radiator purchase help I6 292

[sventinker]

So I am in the need for a new radiator for my 1970 c10 manual trans 292. I bought one from Rockauto and in the drawing it appears to be shaped like a traditional brass/copper radiator. It is not, it looks like the $130 specials that are flooded on eBay. It is an osc 368 and it came in in good shape but cheap as hell looking it is longer than my stock unit and the places where the brackets hold it are too far apart and not rounded. so it wouldn't fit if I wanted to. Where can I find a radiator that will just bolt in? I don't need a transmission cooler but they all appear to have this. I appreciate any help.

[sventinker]

anyone?

I also bought and returned a radiator from Oreily's it was bigger than the one from Rock auto. The mounts on my truck have not been modified so I can't figure why this is so difficult.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Today radiator manufacturers don't make the OEM style L6 width radiator. They have standardized on the wider V8 type, and for automatic transmissions.
Don't panic. The extra width is welcome as it means more cooling surface. [You live in the Desert, right?] All you need to do is relocate the passenger side upper and lower radiator brackets from the L6 to the V8 position.
The brackets on the drivers side stay the same. The passenger side ones move to the truck right, somewhat, about 2-1/2''.
You may need a longer lower radiator hose. On my 292 -- modified for V8 radiator -- I use Gates p/n 20489 for the lower hose. Upper hose is unchanged.

[sventinker]

Ok thanks I sorta wondered about the extra holes in the radiator support. I saw those after I posted the second time. I ordered from lmc the replacement lower and upper mounts in the 4 row variety as I am seeing that many of the 3 row radiators have larger tanks and when I choose the radiator tonight I don't want to fight it.

I have also fount that many manufactures don't have the upturn in the lower hose tube is there a hose that will work for that if I end up with one of those? I am considering this kks 3 row any thoughts on this radiator? I really don't want plastic tanks.

['68OrangeSunshine]

If the stock hoses don't fit your aftermarket radiator, you can try flexhoses.

[sventinker]

That's a good looking engine. I like the flex hose look too. Kind of industrial. The hose you mentioned before is what O'Reilly lists for the I6 while the recommend the 28 inch radiator. Me thinks they go together well. I guess someone having the original mounts in an I6 truck for the 26 inch radiator doesn't come up often? I did find a brass and copper radiator that would fit the 26 inch slot I have and it was on the cheap too but it was a 1 inch 1 row core. I just don't think that's a good option for this desert truck.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by sventinker

That's a good looking engine. I like the flex hose look too. Kind of industrial. The hose you mentioned before is what O'Reilly lists for the I6 while the recommend the 28 inch radiator. Me thinks they go together well. I guess someone having the original mounts in an I6 truck for the 26 inch radiator doesn't come up often? I did find a brass and copper radiator that would fit the 26 inch slot I have and it was on the cheap too but it was a 1 inch 1 row core. I just don't think that's a good option for this desert truck.

Go with the bigger radiator. It can't hurt that much. The lower RH radiator bracket is more challenging than the upper, but that's about it.
Thanks, the pic in post 3 is current. The pic in post 5 is from the rebuild of 2002-2005. Same L6 engine, just 11 years down the road.
I get my radiators from Performance Radiators in Phoenix. They're made in Thailand, have a plastic drain plug, Auto trans in/outs, and a groove* along the top, the OEM Harrison's didn't have, but fit and work quite well in the V8 configuration. The side tanks are brass. [*The groove is handy for holding small fasteners when working on the engine.] They were reasonably priced, IIRC.

[GRX]

Originally Posted by sventinker

I have also fount that many manufactures don't have the upturn in the lower hose tube is there a hose that will work for that if I end up with one of those? I am considering this kks 3 row any thoughts on this radiator? I really don't want plastic tanks.

That is because the aftermarket companies have settled on the more universal car style radiators.

Last summer the pump on my 250 exploded allowing the fan to chew up the radiator. As you can see, it (right) had already been repaired once. Someone blocked off a row that was leaking.

