[chevyrestore]

Hey just had a question. I am looking for a new radiator for my 59 chevy truck. It has a 454 engine. I see from my distributor they have 2 radiators, both identical core size but one is a 3 row with 3/4" tubes and another is a 2 row with 1" tubes. Which one would cool better?

[68NovaSS]

Give BeCool or Griffen a call for a straight answer.

[ogre]

most of the truck shops offer the desert cooler radiator for the 55-59 chevy trucks.
post some pics of our truck in the 55-59 truck thread

[TroyBoy]

I would think the 3 core simply because it has more exposed area for use as a heat sink.

[eloc431962]

Originally Posted by chevyrestore

Hey just had a question. I am looking for a new radiator for my 59 chevy truck. It has a 454 engine. I see from my distributor they have 2 radiators, both identical core size but one is a 3 row with 3/4" tubes and another is a 2 row with 1" tubes. Which one would cool better?

IIRC the 1" 2 row should be equivelant to a 4 row regular radiator, it's what i have in my camaro with a 408/400 i went with alumintech and it never has got hot on me yet.



Cole

[eloc431962]

Originally Posted by chevyrestore

Hey just had a question. I am looking for a new radiator for my 59 chevy truck. It has a 454 engine. I see from my distributor they have 2 radiators, both identical core size but one is a 3 row with 3/4" tubes and another is a 2 row with 1" tubes. Which one would cool better?

IIRC the 1" 2 row should be equivelant to a 4 row regular radiator, it's what i have in my camaro with a 408/400 i went with alumintech and it never has got hot on me yet. But as stated i would call the manufactor to find out for sure.


Cole

[krooser]

Do you have a local rad shop that can build what you need?

[chevyrestore]

well both of these are designed for my truck but I was just curious which one would do MORE cooling. Ive got a stock radiator in there right now that doesnt do very well so before I bought one I wanted to know at least in theory which one would do better, 3 row with 3/4" tube or 2 row with 1" tube

[C-cab dreamer]

I'm inclined to agree with TroyBoy...the greater actual surface area should cool better.

There's very little in it, only about a 12% difference in favour of the 3 core.

[curtis73]

I agree as well.... they will both have very similar capacities and actual amount of fluid in the tubes, but the 3-core will have slightly more surface area.

[chevyrestore]

thanks guys im going to go with a 3 core then, also, im running a 454 with a carburetor on it, I had to use the small valve covers to make it clear the firewall so they arent baffled. I ran a oil fill cap on one side of the valve cover and the other to a pcv going to the back of the carb but its putting too much oil through the carb so I dont want to do that anymore, what should I do about that other valve cover that needs a breather/pcv on it? I dont know if I should just run it out to the ground or what, it doesnt seem smart to put that oil through my carb