How are your GU radiator upgrades going?

Submitted: Sunday, Apr 23, 2006 at 11:52

ThreadID: 33163 Views:1642 Replies:4 FollowUps:11

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simon

Just a quick question to find out if the pwr radiator upgrade has fixed the dreaded 4.2 overheating problem, as im looking at fitting one

Thanks

Simon

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Reply By: Trevor R (QLD) - Sunday, Apr 23, 2006 at 13:18

Sunday, Apr 23, 2006 at 13:18

Simon,

I have been thinking of doing similar, but after talking with many people, eperienced and otherwise, I think I'll leave mine original. I was talking with Ron Moon up at Brissy 4x4 show and his pwr rad. keeps things under control except when he is towing in 40c temps. Roachie is away on hols at the moment so I'll let you know what I know (which may be outdated news??) in reference to his setup. My understanding is Roachie's has settled down since he put the pwr rad in but did not solve it entirely, hence his move to a dry turbo (but that's another story).
My situation is the vehicle tows constantly and is worked hard so I have come to the conclusion that no matter what I throw at it, it will always run hot. Dispite this it still keeps running and pulling hard even when really hot, and with plenty of K's on mine now, if it was going to blow it would have done so by now.
If you have not already done so, get a bigger exhaust and dump pipe off the turbo to help things breath properly, this may help your cause also.
Enjoy your truck they are a tuff motor even if they do run hot.

Regards Trevor.

AnswerID: 168580

Follow Up By: Catfish - Sunday, Apr 23, 2006 at 19:59

Sunday, Apr 23, 2006 at 19:59

G'day Trevor,

Which year GU does Ron Moon have?..... I seem to recall his was one of the later intercooled models with the larger 4.8 radiator and the oil cooled turbo.

I was talking to a bloke from a turbo mob in Toowoomba and he said that the model with intercooler and larger factory radiator didnt suffer the same overheating as the earlier ones did.

Do you know if this is the case??

Cheers
Chris

FollowupID: 423989

Follow Up By: Member - Pud & Barb R (NSW) - Sunday, Apr 23, 2006 at 20:03

Sunday, Apr 23, 2006 at 20:03

G'day Trevor........It's me; Roachie, here. We have made it as far as Goulburn and are staying tonight with Pud and Barb......I'm too lazy to log-off their sign-in and to use my own.
What you have said is spot-on mate.....Mine still gets pretty warm on a very hot day, but I've never had to back-off the throttle etc.
The other thing mine has (which most other blokes probably haven't fitted) is a 14" Davies Craig electric fan....this is in front of the air con's condenser, beside the factory-fitted fan. I can turn this one on any time I like and it also helps to lower the temp a bit.
I can't say whether the standard radiator would see the situation remain the same as what I'm currently experiencing.
If I didn't already have the PWR, I'd probably just try the Davies Craig fan, as well as pump another 15ml or so of the fluid into the viscous fan.
Cheers blokes
Roachie

FollowupID: 423990

Follow Up By: Trevor R (QLD) - Sunday, Apr 23, 2006 at 20:55

Sunday, Apr 23, 2006 at 20:55

Catfish,

Ron's GU has been cut and lengthened and ute tray put on the back carrying all sorts of stuff weighing in at 4 and a bit tonne if I got the story right. The year of his vehicle eludes me so I can't help you on that front. His radiator is the PWR job, big, but from what I can gather not the end all to end all overheating probs. I know who you are talking about up at Toowoomba as this is most likely where I had the powerup done on my truck, I got a similar speil, only I have met cocky's out around Moree with the latest Patrol Ute's still having drama's when they work them.
This is really the only people (people who work them hard) who experience this as far as I can tell. For the 1% of my driving where I need to be cautious of temps, I'll keep the thrill of driving this otherwise exemplary car for the other 99% of time. I hammered my 100 series in 18 months, yet after 5 years of the same punishment this GU still feels better than the day I bought it cause now it has sooooo much more grunt yet no sign of letting me down.
Just my opinion of course.

Regards Trevor.

FollowupID: 424006

Follow Up By: Trevor R (QLD) - Sunday, Apr 23, 2006 at 21:01

Sunday, Apr 23, 2006 at 21:01

Pud & Barb,
My thoughts go out to you at this time of great carachter builiding with the Kadina Kid and Co. there. Enjoy and say G'day to them from me.
Take care to you all as well.

Regards Trevor.

FollowupID: 424008

Follow Up By: Catfish - Sunday, Apr 23, 2006 at 21:14

Sunday, Apr 23, 2006 at 21:14

Thanks for the reply Trev.
Sounds like Rons rig is a monster - I thought Roachie's truck was heavy!!

cheers
Chris.

