Be Cool Radiator Review

**Keith** · 06-23-2010, 09:11 AM

Anyone running a BeCool OEM replacement?

Would like to hear feedback on it's quality and cooling capacity.

**RobsCrawlin7** · 06-23-2010, 09:45 AM

counter question, how do you like your hanson bumper, hedman headers, and bds sliders?

not trying to jack the thread. also, which headers are they?

slowman9786 · 06-23-2010, 12:30 PM

Be Cool radiators are some of the best IMO. Ive ran them on my mustangs and the quality and performance is great. They are very popular in the fox body stangs.

**Keith** · 06-23-2010, 12:37 PM

Yea I thought Be Cool was a good product and I'm debating still buying a BeCool since my radiator is garbage but it's a pretty steep price for a replacement and been reading some bad reviews;

Leaking: Leaking Be-Cool radiator - Third Generation F-Body Message Boards

Leaking: Pro-Touring.com - View Single Post - ron davis leaking

Leaking: http://www.s-seriesforum.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=77028

Bad Customer Service: http://www.s-seriesforum.com/forum/s...4&postcount=18

Doesn't Fit: Hotrodders Company Reviews Be Cool Aluminum Radiators

Doesn't Fit: http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=231210

Doesn't Fit: http://www.stangnet.com/mustang-foru...r-problem.html

Not cooling well: What Radiator and size are u guys running? - Vintage Mustang Forums

Want to make sure others are running them without modification and they can handle our application before dropping that much on an replacement.

kakai81 · 06-23-2010, 07:13 PM

I will buy a BeCool when I need a replacement.

**Keith** · 06-23-2010, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kakai81

I will buy a BeCool when I need a replacement.

How come? Know someone running one in their CJ? I read about muscle cars enthusiasts running them but not finding many Jeepers who do.

Found this thread on Be Cool vs. Griffin. POR members seem to support Griffin over BeCool.

Griffin Or Be Cool Radiator Which Is Better? - Pirate4x4.Com Bulletin Board

kakai81 · 06-24-2010, 12:49 AM

From your link it sounds like everyone chose Griffin over Be Cool because of who they sponsored and their customer support.
I don't care who a product sponsors. That just means they have to pay for the sponsorship, which means we have to pay for it. My favorite oil filter in the world is Wix. They hardly advertise, and I have no idea who they sponsor, but I will buy them with pleasure.
I'm all about customer service. But, if I'm using customer service to solve problems a lot, it's not the right kind of service.

On to the use question. I put Be Cool in a couple muscle cars and a truck I rebuilt. I always had good luck. I did have to make sure measurements were correct. I never bought a wrong sized one, I just triple checked before I bought. I have the original copper core radiator in my jeep. It works great and is easy to fix. If I ever need a new one, I will have no problem replacing it with a Be Cool. Aluminum radiators don't cool as efficiently as copper ones with the same number of cores. The good thing is, the aluminum can be made thinner, so you can put more cores in the same space. Thus, you increase cooling in a radiator with the same dimensions.

Keep in mind, a jeep will only run as cool as the thermostat will let it. Many people replace a perfectly good radiator without trying a cooler thermostat. Also, it's rare, but you can make a jeep run so cool that it does not run right. That's why choke comes on until the engine warms up.

slowman9786 · 06-24-2010, 05:24 AM

About 2 years ago I traded a cd player for a be cool radiator (had a hole in it from a rock) and I took it to a radiator shop to have it repaired. The guy at the shop said it was a 2 row but the way it was built it would out "cool" most of the 3 rows he gets.

**BESRK** · 06-24-2010, 06:03 AM

I ran a 19"x22" (I think that was the size) single row Be Cool in my old CJ5 and later in my buggy. It cooled a warmed over 350. Even on long hard climbs at high RPMs I never had a cooling issue. Most of the time, the rigs ran at about 190ish.. full throttle jaunts would bump that up to about 210 or so. Ran that radiator from 2002 until I sold the buggy last year.

**Pacfanweb** · 06-24-2010, 08:22 AM

My impression of them is they are a lot of money for a radiator, frankly.

There is a recent thread at JU about Ebay Aluminum Radiators.....

I am seriously considering one of these. They look good, and seem to work good.

Seriously....a 2-3 row aluminum radiator with 1" tubes....how much different can they be? I'm sure the welds on the BeCool look nicer. But if neither leaks, what is the real-world difference going to be, other than a LOT more $$$?

Pathkiller · 06-24-2010, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheRyans33

not trying to jack the thread.

That's funny, because it seems to me that that's exactly what you were trying to do.

h2ojeep · 06-24-2010, 09:06 AM

I just changed my radiator last week. I had some small leaks and was told by the radiator shop that they could block it off to stop the leak, but not repair to original cooling capacity.

Looked at the internet for best price and knowledge, but ended up with one from my local Oreilly store. Manf is Ready-Rad.

Three core, all copper or brass, higher cooling capacity than OEM. It is heaver (weighs more) than my old OEM (which also was 3 core copper/brass, no alum) and new one is cooling right at my thermostat temp regardless of the type of driving. It also has a larger volume and holds about 1/2 gallon more coolant than the OEM.

I also like it for price. $199 (216+change out the door). I had to wait 2 days for it (out of Dallas, no shipping charge).

The over flow outlet was on the passenger side (OEM was driver side) so I had to change my overflow reservoir, but I was changing the reservoir anyway and have more room on passenger side

Ready-Rad 436010 - Radiator 1978 Jeep CJ7 | O'Reilly Auto Parts

While it is not a "Becool", I feel good recommending this one.

Gunga · 06-25-2010, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keith

Yea I thought Be Cool was a good product and I'm debating still buying a BeCool since my radiator is garbage but it's a pretty steep price for a replacement and been reading some bad reviews;

Leaking: Leaking Be-Cool radiator - Third Generation F-Body Message Boards

Leaking: Pro-Touring.com - View Single Post - ron davis leaking

Leaking: Be Cool radiator leaks - S-SeriesForum.com

Bad Customer Service: S-SeriesForum.com - View Single Post - Be Cool radiator leaks

Doesn't Fit: Hotrodders Company Reviews Be Cool Aluminum Radiators

Doesn't Fit: BeCool Radiator not direct fit - Chevelle Tech

Doesn't Fit: Be Cool Radiator problem - Mustang Forums at StangNet

Not cooling well: What Radiator and size are u guys running? - Vintage Mustang Forums

Want to make sure others are running them without modification and they can handle our application before dropping that much on an replacement.

Keith,
I have a Be Cool in mine. Between the radiator and the hood louvers I'm running 180-200 degrees, even crawling on a trail. And that's without a fan shroud. I built a custom screen for the front just to make sure I don't catch another rock. (which is why I bought it in the first place)
Make sure you ground your aluminum radiator to the frame.
If you search the internet you'll always find examples of leaking radiators.

junglejim · 11-05-2010, 08:40 PM

I would not recommend Be Cool at all. Much better options out there especially for such a premium price.

kakai81 · 11-06-2010, 01:39 AM

If you're going to revive a dead thread, you have to be more specific. Why wouldn't you recommend it and what are some other options?

Unless you're just trying to boost your post count, details help. Also, fill out your jeep profile. It helps people help you when you ask a question later.