Had an original rad from a '69 GTO (left) and it was almost identical except lacking the lower upturn. Ended up installing the hose first, then dropping the radiator in place. No biggie.

[sventinker]

Well I got the KKS in today and I want to tell everyone that this is one nice radiator. Everything about it is tough. The tubes where the hoses connect are of a thick gauge. the welds are near perfect. It has the look of a traditional brass/copper radiator but its all aluminum. I wont be using the trans cooler but the bungs are solid and reinforced with good welds. It will require the mounting for the 4 row radiator buy this is going to cool so good. The lower hose port is upturned and the radiator comes with a 16lb cap that I wont use. One other thing I like is the top of the radiator has the solid support rail so the 6 cyl fan shroud rubber bushings have a place to rest. Overall for $200 this is a killer buy.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Pix?

[In The Ten Ring]

Originally Posted by sventinker

Well I got the KKS in today and I want to tell everyone that this is one nice radiator. Everything about it is tough. The tubes where the hoses connect are of a thick gauge. the welds are near perfect. It has the look of a traditional brass/copper radiator but its all aluminum. I wont be using the trans cooler but the bungs are solid and reinforced with good welds. It will require the mounting for the 4 row radiator buy this is going to cool so good. The lower hose port is upturned and the radiator comes with a 16lb cap that I wont use. One other thing I like is the top of the radiator has the solid support rail so the 6 cyl fan shroud rubber bushings have a place to rest. Overall for $200 this is a killer buy.

I'm sorry if I am asking a redundant question (long day and I am pretty tired) but this radiator here is for a 250 or 292 engine, right?

Also, does it have a way to drain from the bottom?

Finally, is there a place to attach an overflow tank?

Thank you!

[swamp rat]

That KKS is sweet!

['68OrangeSunshine]

That is a nice unit. Only thing I'd have different is the 45* angle on the filler neck. It's much easier to add water or coolant in the field when the filler neck is on a level plane. No funnel needed. My Thai-built radiator has the angled neck, too.

[sventinker]

Radiator went in well, the 3 row mounts both top and bottom from lmc are nice. I trimmed the rubber mounts a bit and now wish I didn't so I am going to order a new set. I drove about 5 miles and I couldn't get it very warm. I now doubt I have a t-stat installed. between the block and radiator it took about 4 gallons of coolant. the fan is now closer to the radiator and at idle you can feel the air being pulled over the radiator even at idle. My hose didn't reach and my local store didn't have the hose you mentioned so I walked into the back and picked out a Gates 21064 and it fit fine.

[sventinker]

One more note I want to add the depth on the neck for the radiator is deeper than a stock radiator so my cap didn't seal. the cap that came with the radiator does seal. The part of the cap that has the spring and sticks in is longer than my stock cap.

I had this happen on a champion radiator I bought for my jeep. It kind of annoys me because if I ever need a cap I am screwed. When I called Champion they admitted they did that on purpose and sent me a couple of free caps. I wonder if kks knows this about theirs?

[In The Ten Ring]

Well my radiator donor truck was located in CA, I assume it began its life there.

I think my radiator brackets are all 4 core also, my replacements that is.

[In The Ten Ring]

Going to call about this thing after all.

[In The Ten Ring]

I called about this KKS radiator and found out some things. First, it's foreign-made. It comes with a radiator cap. I seems to fit my core support based on the dimensions I was given over the phone.

Free shipping and is priced about $20.00 less than the Champion unit suggested by members Jegs is carrying. The Champion is also foreign-made.

I like the flatter cap set up on the Champion but I like where the overflow spout is on this one a bit more. Still considering.

[In The Ten Ring]

I think I am ordering this KKS radiator tomorrow.

Ordered! Let's hope 3rd time really is a charm.

(Bought Advanced Auto radiator recommended by member, got plastic and aluminum. Yuck).

(Bought Vista Pro radiator recommended by member, thing is about 1 inch too tall, even with bracket rubbers removed. Ugh).

(Bought the KKS unit......five day wait).

