Are you looking to upgrade your vehicle’s cooling system? Do you want to know about the best car radiator suppliers in the USA? In this article, we’ll take you through the basics of radiators, why you need to upgrade yours, how to detect a faulty one, and our pick of the best USA-made radiators.
What Is An Automotive Radiator?
While the water pump, hoses, and coolant channel heat away from the engine, the radiator transfers that heat into the atmosphere. Without a radiator, the engine’s heat would quickly boil the coolant into a gas, subsequently expanding. The most likely outcome of this is a blown coolant hose or head gasket. Then, the engine will quickly overheat and stop running.
The radiator uses the surface area principle to transfer heat from the coolant into the environment. The coolant travels through a network of tubes within the radiator with fins attached. As the coolant travels through this network, heat is conducted away from the fluid and into the tubes and fins. Then, one or more fans move air through the radiator. The fins radiate heat into the air, resulting in that characteristic blast of warm air that you can feel emanating from any vehicle that’s been running for a while. The now cooler fluid is circulated back to the engine, where the cycle restarts. Fans can be electrically operated or engine-driven.
Excess heat is usually inevitable when modifying a vehicle’s engine to extract more performance. This must be dealt with by upgrading the cooling system. The water pump can be upgraded, mechanical fans replaced with more efficient electric ones, as well as improved plumbing. However, the most essential piece of the puzzle is a custom aluminum radiator to transfer all that extra heat into the environment effectively.
How to Diagnose a Faulty Radiator
How can you diagnose a faulty radiator? There are some easy ways to do so. Firstly, is your vehicle’s coolant temperature gauge higher than usual? If so, you have a cooling system issue and should stop driving immediately. The problem may not necessarily be with the radiator, but it’s an excellent time to check your entire cooling system.
Other symptoms you can easily detect include coolant leaks beneath the vehicle where the radiator is placed or visible coolant leaks on the radiator itself. You can also visually inspect the radiator’s fins for damage or corrosion.
Finally, there may be a blockage inside the radiator. This is possible if your vehicle’s engine seems to run hot, but there are no apparent coolant leaks, and the coolant level in the system stays stable. A good indicator of a blocked radiator is if the coolant seems sludgy or rusty, indicating corrosion and sedimentation in the cooling system. The radiator is usually the most likely candidate. If unchecked, such corrosion can result in leaks.
Top 5 USA-Made Radiators
Looking for USA-made products from American automotive radiator manufacturers? Here are five top choices for you to consider based on your vehicle type.
Griffin Radiators PerformanceFit Radiator for LS Swap GM 1968-1977 A Body, 1978-1988 G Body, & 1970-1981 F Body with Transmission Cooler
Here’s a made-in-America performance radiator for various General Motors models. It’s compatible with Camaros, Firebirds, GTOs, Chevelles, and more that have received the wildly popular LS swap. This semi-universal radiator is lightweight aluminum with a top-right inlet and a bottom-right exit. It also includes a transmission cooler, taking care of one more thing you’d otherwise need to worry about.
Be Cool Radiators Aluminator Aluminum Radiator 1967-69 Camaro/Firebird
If you’ve got an iconic 67-69 Firebird or Camaro, you know it’s ripe for performance enhancement. You should choose this aluminum radiator from Be Cool Radiators for your cooling system upgrade. It’s compatible with small and big block engines. The inlet hose is on the driver’s side, while the outlet hose can connect to the passenger side, helping with the routing of the coolant hose. Note that there’s no provision for transmission or oil cooler lines, and you’ll need to relocate the vehicle’s voltage regulator to install this radiator.
Griffin Radiators ExactFit Radiator for 2007-2017 Jeep Wrangler JK V6
If you’ve got a Jeep Wrangler JK, you know how capable it is off-road. Its punchy Pentastar V6 can truly move mountains. However, keeping it on the boil as you enthusiastically plow through the undergrowth can shorten its lifespan with the stock radiator. This robust offering from Griffin is designed to keep your engine cooler longer. It’s designed for JK Wranglers with automatic transmissions, with a top-left mounted inlet and a bottom-right mounted outlet. A transmission cooler is not included.
Griffin Radiators PerformanceFit Radiator for GM 1968-1977 A Body, 1978-1988 G Body, 1970-1981 F Body with Transmission Cooler
Here’s another solid offering from Griffin that caters to various GM vehicles from the 60s, 70s, and 80s. You’ll find it a great candidate for Chevelles, GTOs, Monte Carlos, Firebirds, and Camaros equipped with automatic transmissions. Furthermore, this radiator includes a transmission cooler made from lightweight aluminum. A top-left mounted intake and a bottom-right exit ensure ample cooling performance under load.
Griffin Radiators ClassicCool Universal Fit Radiator Single Pass Crossflow Design 31" x 19" with No Options
Looking for a universal-fit aftermarket performance radiator that can enhance your cooling system’s performance? This radiator from Griffin is a single-pass design made from lightweight aluminum designed to fit in various vehicles. Measuring in at 31 inches by 19 inches and being just 3 inches deep, it’s an ideal upgrade that doesn’t require much modification to install. Note that this radiator doesn’t include a transmission cooler.
Keep Your Engine Calm and Cool With JEGS
Cooling system upgrades are critical for any performance modification journey. Just ask us at JEGS – we’ve got over five decades of experience with performance mods and tuning. If you’re unsure where to start, we’ll gladly help you plan out your performance pathway. We’ll recommend the best parts for the present and future, and you’ll find them in-store. Furthermore, you can rest assured that we deal in high-quality products and offer all applicable warranties.
