has anyone tried this Lucerne HD radiator swap yet?
Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2020 5:59 pm
hi; long time reader first time poster here, i was just wondering if anyone has tried a rumoured radiator swap I've seen just a few references to and was wondering if anyone has actually tried it.
the long story short to this is the Buick Lucerne's with the 3.8 and a "towing package"option came with a radiator that looks like it's almost a drop in update, just with a hitch or two. I've seen reference to this swap on other forums (if i recall a buick forum & maybe 3800pro) and no one's ever given a final yes or no answer.
here's what my research has uncovered:
the core for the regular radiator in our Bonnevilles nowadays anyway is 5/16 inches thick, this Lucerne radiator is 7/8 thick.
the intercooler for the transmission is same size but with 4mm larger piping inside the radiator itself, so i don't think I have to explain why I and maybe some others would like to do this, & god knows it would be much safer and easier than rebuilding a now 20+ year old unit.
on the mounting front:
the mounts to attach to the car are visually identical in their type and placement, don't actually see any issue here.
plumbing:
coolant:
the lower radiator hose i really don't see being a problem. in fact the exact same part # is used for both cars here, even in a simple Y/m/m search.
upper radiator hose maybe interesting, and it touches on another issue I'll get to later.
the location of the upper radiator hose inlet on the radiator and a mounting bracket for the fan assembly are actually swapped, the hose goes into the radiator @ a slightly lower point than our standard issue radiator. hose part numbers are different between the cars too, research revealed that the hose for the Lucerne is about 2 inches longer and has one more little bend it.
transmission: the fitting locations haven't changed between the two, the distance between them is even the same. but.... there are different transmission lines listed between the cars, & not sure why. fittings themselves are the same quick disconnect type but the Lucerne radiator gets a different threading on its ( I'm assuming because of the pipe size increase inside the radiator itself). visually though their locations are identical and I'm hoping worst case I'll just get like a trans cooler install kit with fittings and some bulk transmission hose and adapt improvise and overcome if my original lines can't reach or whatever.
fans:
as i said before on the driver's side of the Lucerne radiator the inlet and a fan mount had been swapped vertically. straight up our standard issue fans will probably only kinda barely fit and it would be kinda ghetto too involving something really creative with zip ties. but on the bright side the lucerne's fan assembly comes with some slightly larger fans that look like they're not just larger, but probably faster too (the motors are a new kind, low profile too, even have heat sinks built in to their backside, also different fan blades, the passenger side got 1 more blade, but the driver side got like a 10 or 11 blade fan that straight up looks kinda mean.)
the electric connections are also different but its just a matter of making/swapping pigtails.
I'm actually about to try this, just gotta get a Lucerne upper hose, 160 thermostat & gasket, & the fittings and hose for the transmission JIC.
anyone got any more intel on this than i do please say something. not sure but I think I maybe on the bleeding cutting edge of a real nice lil discovery for our kind.
the long story short to this is the Buick Lucerne's with the 3.8 and a "towing package"option came with a radiator that looks like it's almost a drop in update, just with a hitch or two. I've seen reference to this swap on other forums (if i recall a buick forum & maybe 3800pro) and no one's ever given a final yes or no answer.
here's what my research has uncovered:
the core for the regular radiator in our Bonnevilles nowadays anyway is 5/16 inches thick, this Lucerne radiator is 7/8 thick.
the intercooler for the transmission is same size but with 4mm larger piping inside the radiator itself, so i don't think I have to explain why I and maybe some others would like to do this, & god knows it would be much safer and easier than rebuilding a now 20+ year old unit.
on the mounting front:
the mounts to attach to the car are visually identical in their type and placement, don't actually see any issue here.
plumbing:
coolant:
the lower radiator hose i really don't see being a problem. in fact the exact same part # is used for both cars here, even in a simple Y/m/m search.
upper radiator hose maybe interesting, and it touches on another issue I'll get to later.
the location of the upper radiator hose inlet on the radiator and a mounting bracket for the fan assembly are actually swapped, the hose goes into the radiator @ a slightly lower point than our standard issue radiator. hose part numbers are different between the cars too, research revealed that the hose for the Lucerne is about 2 inches longer and has one more little bend it.
transmission: the fitting locations haven't changed between the two, the distance between them is even the same. but.... there are different transmission lines listed between the cars, & not sure why. fittings themselves are the same quick disconnect type but the Lucerne radiator gets a different threading on its ( I'm assuming because of the pipe size increase inside the radiator itself). visually though their locations are identical and I'm hoping worst case I'll just get like a trans cooler install kit with fittings and some bulk transmission hose and adapt improvise and overcome if my original lines can't reach or whatever.
fans:
as i said before on the driver's side of the Lucerne radiator the inlet and a fan mount had been swapped vertically. straight up our standard issue fans will probably only kinda barely fit and it would be kinda ghetto too involving something really creative with zip ties. but on the bright side the lucerne's fan assembly comes with some slightly larger fans that look like they're not just larger, but probably faster too (the motors are a new kind, low profile too, even have heat sinks built in to their backside, also different fan blades, the passenger side got 1 more blade, but the driver side got like a 10 or 11 blade fan that straight up looks kinda mean.)
the electric connections are also different but its just a matter of making/swapping pigtails.
I'm actually about to try this, just gotta get a Lucerne upper hose, 160 thermostat & gasket, & the fittings and hose for the transmission JIC.
anyone got any more intel on this than i do please say something. not sure but I think I maybe on the bleeding cutting edge of a real nice lil discovery for our kind.
