radiator options for explorer 5.0 swap

[papy]

Hello,


looking for radiator options. as some of you already know i am building a 67 explorer 5.0, ax15 and dana20

just wondering what options we have for radiators. explorer 5.0 is currently set up with explorer reverse flow water pump

i have a bronco radiator that appears to have been reconditioned at some point from previous owners that started the build sometime in the mid 90's. because i am not sure the condition of this bronco radiator i am looking for alternate options. its been sitting too long under a deck and tossed around for the last 25years so lol


i can use the stock bronco radiator with explorer 5.0 if i change out the water pump correct? or do i have to change the timing cover as well? just wondering if we have any other options with keeping the stock explorer water pump and adapting another radiator. something that i can pick up locally at a napa or a local junk yard. i remember reading somewhere something about a mustang radiator?



thank you in advance

 

[904Bronco]

Hello,


looking for radiator options. as some of you already know i am building a 67 explorer 5.0, ax15 and dana20

just wondering what options we have for radiators. explorer 5.0 is currently set up with explorer reverse flow water pump

i have a bronco radiator that appears to have been reconditioned at some point from previous owners that started the build sometime in the mid 90's. because i am not sure the condition of this bronco radiator i am looking for alternate options. its been sitting too long under a deck and tossed around for the last 25years so lol


i can use the stock bronco radiator with explorer 5.0 if i change out the water pump correct?. just wondering if we have any other options with keeping the stock explorer water pump and adapting another radiator. something that i can pick up locally at a napa or a local junk yard. i remember reading somewhere something about a mustang radiator?



thank you in advance

No you can't run a standard pump on an Explorer front dress, nothing will line up.

You can run all the explorer stuff with a stock Rad, if you use WH's relocation tube on the lower hose. Or some folks have had luck running a 2002 7.3 F250 lower hose instead of the Tube.
Or you can buy a Rad the is configured to work with the Explorer.
Some have adapted the Explorer V6 Rad to work on a Bronco...

 

[bronconut73]

For about $150 bucks you can buy a Champion reverse inlet/outlet radiator on ebay.

Bought mine to basically mock everything up. Was going to get a better rad later. But it's been years and its still going fine.
If you do get the Champion aluminum rad grab a sacrificial anode from Wild Horses.

 

[rguest3]

You will need all the Parts from the Explorer serpentine system including the Timing Cover. Mix and matching parts from other serpentines will not work.

The Explorer Serpentine is much shorter and provides A Lot more room from the water pump to Radiator Support. Just about any size (thickness) Radiator will work. Champion, Toms and Ron Davis (among others) make 5.0 reverse Rotation that will fit great.

 

[papy]

No you can't run a standard pump on an Explorer front dress, nothing will line up.

You can run all the explorer stuff with a stock Rad, if you use WH's relocation tube on the lower hose. Or some folks have had luck running a 2002 7.3 F250 lower hose instead of the Tube.
Or you can buy a Rad the is configured to work with the Explorer.
Some have adapted the Explorer V6 Rad to work on a Bronco...

thank you for the reply. the explorer v6 sounds like a good option that i can pick up locally. if anyone has adapted the explorer v6 rad can you send some info/specs like year range, manual or auto trans setup, trans cooler?, what hoses you used, rad support mods and what not so i can start my searches.

thank you

 

[Broncobowsher]

The explorer is reverse rotation, not reverse flow. Water still moves in the same direction, the shaft spins opposite of the crank.

 

[papy]

been researching the v6 4.0 explorer radiator. hoping some members can help me broaden my searches

1. what year range explorers should i be searching?
2. any other fords/mazdas? share the same rad that the 4.0 explorer uses?
3. do i have to modify the rad support on my bronco or does it fit/work with existing EB support?
4. what about fan shroud - what should/can i use? i have a bronco V8 shroud not sure if it can be used?

thanks

 

[Broncobowsher]

Had a '90 Ranger with the 4.0 in it. That radiator looked to be perfect for the Bronco. Never got a chance to try it, was moving and getting rid of a whole bunch of junk and a lot of good stuff as well. Pretty sure the fan shroud was good for a Bronco as well. This would have matched the 1st gen Explorer, Jurassic park era. Early 90s.

 

[tatersalad]

90-94 Explorer, you will need some modification. I believe the stock shroud works.

 

[tasker]

doing that install on my project rig. 90-94 Explorer 4.0 with auto is what I am using. had to manufacture lower hose but upper is off a fox body 5.0 Mustang. Using the auto style due to the thickness and the cooler provisions (sorry, best pics I have right now...)

 

[MrT]

I think I bought the wrong Explorer radiator. Mine is super thin off to research...

 

[MrT]

Well I bought one for a manual transmission. It is super thin, are the automatic radiators all thicker? Is the auto a/c one correct?
Off the wall question, has anyone run the power steering fluid through the trans part of the radiator for a cooler?

 

[papy]

doing that install on my project rig. 90-94 Explorer 4.0 with auto is what I am using. had to manufacture lower hose but upper is off a fox body 5.0 Mustang. Using the auto style due to the thickness and the cooler provisions (sorry, best pics I have right now...)

thanks for sharing! are you running a manual or auto transmission on your rig? been reading about the AT rad that has a 45° on the bottom. what did you use /fab to make the hose connections work?

 

[papy]

90-94 Explorer, you will need some modification. I believe the stock shroud works.

what mods did you have to make?

 

[tasker]

4R70W, I have the lower hose numbers some place...let you know when I find them.

 

[papy]

4R70W, I have the lower hose numbers some place...let you know when I find them.

nice work!

than you i appreciate it and no rush when you have time.

cheers

 

[tatersalad]

what mods did you have to make?

I made simple L shaped brackets to fit the bottom rubber Explorer mounts and the Taurus fans fit like they were almost made for the Explorer rad. The radiator is the two row from the auto trans Explorer

 

[tatersalad]

what mods did you have to make?

Early 90's Volvo e fans are the same fans and bolt to their shrouds vs the Taurus which is part of the shroud. I have all the Explorer front dress sitting in a box waiting for me to put it on. The electric works great once you get it dialed in right but I want to go back to a mechanical fan and the Explorer front dress not only looks good but seems to work the best from what I've researched on here though the years.

 

[papy]

doing that install on my project rig. 90-94 Explorer 4.0 with auto is what I am using. had to manufacture lower hose but upper is off a fox body 5.0 Mustang. Using the auto style due to the thickness and the cooler provisions (sorry, best pics I have right now...)

tasker,

i started this post back February this year in gathering info on radiator options for my 96 explorer swap. the time has come to make a decision on a radiator.

definitely going with a 90-94 explorer radiator however i am still trying to decide on the AT or MT. i looked at the MT today at the junkyard and it just seems so thin. i am not ruling it out just saying...

my question is to everyone who has gone this route, which fan shrouds is everyone using? are you all using OE bronco 289/305 shrouds, 90-94 explorer shrouds or something completely different? i plan to use the 96 explorer mechanical fan.

thank you

 

[stretch]

So I went with the 90s 4.0 auto trans radiator. I looked at the standard trans and just couldn't see it cooling as well as the thicker core. If I remember correctly, I used a Ron Davis aluminum fan shroud. You do need to trim one side to make this fit, but once installed it works well.