Inodoro Pereyra wrote:The coolant should enter the radiator at the top, straight from the thermostat, and exit at the bottom. If you have it backwards, it will generate a little backpressure, that could hinder its efficiency a bit, as the flow has to fight gravity (and convection) to go through. Maybe all you need is to swap out the hoses, and the increase in efficiency might be enough to keep your temperature under control...![]()
Here are pictures... First is a 626 V6 rad... Not the outlet on the passengers side is at the top of the rad... This feeds the water pump... The thermostat side feeds into the bottom of the rad...
![Image](http://img3.prosperent.com/images/250x250/www.genesisautoparts.com/web_images/RADIATOR-7526A.jpg)
Here is what my 2.2L cavalier rad looks like... Note how the passenger side inlet is at the bottom and now the drivers side is at the top... This is reverse of what the KLDE is from stock..
![Image](http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/images/apw_products/images/replacement/p977_1ftbk.jpg?NnwG1qv)
As for the headers I could look into installing a head shield but I am not as close to the rad as you think..... I have 4 - 5 inches of clearance where the headers leave the motor.. From there as they down down the block they move away from the rad...