Radiator replacement
 

So I have a cracked tube on my all aluminum radiator. If I can;t get it fixed I am hoping to get a similar replacement. All of the replacement radiators I have looked at, both OEM and aftermarket do not have the same dimensions as mine. Where mine is 32" by 16", most of the others are showing a height of 17" or better. Are they measuring to the top of the filler neck? (And the mounting tabs?) If so that does not seem to match what I have been told as far as measuring overall dimensions. Mine has electric fans and the housing fits perfectly on the 16" frame. Do I have a "one-off" radiator? My concern is the upper radiator support and the clearance for closing the hood and the AC hoses. I would prefer to keep it all aluminum or brass and copper and avoid the plastic tanks. Also my thickness is 1 3/4" so guessing 3 rows but not sure. Have also seen super thick ones that won't work either. It goes in a 2001 ZR2. Thanks...
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/blazerf...de40c63b36.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/blazerf...2d02f46ecb.jpg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/blazerf...093a8e9385.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/blazerf...e563c04e55.jpg

There does seem to a fair amount of variation in these aftermarket radiators.

This is the writeup I did on my ratiator from July. You will see that I had to do mods to the fan shroud to secure it

https://blazerforum.com/forum/builds...m_content=post

Man! You did have to do lots of mods. Do you remember how tall your radiator was? I think I can squeeze the taller one in there, (If it truly taller) w/o too much problem. The more I look at it the more the whole thing looks custom. I still just am scratching my head about some of the dimensions using the top of the filler neck for an overall measurement. I have a couple ones in mind but will make the decision once I take it to a radiator shop for a look see. Another question: Why does everything need to be flushed when putting in a new radiator? Thanks again...

That's definitely not a factory radiator.

Oil cooler needs to be flushed because the oil going through it subsequently gets circulated inside the engine. Otherwise the rest of the radiator doesn't matter.

Mounting them solid like that one is, can definitely crack the tubes when the body flexes.

I would go to the pick and pull and get what you need to put a new factory style radiator back in, along with a shroud and a normal clutch fan. I'm running a $80 plastic-tank factory radiator since 2014. These Blazers don't have any trouble cooling in 100+ with the A/C on (at least mine doesn't).

If you want to chance another solid mounted cheapo aftermarket radiator, try something like this. Seems to be exactly what you have. Remember that dimensions listed are for the core, not overall.

Question: Why does everything need to be flushed when putting in a new radiator?

Answer: If there is debris in the cooling system, you would not want it to contaminate or plug up a new radiator.

When the radiator is removed, maybe half the fluid in the cooling system is drained. The other half of the fluid remains in the engine block, head, and cooling passages. It is recommended to get rid of this old and possibly dirty coolant. This way you are starting with a new radiator and fully clean fluid (not just half clean fluid).

Here is an extreme example. Many years ago I installed a rebuilt engine in a 1952 half ton. The rebuilt engine had been sitting on a shop floor on a farm for many years. Even though I knew better, I did not flush the engine before installation. Guess what? There was a mouse nest in the coolant passage, and it plugged up the head, and probably the radiator, and then I was replacing a cracked head.

It is recommended to flush the cooling system when installing a new radiator.

Thanks for the inputs here. Have any of you replaced the lower mounting pads as well? Looking to do that too...

The lower mounting pads just drop in and you should likely do them if they are 20 y.o.

So here is another dilemma. Just spoke to a radiator shop who said all there ready made aluminum aftermarket radiators are junk and really bad since the covid flu. So other than a stock from Denso. which he mentioned was probably the best aftermarket OEM replacement. Has anyone had one built by Griffin and or Modine or Ron Davis?

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So how do you flush with out the radiator in it?