Ac WN radiator?

[Highnote1]

My 74tii is about to go on for paint. Spent today doing the front main seal and up grading to an AC pulley. 
 

I have a high capacity WN radiator already. Am I hosed and have to buy a different one now if I am going to add AC? Does this one interfere?

 

Also…only been on a couple of years and only a hundred miles or so…paint bubbling on back of it! Boo!

[Stevenc22]

Yes you need a different radiator or you need to modify your existing on. The bottom hose outlet will run into the AC compressor, you need an angled bottom hose outlet to clear the compressor. 

[Highnote1]

Damn…this may not be happening. $558 on top of all the AC crap I have to buy. Is there a cheaper alternative? This radiator keeps the car cool in hot ass Texas…but I can’t just buy another one. 

[dlacey]

A good radiator shop could modify that bottom outlet, its all brass/copper & solder:

Blank-off the original and put an elbow at the end.

[Highnote1]

I know of A radiator shop near by…let’s see if they are good! 😬😂

[0257]

I bought the W&N radiator, took it and the original “a/c outlet” radiator down to my local rad shop and told him I needed a graft of the a/c outlet onto the new radiator. While at it, I had him transfer the shroud mountings from the original radiator to the new one.  So now I’m running a tropical fan, W&N radiator and a shroud, w/a condensor fan when the a/c’s running. I have gone from worrying about overheating in hot weather to worrying about the motor not getting hot enough in cold weather.😛

[Vicleonardo1]

Like above, you can swap the bottom with an AC capable radiator. 

320i Radiator works well with some finesse on the install. 

Check the Hack Mechanic. Somewhere he has discovered some hoses that he used that you can route around the compressor. 

 

 

[Stevenc22]

Sell your high capacity radiator for $375-$400 that way your net out of pocket is only $200

 

Dont let $200 stand in the way of AC in Texas!

 

Do you have your original radiator? My 72tii radiator was AC compatible and i sent it to the radiator shop to be cleaned, repaired and painted for $90. It works amazingly well with my AC setup.

 

 

Edited April 8 by Stevenc22