[A26B]

Tom,
Just exchanging some thoughts with you on some of your comments about fluid flow, no offense intended.

5500 rpms = the complete by-pass target rpm on a stock system. No circulation thru the rad core.

Flow will follow the path of least resistance. The bypass does not shut off flow through the radiator, just offers a path of lower resistance to the high flow rate at the specified rpm. There is still flow going through the radiator. If "no" (100%) circulation through the radiator was actually ocurring, the engine would not operate for much time at all before seizing.

there are no radiators that can handle the volume our w/p's put out.

While I believe that to be true for the stock radiator, I am unaware of any flow tests through the Ron Davis radiator, or even other aftermarket radiators for that matter. Ron Davis does provide some empirical test results regarding exchange rates, but they offer no info concerning maximum coolant flow rates. I talked with them about this specific subject 7 or 8 years ago to find out if it was feasible to completely eliminate the LT5 bypass system. Although other factors may affect the obvious, a 5 core radiator should yield less resistance to a given flow rate with it's assumed, proportionatly greater cross sectional flow area, anf therefore have higher volumetric flow capacity. All othe factors being equal, the result would be the ability to handle the flow capacity of the LT5 with out damaging the radiator. The same may also be true for other aftermarket radiators.

There is another factor that also come into play, coolant velocity through the radiator. Removing the thermostat completely in many cases results in overheating. I Fluid velocity affects both heat absorption and dissipation.

Back pressure in the cooling system would also need to consider the flow capacity of the thermostat. If the flow capacity through the thermostat is less than water pump output, then that problem must also be addressed, regardless of which radiator is used. I am a believer in the modification originated by Lingenfelter, drilling 3 or 4 small holes in the t-stat flange.

This whole issue of the high flow water pump, the bypass system & damaged radiators could really use a good evaluation, but would require setting up a test apparatus to test all known radiators and the thermostat housing for flow capacity, just to see if the bypass system could ever be eliminated.