lincoln ls 2 row radiator

[Flynbrd]

Ok after digging around the Internet I discovered a 2 row radiator for the ls. Here https://www.radiatorexpress.com/product.asp?part_id=218746&aaia_id=1363632

it's 1/4 thicker than most cores so if true the rows must be really small. At that rate would there be any benefit over a single row.

 

[joegr]

What benefit are you looking for? AFAIK, the factory design is fully adequate to cool the engine in all situations, as long as there are no cooling system failures (leaks, splits, blockages, water pump problems, and so on). If there are any cooling system failures, I doubt that a better radiator would make any difference. (If the hot coolant can't get to it, it can't help.) Failures of the radiator itself seem to all be cracked plastic, always on the hot (passenger) side it seems. This one still has plastic sides, so it may or may not do the same thing.

 

[Flynbrd]

What benefit are you looking for? AFAIK, the factory design is fully adequate to cool the engine in all situations, as long as there are no cooling system failures (leaks, splits, blockages, water pump problems, and so on). If there are any cooling system failures, I doubt that a better radiator would make any difference. (If the hot coolant can't get to it, it can't help.) Failures of the radiator itself seem to all be cracked plastic, always on the hot (passenger) side it seems. This one still has plastic sides, so it may or may not do the same thing.

I'm just doing preventive care on the car. I'll be swapping out the balancer this week. Since the cooling fan is out I'll be swapping out the electric fan motor. ( current one is on its last legs) Figured with the system drained I'll replace the radiator (car is coming up on 100k) and water pump. Both work however given the mileage and my luck I rather replace them now instead of later should things go wrong. I live in a desert area so any car needs all the cooling it can get. If I can get a 10% boost in cooling for a radiator or even 5% I'll take it. I was wondering if my spare mark VIII fan motor and blade would fit in the stock ls shroud. (the lincoln mark VIII cooling fan motor is a beast)

 

[joegr]

Your radiator is probably fine, so long as the fan has never failed (and let the radiator itself get really hot). Most of the common brands for radiators should be just fine. There's no picking up an extra 5 or 10% cooling just by changing the radiator. The radiator is not the weak point of the cooling system anyway. If you want to be safe, replace all of the plastic cooling system parts and the hoses.
You can't put the Mark fan in the LS. The LS PCM wouldn't be able to control it. All the fan control electronics are built into the LS fan motor, and the PCM communicates with it.

 

[Flynbrd]

After the thermostat was replaced the car seemed to be running normal. The same day it was fixed I parked the car running with the ac on. When I got back about 5-10 minutes later the needle was nearly at the top and the light was on. I drove the car home since I was only 1 away. During the drive the car cooled down while on the city streets. That's the only time during my ownership the temp got that high. Testing indicates that the cooling fan is failing. Since I recently got the car there's no telling what has happened with the radiator. I rather play it safe, when I have the parts out I'll inspect the plastic parts. They may have been already replaced. (Unlikely but you never know).

 

[1LoudLS]

honestly, if it were me, I would want an OEM radiator...

just because a radiator is thicker, doesn't necessarily mean it will cool any better, and usually when something says its "OEM quality" it rarely is.

sounds like a solution searching for a problem...