Four (4) Row Radiators? Gimmick or Blessing?

[211Racing]

I managed to put a crack on the bottom of my radiator (2002 E350 Super Duty 5.4 RV). Act of sheer stupidity. Cannot be fixed. Looking to replace. Factory OEM replacement has 2 rows of tubes. Costs about $180. Aftermarket with 4 rows of tubes costs about $370. Much to consider, as in the tubes might get smaller with more rows, the radiator might get wider (not fit), and the amount of coolant inevitably increases. While I am interested in opinions, I am more interested in someone that took the leap and installed a 4 row radiator. I am in central Texas where it does get good and warm, and will be towing maybe 2000# worth of trailer and dirt bikes.

Thanks for your help.

[Cummins12V98]

You will have a hard time finding a quality aftermarket radiator! Most are Chicom JUNK.

[Chum_lee]

211Racing wrote:
The RV is new to me. Slowly bringing it back to life. No idea or evidence of overheating issues. Just trying to select the best options. I suppose another consideration is if you go from 2 rows to 4 could that keep the engine from reaching optimal operating temperature.

The efficiency/capacity of the radiator and the radiator fan control the maximum coolant temperature. The operation of the thermostat (provided one is installed) controls the minimum/optimum coolant temperature. IE: engine too cold, . . . . no coolant flow. As engine warms up, . . . thermostat opens progressively until optimum set temperature is reached.

Chum lee

[Wade44]

Lwiddis wrote:
Aftermarket providers come and go even if their product is top notch…which is a guess, a hope. IMO stay with Ford.

You do know that Ford and all other OEM's use vendors to manufacturer and supply most everything that comes in those OEM branded boxes? Typically farmed out to the lowest bidder.

An example;
A genuine Ford brake rotor for a 2010 F150 front will cost you @ $92.00 over the counter down at the Ford dealer and you'll be lucky to get 20K miles out of it before it warps, and then you toss it because it has not enough material to resurface. You can pick up two Powerstop drilled and slotted rotors for @ $228 ($114 ea) that out perform the OEM junk by a longshot, and have enough beef to turn twice if you want at the sacrifice of the slots, but you'll probably never need to.

Buy into the OEM shell game if you want. Those aftermarket providers that come and go could very well be making whatever is in that OEM box.

[msmith1_wa]

It depends on several things to determine which is better. If the tubes on the two row are wider than the 4 it might cool better. Then there is the fin count and row spacing. Aluminum vs brass makes a difference also.


radiator row choice

[RLS7201]

MEXICOWANDERER makes a good point. Fin count is important. Those fins are the surface area that dispenses the heat to the air.

Richard

[1320Fastback]

I bought a aluminum radiator from one of the bigger aftermarket companies. Thankfully I saved my OE Dodge one because after a month it started to leak so just had the factory one re-cored and put it back in. Figure I have a $600 spare that will get my by if something happens.

[theoldwizard1]

The genuine Ford OEM radiator is discontinued.

[theoldwizard1]

RLS7201 wrote:
Ford has done an excellent job of sizing radiators for HD vehicles.

I know on E150 vans, the optional trailer tow package inluded a HD radiator that had at least 1 extra row of tubes.

When it comes to radiators, MORE IS BETTER ! The thermostat controls the engine operating temperature. A larger radiator just means that there is more cooling available if needed.

[jodeb720]

In my previous pickup, 2003, chevy silverado HD, i replaced my OEM factory radiator with an aftermarket "Desert" radiator (4 rows) aluminum.

It rocked at keeping my temperatures way down - except.....
The internal Transmission cooler wasn't a stacked plate design like the OEM and when I was climbing small hills - and such, the Transmission (which ran under 210 under load) was up near 220-240 consistently.

It was a mistake. If I could do it over, I would have had the OEM radiator with it's stacked plate transcooler inside with extra rows.

Just make sure you look at all the components before you switch (if you switch)... you may get the cooling you're looking for - but no for the Transmission cooler.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

If "fit" is an issue, check fin count per inch. I went to a 5-row count 32 find per inch in a massive increase for a radiator that sits at a 45° angle under my bus. But I had encountered 122° outside temperature on two occasions. The NTC Cummins engine has had no problem achieving 180° coolant temperature near freezing temperatures.

Some knotheads designed radiators with rows all in a line. Good radiators place added rows in a staggered fashion. Adding higher fin count and staggered tube count really oopmps the cooling capacity without the need of changing tanks.

[Skibane]

Suggestion: Go with the cheaper OEM option, and use the savings to also install an OEM replacement fan clutch.

Typically, as it ages, a clutch loses some of its ability to couple the fan to the drive pulley - so you get less fan speed, and less air flow.

A lot of aftermarket fan clutches don't work nearly as well as the original - so an OEM replacement is the way to go.

[wa8yxm]

If you are driving a motor home or pulling a trailer more rows = more cooling capacity. this is a good thing.

Take the old tank radiator to a rebuild shop. They can Re-core or advise if rthe 4 core will fit. The only issue I can see is if the 34 Core is "thicker" a tranny cooler might be a problem Do not know.

[Lwiddis]

Aftermarket providers come and go even if their product is top notch…which is a guess, a hope. IMO stay with Ford.

[time2roll]

Check again with Ford OEM for a 3 core. My F150 has one as it was an Option on the HD 7700 F150 back in the day.

Otherwise I would stick with the Ford radiator unless installing a supercharger. Do check any aftermarket has the same number of tubes and fin spacing as this can affect the BTU capacity to shed heat.