I ordered one of the American Eagle 2 core radiators with 1" tubes for my 3.4L swap on eBay from "The Cooling Pro's". I asked some questions regarding the differences between the Champion and American Eagle product line and received the following answer:
Most, if not all, of Champion and American Eagle Radiators are designed off of Stock radiator designs therefore should be, for the most part, "drop in" fitments. Some "thickness" specs may vary as you mentioned earlier, the number and size of the tubes in the Core vary as you will see in our descriptions below. Both, Champion Performance Series and American Eagle are from the same Manufacturer and have the same manufacturing processes. Champion has begun its' "American Made" production line but only in three part numbers thus far.
We also have broken down a comparison of our parts in a fairly straightforward way in hopes it will assist you in making an educated decision.
Keep in mind, there are so many variables in play that determine the ACTUAL Cooling Capacity so these are mid-range ratings for cooling capacity. Your actual may differ.
EC - 2Row - Two Rows of 5/8ths inch Tubes = Approx. 400-600+ Horsepower Cooling Capacity.
CC - 3Row - Three Rows of 5/8ths inch Tubes = Approx. 600-800+ Horsepower Cooling Capacity.
MC - 4Row - Four Rows of 5/8ths inch Tubes = Approx. 800-1200+ Horsepower Cooling Capacity.
American Eagle, All-Aluminum, Performance Series, Radiator Replacement:
AE - 2Row - Two Rows of 1-Inch Tubes = 625-850 Horsepower Cooling Capacity.
Also, please keep in mind of our "60-Day Test Drive Warranty" when making your purchasing decision.
Simply put, you have 60-Days from the time of purchase to return it for a full refund or exchange with no questions asked. Your radiator does not fit.
Your radiator does not cool your engine. Your radiator leaks. Your radiator has a manufacturer's defect. For some reason you just do not like your radiator.
I'll update with pictures once I receive my new radiator, and later when I get around to the actual installation.
It looks like you'll have better cooling capacity than stock regardless. When making a decision like this I believe the dimensions and rows are more important than the horsepower ratings. My overheat threat has always been traffic related particularly since a lot more air is moving over the entire radiator core when you're making horsepower than when you're crawling along in Summer traffic.
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08:45 PM
hdryder Member
Posts: 674 From: Virginia Beach, VA, USA Registered: Apr 2011
If I ever do another V8 Fiero I'll break down and put a Griffin unit in it. It has two 1.25" rows. The Champion 3 row has what appears to be three .5" rows which only makes it .25" thicker row wise than the stock thickest radiator (there are two for the Fiero). There's also the little tax of the top three rows in the Champion being non functional, I couldn't see the bottom three to determine if they were nonfunctional also (plugged).
The Champion 3 row did outperform the stock radiator but not by much in my car during the time I had a new stocker installed while waiting for the replacement 3 row for the one that failed. In my TPI 350 Fiero my engine temp was a steady 230-240 deg on the interstate in the Summer and that was with no A/C condenser out front so maybe I had the ~1" thick Fiero radiator at the time.
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10:32 PM
pdemondo Member
Posts: 448 From: Peoria, AZ, USA Registered: Oct 2007
Before those changes, my car would get close to overheating when driving between AZ and So. Cal (pulling hills) in the summer. I drove with the AC on max. I would have to drive slowly or, sometimes, pull over and add water. After adding the radiator and fan, my car stays close to thermostat temperature.
I had previously purchased a Champion for my daughter's Fiero. The two radiators appear to be nearly identical.
The Archie V8 Deluxe and Master Kits uses the Champion 3 Row Radiator?
I don't think the Deluxe kit includes a radiator. The Master kit does list a 3-row radiator as included on v8archie.com, but it doesn't state the brand. I'm pretty sure they're Champion though, as I don't know of anyone else making 3 row radiators for the Fiero. But you can call Archie to verify the brand, or maybe he'll see this thread and reply.
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02:03 PM
josef644 Member
Posts: 6939 From: Dickinson, Texas USA Registered: Nov 2006
I have the Champion 3 row in my car. I had a problem with the one I purchased, and had to send it back. They paid shipping both ways and rushed my replacement back to me. Great customer service.
The Champion keeps my cars coolant nice and cool. I was only able to try it out around the end of September or early October. But all was well, even in Texas with the AC on.
I recommend these to all driving a Fiero with a 25 year old radiator
[This message has been edited by josef644 (edited 12-30-2012).]
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04:02 PM
hdryder Member
Posts: 674 From: Virginia Beach, VA, USA Registered: Apr 2011
Originally posted by Archie: We installed one of these radiators in a Fiero today.
First of all, when we got it we compared the size, the cores & the fit to the big radiator that I've been having made for several years.
We have not yet tested it extensively BUT I HAVE HIGH CONFIDENCE that it is at least equal to the radiators I've been having made for years.
This high confidence & the fact that this radiator is much cheaper than the ones I've been having made, means that this will become my recommended radiator for future swaps.
Originally posted by hdryder: Any idea who makes this ALUMINUM RACING 3-ROW COOLING RADIATOR 84-88 PONTIAC FIERO 2.5L/2.8L I4/V6 with the Speed Daddy name on the ad?
I don't know who makes that one on eBay, as it doesn't state directly. As a general eBay tip, don't buy things on there where the manufacturer and part number aren't properly included in the listing. It will probably end bad.
If you want to order one of the Champion radiators, just order it directly from the store on http://www.championradiators.com/ so you'll know it's them for sure. I think they have their own store on eBay as well and sometimes list specials there. But buying direct from them means you know what you're getting.