FollowupID: 424012

Reply By: rickwagupatrol - Sunday, Apr 23, 2006 at 14:22

Sunday, Apr 23, 2006 at 14:22

A friend made a large expansion tank for his and it seems to be working well at around 10 deg cooler than before. He fitted a 3.0 bonnet scoop that feeds directly onto a coiled tank. the tank is connected from the output side of the block, through the tank and then back to the radiator, giving extra cooling time before it returns to the block.
The tank is 350mm long, 200mm diameter. it is bacically coiled with air space between the coils. it hols 5lts all up including hoses.
for slow work, or when towing he has fitted a electric fan under the scoop that draws extra air in. mind you, his towing is an 18ft bushtracker which his SWMBO loves.

rick.

AnswerID: 168589

Reply By: Truckster (Vic) - Sunday, Apr 23, 2006 at 21:54

Sunday, Apr 23, 2006 at 21:54

Talking to Brunswick's agent in Melbourne, he says that the standard 4.5 petrol radiator is fine for the big chev conversion... Will be keen to see if he stands by it.

AnswerID: 168653

Follow Up By: Leroy - Monday, Apr 24, 2006 at 01:15

Monday, Apr 24, 2006 at 01:15

who's the agent? Marks?

Leroy

FollowupID: 424037

Follow Up By: Truckster (Vic) - Monday, Apr 24, 2006 at 13:12

Monday, Apr 24, 2006 at 13:12

Ross Lyon Motors.
Warrigul.

I'm heading out there tomorrow if you wanna tag along to drive a GQ with the Chev V8 in it. Gotta be there 10am ish (dude lives round corner from his factory) so AM is the go..

FollowupID: 424086

Follow Up By: Leroy - Monday, Apr 24, 2006 at 21:26

Monday, Apr 24, 2006 at 21:26

wouldn't mind an uncle merve but not living local at the moment but would mind a little feed back.

Leroy

FollowupID: 424160

Follow Up By: Truckster (Vic) - Tuesday, Apr 25, 2006 at 23:42

Tuesday, Apr 25, 2006 at 23:42

Very nice :), infact bleep in VERY impressive.
Down to 50kph on a hill, and just slowly put the foot down in 5th gear, and away it went.

Fitment was first class, (this was the blokes own truck - GQ which is forsale).
Although he said standard radiator is good enough, I'll call brunswick and see what they say (this is based on a 4.5 petrol)

Im 99% sold on it. I have been talkin to eric, who has me second doubting, on the resale eventually, as V8's in 5-10 yrs will be seen as ? by then... or go a TD42T GU and spend the rest.

The price he couldnt give me there and then, but working on that and will have one by end of week. Brunswicks price was $18,000
Then i will make a decision.

FollowupID: 424356

Reply By: JR - Monday, Apr 24, 2006 at 09:35

Monday, Apr 24, 2006 at 09:35

Confirmation
The newer models with the larger (taller) radiator has definitely solved the overheating issue, Ive had four Patrols now, all except one 3l fiasco, overheated badly in summer.
Latest one, a 3 yo TD42ti with 190'000km hasnt risen above std temp since new however the lower hanging section is prone to plugging with mud and grass which can make em heat up. Id expect thats whats causing the ute mentioned to warm up.
I got the guys in Toowoomba, MTQ, to work on it when new and difference is huge
Recommend them and thier kit highly, hence the plug.

JR

AnswerID: 168691

Follow Up By: Trevor R (QLD) - Monday, Apr 24, 2006 at 18:22

Monday, Apr 24, 2006 at 18:22

JR,

Where are you in Brissy? and do you tow with yours, if so what sort of weights?
Has there been any better fuel figures with the new intercooled one over the earlier models you mentioned? What sort of figures did you get from the dyno up at Toowoomba?
Sorry for the 20 questions but am interested about yours running the right temps.
I also would agree they do a good job up at Toowoomba. Stage 2 done on mine which works well for me and the loads I tow.
Thanks for any help,
Trevor.

FollowupID: 424121

Follow Up By: JR - Monday, Apr 24, 2006 at 19:30

Monday, Apr 24, 2006 at 19:30

Trevor,
No Im in NSW, but travel there a few times a year.
Fuel is improved, but not a great deal, mainly its performance I was after.
Not sure on the stages but the turbo had both sides replaced and the larger exhaust and dump casting replacement.
Dyno figures are good, I reckon with 96kw and 3200N. Useful placement on dyno curves makes a huge differenc to drivability.
I tow varied trailers, some heavy ~ 2t +, but mainly a camper around max 1.2t, wagon weighs around 3t with just tools, fuel etc all the time
Old utes used to overheat in hot temps and high speed, 120kph without a load and at any speed with a load on.
This new wagon doesnt heat up at all, although I dont pull a big van etc.
New I/C version has the same economy as old ones when std, utes were worse due to lower ratios in diffs.
Cheers
JR

FollowupID: 424129