t high density, I get great airflow through it. The PWM is a Mrcoolguy 150 / high frequency. Need high freq for the SPAL fans.

The trans cooler fan has a fixed temperature of 180, it’s on above 180 via relay .

car is Fox lx hatch

 

[267154]

Pump is GMB high performance 125-1560P. Stat is 185 high flow. Coolant is 60/40 distilled and glycol.

The summit radiator isn’t high density, I get great airflow through it. The PWM is a Mrcoolguy 150 / high frequency. Need high freq for the SPAL fans.

The trans cooler fan has a fixed temperature of 180, it’s on above 180 via relay .

car is Fox lx hatch

I'm not familiar with the need for high frequency. I haven't used PWM yet. Which SPAL fans do you use?
I also run a newer and less dense condenser from a '97 GT. I don't know if I gain anything by running distilled water and WW.

 

[azmack]

I'm not familiar with the need for high frequency. I haven't used PWM yet. Which SPAL fans do you use?
I also run a newer and less dense condenser from a '97 GT. I don't know if I gain anything by running distilled water and WW.

Dont know the fan part # off the top of my head, they were part of the Derale kit #16833. They do move some air and the setback from the radiator also helps , you do need some space between the fan and radiator so the air draw pulls from the whole surface and not just were the fan is. The Contour fans sit to close to the rad IMO.
Distilled helps to prevent scale buildup especially in Aluminum. I won’t run without glycol, it keeps the pressure down by increasing the boiling point and actually adds some lubrication to the pump.
I wrap my headers for a couple of reasons, but one is to keep the engine bay heat down. Headers are the #1 engine bay heat contributor . I also run a 1.5” cowl hood, it helps vent heat at idle. Anything you can do to reduce heat soak.

 

[LilRed86]

Stock mechanical fan haters are gonna troll me but whatever...lol. I've got the 2 row mitsomoto rad with the stock fan and stroud but with a SSP clutch. This stock shortblock 302 On3 70mm turbo combo makes 525rwhp/545ftlbs. With the AC on, 95 degrees/90% humidity and stuck in Myrtle Beach mustang week traffic it NEVER goes over 200. Stays around 195-198 but as soon as you start moving it drops immediately to 185-190 cruising. Even full throttle hits in the heat want make it go over 200.

 

[267154]

Stock mechanical fan haters are gonna troll me but whatever...lol. I've got the 2 row mitsomoto rad with the stock fan and stroud but with a SSP clutch. This stock shortblock 302 On3 70mm turbo combo makes 525rwhp/545ftlbs. With the AC on, 95 degrees/90% humidity and stuck in Myrtle Beach mustang week traffic it NEVER goes over 200. Stays around 195-198 but as soon as you start moving it drops immediately to 185-190 cruising. Even full throttle hits in the heat want make it go over 200.
View attachment 1109495
View attachment 1109496

FYI; humidity doesn't cause an engine to run hotter. That's an old wives tale. When we compare AZ to other states; what works well at your humid 95° doesn't work well for our 110° plus dry heat. That's why we have to do so many mods to keep coolant temps down.

 

[267154]

Dont know the fan part # off the top of my head, they were part of the Derale kit #16833. They do move some air and the setback from the radiator also helps , you do need some space between the fan and radiator so the air draw pulls from the whole surface and not just were the fan is. The Contour fans sit to close to the rad IMO.
Distilled helps to prevent scale buildup especially in Aluminum. I won’t run without glycol, it keeps the pressure down by increasing the boiling point and actually adds some lubrication to the pump.
I wrap my headers for a couple of reasons, but one is to keep the engine bay heat down. Headers are the #1 engine bay heat contributor . I also run a 1.5” cowl hood, it helps vent heat at idle. Anything you can do to reduce heat soak.

I thought about wrapping my headers again but I absolutely hate the process. Do water pumps need lubrication with their sealed bearings? WW is suppose to lubricate the pump but who knows. I run a dual 11" SPAL fan assembly.

 

[azmack]

Stock mechanical fan haters are gonna troll me but whatever...lol. I've got the 2 row mitsomoto rad with the stock fan and stroud but with a SSP clutch. This stock shortblock 302 On3 70mm turbo combo makes 525rwhp/545ftlbs. With the AC on, 95 degrees/90% humidity and stuck in Myrtle Beach mustang week traffic it NEVER goes over 200. Stays around 195-198 but as soon as you start moving it drops immediately to 185-190 cruising. Even full throttle hits in the heat want make it go over 200.
View attachment 1109495
View attachment 1109496

Absolutely nothing wrong with stock mechanical step up, it works well. But when you’re running N/A, every hp counts and the stock fan setup does eat hp.
I have my electric fan setup so I have 2 plug disconnects and I can pull my radiator with fans still attached, makes it easier to get to other parts.

