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240 radiator with a 4.3 chevy engine

V

Volvo265

New member
Joined
Jan 31, 2014
I have an unusual problem on my 265. I purchased the car with a 4.3 chevy engine installed in it. The person who did the swap had the original 265 radiator modified. They added a regular radiator cap and fill neck to the side of the radiator, and removed the small fitting that is normally in the end tank of the radiator about half way down that goes to the remote coolant filler tank. The radiator cools the engine fine - but with the remote filler tank gone, I cant get the cooling system full - there is air trapped in the heater core (as it is higher up than the filler neck on the radiator). This prevents the heater from working at idle - i have to rev the engine up to get coolant flowing through the core again. I would like to reinstall the remote filler tank, but will need to change the radiator now since the fitting that goes to the remote tank is gone now.

A 260 radiator is hard to find, but I have access to several nice 240 radiators (and hoses and remote fill tanks/brackets) in the local you-pull-it yards. Whats the chance that a 4 cyl radiator would keep the 4.3 cool? It is smaller from what I can tell, But the 260 radiator seems to be way more than adequate. I am using a 2 speed electric fan from a taurus and on high it REALLY moves alot of air.

Should I try a 240 radiator??
 
122power said:
sure why not? Where did you get this car, just curious
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My old boss kinda "re-did" this car in about 1999...It sat most of the time after that as a spare vehicle and eventually he decided to sell it, so I bought it...
 
jack the front end up until the filler neck is the highest point in the system, then let it run for a while, make sure to bounce it off the rev limiter a few times
 
turbotankshane said:
jack the front end up until the filler neck is the highest point in the system, then let it run for a while, make sure to bounce it off the rev limiter a few times
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Getting the front end up high is a good way to bleed what you have, be sure heater is running on full hot, I'm not sure you need to bounce the rev limiter though lol
 
I'm using a 940 non Turbo radiator in our 5.0 power Volvo it seems to be fine. Not real happy with the fit.

I happen to have a 262 radiator I'm not using. Anywhere close to Tacoma Wa?
 
NONHOG said:
I'm using a 940 non Turbo radiator in our 5.0 power Volvo it seems to be fine. Not real happy with the fit.

I happen to have a 262 radiator I'm not using. Anywhere close to Tacoma Wa?
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I'm nowhere near Washington state. I'm in southwest missouri. But if youre willing to box it up id buy it from you and pay the shipping...

Also interested in learning about your 5.0 swap. To be totally honest I am not thrilled with this 4.3 chevy engine, I have been thinking a 5.0 ford with an AOD would be a better choice..
 
NONHOG said:
I happen to have a 262 radiator I'm not using. Anywhere close to Tacoma Wa?
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Having been there, done that, I would suggest that any properly functioning at least 2 row radiator that fit the opening in your car and with a correctly functioning electrical fan would be perfectly adequate to cool a 4.3L V6. In the new world of aluminum/plastic radiators the issue is getting all the external connections correctly aligned. In a copper radiator you could change things around with a torch and solder. Not anymore.

My stock Explorer, advertised at 240hp, is extremely more than adequate to move the Volvo. The 2000 Explorer weighed 1,000 pounds more than my 1982 245 with tires much smaller. My car was originally a Diesel with a 3.11 rear end and even with that starting on dry pavement careful application of pedal is required to keep from smoking the right rear tire.

Everything you could possibly need to know about a Ford 302/4R70W conversion can be found here: http://forums.turbobricks.com/showthread.php?t=250257
 
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TestPoint said:
Having been there, done that, I would suggest that any properly functioning at least 2 row radiator that fit the opening in your car and with a correctly functioning electrical fan would be perfectly adequate to cool a 4.3L V6. In the new world of aluminum/plastic radiators the issue is getting all the external connections correctly aligned. In a copper radiator you could change things around with a torch and solder. Not anymore.

My stock Explorer, advertised at 240hp, is extremely more than adequate to move the Volvo. The 2000 Explorer weighed 1,000 pounds more than my 1982 245 with tires much smaller. My car was originally a Diesel with a 3.11 rear end and even with that starting on dry pavement careful application of pedal is required to keep from smoking the right rear tire.

Everything you could possibly need to know about a Ford 302/4R70W conversion can be found here: http://forums.turbobricks.com/showthread.php?t=250257
Click to expand...

Good to know, thanks. My 4.3 is a 97 model and rated around 190hp, it moves the volvo well but i'm just not fond of the engine and its fuel injection. I think the 302 ford with mass air fuel injection is a better setup.

The one thing I do like about the chevy engine is that the ECM is weatherproof- Its designed to be under the hood. Not the case for the ford ECM, so the wiring harness has to be run through the firewall and then you have to find a place to mount the ecm securely. I kinda wonder if I could wire the GM ECM to the 302 and program it to run it. However, the 4.3 uses a distributor and I would be interested in using the distributorless ignition system of the explorer 5.0. I think that might be the biggest issue with trying to run a vortec ECM on the ford engine...
 
The electrical part of the conversion is the big half of the effort. No way the GM system is going to run the Ford. Easiest solution is an aftermarket 'puter. That bypasses all the PATS issues of the Ford.
 
You jacked your own thread!:lol:

Basically people are telling you to get the front end up because you want the highest point on the cooling system to be where you can get the air out. Thus putting the front up should work. Just let it idle and rev a little. Squeeze hoses and help push the air to the highest point. That should take care of the issue for now and you can ponder another swap while you enjoy that swap.

Just as an fyi car makes like Porsche had this issue with the 924. They actually had a bleed fitting in the upper radiator hose because that was the spot that was highest in the cooling system.
 
+1 to getting the front end up.

One of my Lemons cars uses an aftermarket aluminum radiator without the factory overflow tank and does not have a heater core so that has been common procedure. Usually takes me a few tries to get it done completely.
 
Try juicing up the 4.3 first. There is plenty of aftermarket there to support it.

Cam swap alone should get it humming.

It is a durable engine with available parts. A lot can be said for that.
 
Here's the Rad I got for my SBC 740, probably works in a 200 also for others, I paid 94.00 ( blemished) works well, easy to mount
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2-Row-Alum...ash=item25e75973f8:g:fbMAAOSwyXNZ6wvw&vxp=mtr
picture.php
 
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