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Re: 4 rows aluminum radiator for GL1000

Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2024 9:01 am
by redglbx
Looking good Cedric, nice job !

On the radiator, I’ve wondered since doing my custom radiator if a1200 radiator is any bigger or if it would fit in a 1000 frame ? Might be simpler than the custom radiator i did, of course the aluminum 4 core is available now and a whole lot cheaper than my custom was. Dang !

Anyway, on my bike, yes Cliff it is the oe 76 motor that came with the bike when I bought it new and it is the only one I’ve seen with the mismatched timing marks that I’ve found, I did use a pistons stop that I made to verify the T1 & T2 marks in addition to a degree wheel. The thing is that with the variance between the 2 timing marks the engine was a real thrasher when running and always was from new.

The thing that really drove the point home was when I got & built my 76 LTD which is such a smooth running cream puff, really put me on a mission to figure out what was wrong with the red bike. Finding & correcting the timing problem really got the red bike close to the LTD but being that the LTD’s had the engines hand built and all balanced I just can’t comp for that. It really runs sweet now. I can’t recommend the dynamic timing enough !

I know that this thread is abought Cedric’s new aluminum radiator and not timing so I’ll shut up about the timing and anxiously wait to see how that aluminum radiator works as it’s a great potential for these aging machines, that bike is looking great Cedric ! Can’t wait to see it completed.

Re: 4 rows aluminum radiator for GL1000

Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2024 9:55 am
by Old Fogey
I had my 76 rad pop two holes when the bike was still in California. A local shop flushed it out and fixed the hole but I guess it's still on borrowed time, so I can see one of these finding it was to me soon.
By the way, that radiator was the original 76, I had no overheating problems, but the shop reckoned it was at least 1/3 blocked up. When did you last flush yours out!?

Re: 4 rows aluminum radiator for GL1000

Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2024 11:25 am
by cfairweather
Thanks for your comments. I wish I had bought two of those radiators, one for both projects, because it is hard to get old ones completely flushed. I took one to a professional and he said he was unable to get all of the crap out, so it was about 90 percent efficient when he finished. I usually put mine in an ultrasonic cleaner and then turn the temp up to max. That works ok; however, getting a new one for $110.00 is a no brainer after I know it will fit. Not a perfect fit, but it will work and that is the important part.

Re: 4 rows aluminum radiator for GL1000

Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2024 7:41 pm
by wolf_walker78
I ordered one the other day, my 79 rewarded me for upgrading the coils and re-fixing the front brakes by springing a leak.
Can't complain after 40 something years I suppose.

Re: 4 rows aluminum radiator for GL1000

Posted: Sun Mar 17, 2024 8:15 am
by redglbx
Ain’t that the way, they’re just needy old things!

Oh,, but when they run right ……

Re: 4 rows aluminum radiator for GL1000

Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2024 9:33 am
by wolf_walker78
Started installing that radiator last night. Bless their hearts I bet they got all the mounting points within a good quarter inch :-D

I'm still fitting, and by fitting I mean elongating pretty much every mounting hole. Did have to move my dyna coils to the left side of the frame mount which means they are only mounted with the upper bolt now as the coil contacts the frame if you try to swing them forward to line up the lower hole but I think they will be fine. Nothing permanent changed on the bike other than the holes on the outer tin scoops but they aren't original anyway. It's really a shame they couldn't have their jig they built these on a little more accurate, I'd have gladly paid another 75 bucks to have the thing just bolt in, and it could have.
Also if I were a welder it would be fairly easy to correct all this, but I'm not.

Re: 4 rows aluminum radiator for GL1000

Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2024 10:52 am
by heraldhamster
that new rad is mighty snazzy looking. good to know about once I can start rebuilding the three I have splayed out around the shop.
Thanks for all the hard work & good info!

Re: 4 rows aluminum radiator for GL1000

Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2024 9:29 pm
by wolf_walker78
Got mine in and running today, no leaks so far. That was by far the least well fitting specifically made product I've ever not-returned lol....

But it's in, I'll have the local radiator guy look at the original at some point for when, not if, this one goes south.

Re: 4 rows aluminum radiator for GL1000

Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2024 8:29 am
by redglbx
👍👍👍

Has anyone tried fitting a 1200 radiator into a 1000 frame ? Just curious

Re: 4 rows aluminum radiator for GL1000

Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2024 7:52 am
by Shadowjack
I would like to know this as well. The 1200 engine in my 1000 frame seems to run warmer than the other 1000 I have, but it could be the gauge. Not a lot warmer, but some.

Re: 4 rows aluminum radiator for GL1000

Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2024 8:32 am
by wingrider
redglbx wrote: Sun Mar 24, 2024 8:29 am 👍👍👍

Has anyone tried fitting a 1200 radiator into a 1000 frame ? Just curious
I have a 1200 radiator somewhere in the shed. I'll see how it mounts up to my 77.

Re: 4 rows aluminum radiator for GL1000

Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2024 8:46 am
by cfairweather
After using the 4row radiator, I am not sure that it cools any better than the original radiator. I am going to buy a new fan and see if that improves the cooling. I think the original fan is a 4 amp, 600 CFM unit and I am going to buy a 4.5 amp, 800 CFM.

8 inch motorcycle radiator fan
https://www.ebay.com/itm/355212072014?i ... R7icju2UZA

Re: 4 rows aluminum radiator for GL1000

Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2024 11:43 am
by Whiskerfish
I mounted a John Deere yard tractor fan on the front of my 78 dresser. Cyborg helped me with the sourcing. It definitely pushes more air that stock. When I had a external alternator setup I had the Radiator pushed out maybe 3/8's of an inch for clearance to the pulley and with the fan mounted on the front it interfered with the fender of the front wheel.

Re: 4 rows aluminum radiator for GL1000

Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2024 10:01 pm
by Track T 2411
Whiskerfish wrote: Fri Jul 12, 2024 11:43 am I mounted a John Deere yard tractor fan on the front of my 78 dresser. Cyborg helped me with the sourcing. It definitely pushes more air that stock. When I had a external alternator setup I had the Radiator pushed out maybe 3/8's of an inch for clearance to the pulley and with the fan mounted on the front it interfered with the fender of the front wheel.
Whiskerfish, do you by chance have any info on that fan? I'm looking to replace the stock fan on the 1200 rather than chop it up when I do the alternator conversion. I do like the unit cfairweather posted, just looking at options.

Re: 4 rows aluminum radiator for GL1000

Posted: Fri Jul 12, 2024 10:47 pm
by CYBORG
They now sell flat, high volumne fans that fit well on the front of the GL radiators, and move a LOT of air. I now run them on all my bikes, and the work well