But yes, the stock setup does cool very well.

 

[azmack]

I thought about wrapping my headers again but I absolutely hate the process. Do water pumps need lubrication with their sealed bearings? WW is suppose to lubricate the pump but who knows. I run a dual 11" SPAL fan assembly.

You know header wrap has come a long way, add the silicon spray coating and they hold up fine. I run 1 3/4 shorties . I wrap all the way to my H pipe connection, have all the electronics from the 4R70w to protect. Get better exhaust flow too. I drop a chit ton of heat from my engine bay. My MAT used to peg due to heat soak, not anymore with the header wrap. I don’t drive in the rain so I don’t worry about rust due to trapped moisture.

 

[267154]

The shroud has rubber flaps along the top and bottom to allow air to flow through.

 

[267154]

You know header wrap has come a long way, add the silicon spray coating and they hold up fine. I run 1 3/4 shorties . I wrap all the way to my H pipe connection, have all the electronics from the 4R70w to protect. Get better exhaust flow too. I drop a chit ton of heat from my engine bay. My MAT used to peg due to heat soak, not anymore with the header wrap. I don’t drive in the rain so I don’t worry about rust due to trapped moisture.

I wrapped everything in DEI Titanium and used there silicone coating on the last build. I unwrapped the headers to show potential buyers that they are coated.

 

[azmack]

View attachment 1109503

The shroud has rubber flaps along the top and bottom to allow air to flow through.

Those fan shrouds suck imo. You’re really not pulling any air except right in front of the fan.

 

[267154]

Those fan shrouds suck imo. You’re really not pulling any air except right in front of the fan.

Believe it or not; those fans move some major air. The picture makes it hard to see but the center portion of the shroud sits farther away from the core than the edges of the shroud do. The shroud is angled and not flat.

P.S. I put a red cloth shop rag against the front of the 3" intercooler with the fans running. The rag stayed put when I let go. The intercooler was spaced a good inch from the condenser. I have a thread somewhere documenting the improvements as I went along.

 

[LilRed86]

I thought about wrapping my headers again but I absolutely hate the process. Do water pumps need lubrication with their sealed bearings? WW is suppose to lubricate the pump but who knows. I run a dual 11" SPAL fan assembly.

You ever soaked your header wrap in water over night? The water softens the wrap and lets it move way more freely. I'll do that and every 3-4in as I wrap it tight ill put zip ties on the wrap so it don't loosen up when I release the pressure from pulling it tight around the tubes. Then I'll let the wrap air dry for a few days and clipp off the zip ties. The header wrap will be super tight and never loosens up.

 

[408wf1]

i run a 4 row Champion Radiator with a flax a lite 15'' fan on my 408w procharger with a 4 1/2 procharger intercooler temps in 185 to 195 all day

 

[bradbrenn]

Fluidyne sells a direct fit replacement, it is a 3 row with 5/8 tubes and installed on mine a couple years back. There are more efficient radiators but direct fit tends to get sacrificed. What is often overlooked with cooling issues is use of underdrive pulleys. Do you have a stock diameter water pump and crank pulley?

 

[Praetorius]

This might help you or it may not but ill tell you what I'm using.

No A/C though and i know that can be a game changer on temperatures so im on easy street without it (The car, not me,lol), on my 91 i installed about 5 years ago a Black magic Xtreme and a LMR aluminum radiator which i really like, i also have a 347 which are famous for getting hot, i have my system set up for my fan to come on at 210 and as soon as that bad boy comes on it brings it down to 180\85 on the nose,ALL DAY LONG and i live in Oklahoma,i respect Texas heat but we dont lag far behind, it gets hotter than blazes here.

A LOT of people hate the black magic fans,i myself have had good luck with them but im very picky about my installations and my wiring, i also wanted to add... my 91 has been a daily driver for a looong time, before i put a electric fan on the car,going to a drive thru was a no-no, how do folks keep these cars cool with a stock clutch is a mystery to me, one i dont care to investigate ever again,i do keep my clutch and all necessary parts in the garage for whenever my electric fan goes out but as soon as i can another one goes in it.