[In The Ten Ring]

I receiver my KKS radiator last year, it looks great. It does require 4 row lower radiator brackets. It sits up a bit high but I am going to cut some bushings from PVC tubing and get longer bolts so I can use OEM upper 3 row radiator brackets.

I'm very impressed with mine also.

[old51sedan]

Originally Posted by sventinker

So I am in the need for a new radiator for my 1970 c10 manual trans 292. I bought one from Rockauto and in the drawing it appears to be shaped like a traditional brass/copper radiator. It is not, it looks like the $130 specials that are flooded on eBay. It is an osc 368 and it came in in good shape but cheap as hell looking it is longer than my stock unit and the places where the brackets hold it are too far apart and not rounded. so it wouldn't fit if I wanted to. Where can I find a radiator that will just bolt in? I don't need a transmission cooler but they all appear to have this. I appreciate any help.

I bought my truck last year out of CA. It has the 250 and I have plans to install a 292. This truck was built in CA with the 250 and has a 3 core radiator along with a fan shroud. It runs cool all of the time. My thoughts would be to have this one rebuilt if need to instead of buying a new one.

[In The Ten Ring]

Originally Posted by old51sedan

I bought my truck last year out of CA. It has the 250 and I have plans to install a 292. This truck was built in CA with the 250 and has a 3 core radiator along with a fan shroud. It runs cool all of the time. My thoughts would be to have this one rebuilt if need to instead of buying a new one.

The only radiator shop within several counties quoted me something like $700.00 to recore my original, that's the only reason I haven't gone that route but I plan to later. That is why I removed the rivets from my lower brackets and replaced with a machine screw and lock nut. That way I can remove those and replace with smaller brackets and move the passenger side bracket to the other hole.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by In The Ten Ring

The only radiator shop within several counties quoted me something like $700.00 to recore my original, that's the only reason I haven't gone that route but I plan to later. That is why I removed the rivets from my lower brackets and replaced with a machine screw and lock nut. That way I can remove those and replace with smaller brackets and move the passenger side bracket to the other hole.

Jeez! $700 bucks. Should be able to get a couple or 3 radiators for that kind of money. You need to find some radiator shops in a bigger city, and take a road trip.
I found I could get my leaking brass/copper heater core repaired for a dollar more than the Chinese aluminum autoparts store ''replacement'' so I went for it. Cost me $45. The new replacement was a little smaller than OEM too.

[In The Ten Ring]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

Jeez! $700 bucks. Should be able to get a couple or 3 radiators for that kind of money. You need to find some radiator shops in a bigger city, and take a road trip.
I found I could get my leaking brass/copper heater core repaired for a dollar more than the Chinese aluminum autoparts store ''replacement'' so I went for it. Cost me $45. The new replacement was a little smaller than OEM too.

Guy told me mine would have to be recored, not just patched. Yours might not have been as bad as mine.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by In The Ten Ring

Guy told me mine would have to be recored, not just patched. Yours might not have been as bad as mine.

Also only a heater core, not a whole radiator. Maybe about 1/10th the size.

Want to hear the worst part? I had a NIB copper/brass heater core. I swapped it in, but used pointy drywall screws in mounting it. Guess what? Yes I screwed it up myself, and my ''new'' core started dripping as soon as I added coolant to the system. So I took the old heater core, which had been on the truck since I replaced it in 1998, and had the guy resolder the tank. When I pulled it apart to replace it again I found my pin hole. Doh!
Anyway it's all back together now and running cool, heatwer and defroster are hot, so it's all good. I could have the guy solder up my pinhole, but it's guaranteed for one year, and if I have it done, the core would be off warranty by the time I need it.
On the re-install, I used long #6 screws with a nut, making mounting studs instead of screws. Little tricky to get back in -- had to shorten the narrow-end studs, but it worked. [Pic]
Good news is that I had an OEM Harrison AC heater core in a box, stored in my '67 Suburban [which I use for storage of Chevy Truck parts.] I had forgotten all about it. My '71 Jimmy has production AC, which is another project.