Radiator/Intercooler questions

Morfael · Aug 3, 2017

My stock radiator started leaking, I've been limping it along until I move at the end of the month then I will be changing it. Im debating changing my intercooler at the same time since I'll already be tearing things apart. At some point I'd like to upgrade my turbo/s also. My main goal is lower EGTs while towing. I should be sitting around 600hp right now turned all the way up... and don't really plan on going much more than maybe 800, so with all that in mind I have a few questions:

1) What brand/s radiator is recommended? I know Peter at ALRADCO is about impossible to get ahold of right now, but I've heard fewer issues out of his radiators. Or does someone happen to have one in stock? Have the V2 Mishimotos been doing well?

2) Would it be worth doing manifolds/up-pipes? Or would I be better off (less time/money) just upgrading turbos?

3) What brand intercooler is good? I have been debating adding a small bit of nitrous to try and help keep things cool, but still undecided on that if I can get the temps down a different way. How many aftermarket intercoolers have ports if I do decide to add nitrous? Or is there a better place to run it?

Or is there something else recommended? Thank you all for the help.

sootie · Aug 3, 2017

Firstly, i doubt you are at 600hp on stock fuel and turbos.

If your rad is leaking, i would inspect/replace your cab mounts and stick with an OEM rad. Less install issues, decent quality and a warranty. Aftermarket rads of any brand are a crap shoot.

6.0 manifolds and upipes are a great reliability upgrade, but not necessary.

No opinion on intercoolers, ive never felt the urge to upgrade any any of my trucks.

For nitrous ports i would be shooting for the cold side pipe anyway. Not saying that is the way to cool anything down. Why not get more air and good tunes to accomplish that.

In your shoes i would get a set of upgraded factory style compounds of some sort: a 59mm High Pressure and a 76mm Atmosphere turbo. Get dual fuelers and 60% over nozzles. Do a ported intake manifold, the entire No Limit catalog (air intake, egr dleet, hot and cold side piping), and Gear Head tuning. I assume you already have head studs-if you dont, you will need them. Traction bars are recommended and start saving for a trans. That recipe listed will put you around 820 at the wheels on a stingy dyno.

If you dont want all that expense up front, do everything except the dual fuel and nozzles and it will still be a wicked street truck that makes 650+

Morfael · Aug 3, 2017

sootie said:
Firstly, i doubt you are at 600hp on stock fuel and turbos.

If your rad is leaking, i would inspect/replace your cab mounts and stick with an OEM rad. Less install issues, decent quality and a warranty. Aftermarket rads of any brand are a crap shoot.

6.0 manifolds and upipes are a great reliability upgrade, but not necessary.

No opinion on intercoolers, ive never felt the urge to upgrade any any of my trucks.

For nitrous ports i would be shooting for the cold side pipe anyway. Not saying that is the way to cool anything down. Why not get more air and good tunes to accomplish that.

In your shoes i would get a set of upgraded factory style compounds of some sort: a 59mm High Pressure and a 76mm Atmosphere turbo. Get dual fuelers and 60% over nozzles. Do a ported intake manifold, the entire No Limit catalog (air intake, egr dleet, hot and cold side piping), and Gear Head tuning. I assume you already have head studs-if you dont, you will need them. Traction bars are recommended and start saving for a trans. That recipe listed will put you around 820 at the wheels on a stingy dyno.

If you dont want all that expense up front, do everything except the dual fuel and nozzles and it will still be a wicked street truck that makes 650+

I already have a ported intake manifold, studs, springs, and pushrods, and piping, intake, dleet, as well as tunes. Already have traction bars too. That's why I'm saying I'm probably close to 600.. considering they say their hot tune is usually good for 550+. But I haven't had it dyno'd to find out for sure.
I debated just doing a stock radiator again, but I'm still not completely set one way or another.

sootie · Aug 3, 2017

whos tunes

Morfael · Aug 3, 2017

sootie said:
whos tunes

Gear Head

sootie · Aug 3, 2017

nice. Sounds like a set of drop in chargers is your best bet. If you need more after that-add fuel

bigrpowr · Aug 3, 2017

drop in chargers and an intercooler, for sure. intercooler will drop iat a good bit , and improve throttle response, boost will increase as much as 2 psi with a quality intercooler like a spearco . we can help you in any decision you wanna make, as i have been where you are , about 10x over LOL