I think Happy is sick...lol radiator may be coughing up...

[Happy Hummer]

I believe the radiator is cr@pn out on me. Got puddle at passenger front .
I've been pretty sick this last 1 1/2 weeks and this started Monday.
Ordered new ac delco from amazon. Have to put it in when it comes in. Between sick and heat ugh....:whaa:
Chris

 

[Ghostbuster]

Sad to hear. Good luck on the install.

 

[Best4x4]

Hope the AC Delco holds up. I'm having much better results with the Silla vs OEM. It also has a beefier transcooler setup with better oring design.

 

[USMC_TOP]

I replaced mine with a OEM without incident, no overheating problems at all. Never breaks the plane of 1/2 even this summer running the A/C. Lots of folks around here seem to have cooling issues after a thermostat change and they say it may be due to generous motors increasing the temp to 190 from 180. I am assuming mine is original due to fact that I don't go over half on the temp gauge. Or maybe it's the OEM radiator?

 

[Best4x4]

Yep if I could find a true 180F thermostat I'd install it in a heartbeat. GM should at least offer 180/190F as a choice for people in warmer climates!

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

Hope the AC Delco holds up. I'm having much better results with the Silla vs OEM. It also has a beefier transcooler setup with better oring design.

Silla doesn't list a radiator for an Alpha, ah well.

Yep if I could find a true 180F thermostat I'd install it in a heartbeat. GM should at least offer 180/190F as a choice for people in warmer climates!

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sle-100228 160*
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/hyp-1028 180*

You can get down to a 160*, the trick is not to look for Alpha parts....

 

[Best4x4]

I'm not 100% sure, but I don't think there is any difference between an I5 3.5/3.7L or 5.3L Alpha radiator here in the USA. Also the 180 Thermostat I need is for the 3.7L not the 5.3L. My Alpha with the OEM stock 180F Thermostat runs cooler than my 3.7L with the newer (improved emissions 190F) Thermostat.

My cooling issues with my Alpha were due to the Efan which just couldn't move enough air to keep it cool at highway speeds. Switched back to the OEM setup with my original parts and the cooling issues are gone on my Alpha. I'm not running 193-206F tops down the road at 70-80MPH. In slower traffic it'll start to climb, but once the clutch fan engages it brings the temps back down. The Efan was great at idle vs the clutch fan, but I drive my H3 vs sit at idle all day. An efan as a push fan wouldn't be bad.

On my 3.7L I went from 1/4 to 1/2 on the gauge to 1/2 and just above all due to the Thermostat not being 180F anymore. I bought several that were labeled 180's by Stant, and in the end they were the same maker as the OEM unit except the temp is now 190F vs 180F. If I could find an old NOS 180F for my 3.7L I'd install it ASAP because here in TX the last thing I'm worried about is a P0128 from not warming up fast enough.

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

worst-case scenario is build your own.

I hear you on unreliable openings - to me, it's gotten so bad that I can't imagine not putting a thermostat in a pan of water on the stove and see where it opens. Save my heater core, my entire system is no older than 5000 miles once I replace the current radiator. (My alpha has 112k).

 

[Best4x4]

Knock on wood, my Alpha has 122k on the OEM radiator, and it held up to the 10hr round trip 237F drive! Wife's H3's OEM died at 76k with a lovely crack along the top go figure lol

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

I'm smelling anti-freeze with mine... I don't know where it's leaking (beside the radiator), but it is leaking.

 

[Best4x4]

Waterpump weep hole is a hard little fella to detect, but you'll sure smell it!

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

Waterpump weep hole is a hard little fella to detect, but you'll sure smell it!

new water pump, no stains around the weep hole...

 

[USMC_TOP]

As far as I can tell the only good thing about our radiators is that they are down flow. Plastic crimped to aluminum just seems like a bad idea for us and a good idea for the guys who sell them..........

 

[Happy Hummer]

Haha! Somebody's got to make a yen.
Chris

 

[Happy Hummer]

Amazon has sent the radiator. .. now just waiting for it to arrive.
Chris