BeefaRu

Thanks for the info! I'm NOT using aluminum so far but have been researching it. COuple questions on your suggestions: How many fins per inch? I need less fin density for my 950 & 550 CFM fans to pull their meager amount of air through. As I said, there's more radiator thickness and density than they can pull decent air through. Also, what is a good fin height to get more rows in without making the tubes too small? --E

Yes I would like to do that. Haven't gotten around to having someone help me with it, but my landlord could. He's put out a few cool things from his body/paint garage.

Stupid question: Do any of these reduce vibration transfer from the road? If so, which ones and which bring down the most? --E

Further research insights: I learned having any significant gap between condenser and core is not good. Closing that gap with a "shroud" is supposed to help create a better air channel and help make my wimpy puller fan rig more effective. Makes sense to me. Will locate an RX spoiler/dam and mount it, check it, then get it painted. I'll also be mounting a second fan. I could only squeeze in a 9" because of the power steering pulley bolt. That gives me a total of 1500 CFM but thats 500 short of a minimum recommended by one radiator manufacturer. --E

From what I understand the RX tranny is modded to match up with the rear diff, and the car is full time 4WD just like a legacy. That drops the tranny down for lower close ratio gearing which is good for several things. To get 5th gear higher I had a 5th sprocket from a forester put in which gets me about 3k rpm @ 75mph where it used to be 3k @ around 60 with the stock RX 5th dropped to 4:11 Thats brilliant. I'll pick one up & get it painted. I'm amazed that just the spoiler made so much difference. I may have never learned that if you didn't chime in. Thanks Skip! --E

Thanks, but I take no credit for the work. The guy that did it was very capable though. An 87 rx dual range with 4:11 legacy LSD was what ended up going in the car. That could be an excellent highway solution! How does the RX spoiler mate up with the GL front end? Do you have any pix? --E

88GL10 2" lift Legacy 2.2 engine 87 rx dual range 3:7 dropped to legacy 4:11 RX Diff lock Vac system moved. shift button now engages 4low instead. Diff lock removed and replace by Legacy viscous coupling unit. 4:11 legacy LSD rear diff Legacy 2 piece driveshaft 5th gear from forester 2 1/4 exhaust --E

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I had an accurate temp sensor put in instead the digital I had. The worst I've seen it at is 230 for a minute or two.As far as push fans...no clue where there's room. I can take a pic if you want. The engine is 2.2 the radiator is GL. I don't know where there's room for a heater core & a fan. Here's a couple shots where you can see the clearance, and the limited space.

Greetings from a new guy. I found a home for people with cars like mine! Cool. I have an AC/radiator/fan issue I need some advice on. I'll try to be brief. My 88 wagon has a 2.2 legacy in it. I originally had a single core GL radiator with dual GL lower profile fans (not sure which year). With AC on I did OK in traffic, but built up too much heat on 90-95º days at 55-70 mph going up even slight inclines. I'm curious about the CFM's that those older fans pulled because my current situation is even worse. With a new loyale 2 row radiator, I now have only 2 inches between radiator core and engine & the fans I had don't fit. I've put in Spal's thinnest 2" clearance fans, but they don't pull enough CFM's through the thicker radiator in stop/go traffic with AC (on a hot day). Performance under a load NON-AC up medium incline 40-55mph turns into a dangerously hot thing within about 10-15 minutes because LESS air moves through the thicker radiator. It seems my only choice is to go back the original single core with two subaru fans. But I already know that won't work on a 95º day with AC on pulling even slight inclines at 55-70. Basically I've come to the conclusion I need much higher CFM fans (2000 CFM total or more) and a radiator/fin design that lets more air through on the highway, but still has enough density and/or thickness to cool in stop/go traffic with decent fans. Griffin radiator makes an aluminum 1.25" single core that can be made with a special low fin height/ more tubes design that gets me 20% more efficiency than the original stock copper/brass (at a high cost). They can also go to 1.5" or go dual core with with either thickness without the low fin/more tubes design at about $450. Other options I've tossed around are: A fan shroud (but those block highway airflow) Pusher fan on the front (no room in front of condensor and AC tubes get in the way too -- plus pusher fans are in the way of highway airflow) Getting the hood vent & scoop from an 81 280z. I heard some hood ventilation can help, but I don't know if the physics of the idea stands up in both stop/go and highway. And last but not least: Moving the whole condensor/radiator rig forward. More air in front of the engine, more space for much higher CFM fans, and space for an aluminum 2 core -- Has anyone here done that? I'll stop babbling for now. Would appreciate any insights/ideas. Thanks! --E

I called several radiator people and no one knew of an aluminum radiator ever made, or currently being made for the late 80's gl wagon. If you know where to get them, which year of the gl wagon had the aluminum radiator, or who's making aluminum replacements, please enlighten me. --E

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Hey gang, I was thinking about replacing my OEM with an aluminum one. Unfortunately no one makes a replacement in aluminum so it has to be made. So I need full diagrams of core, tank, mounting holes and bolts for both the singe and two core radiators that subaru made for Gl wagon (loyale) 1.8L fuel injection engines 87 and newer. I can get core, tank, inlet outlet etc, but not an actual diagram with all measurements (mounting holes etc) and thats what the radiator manuf needs. Anyone know where I can get those diagrams? --E