Radiator Swap

[69C10@16]

Well I feel like a retard right about now. I was re-checking the gaps on my spark plugs yesterday and dropped a ratchet and made a lovely little pinhole in my radiator through which some magic green fluid began to spray. So I called around and found a radiator from an 88 Chevy Pickup wih a 350 in it that was last known good condition and went and picked it up. Yet another free find that saved my butt. I think. Thats were this thread comes in. Am I gonna have an issues in swapping the two radiators out? The new one has one extra ~1/2" outlet that will have to be plugged. I think its for a temp guage which if it is then one will be there pretty soon. What about the trans cooler lines? Anybody know if they will be direct thread in?

Any info would be awesome.

Thanks from a kid who wishes his truck was driveable again,
Newton

[chevy72blu]

a half inch outlet seems odd. You sure it isnt for the overflow tank?

Put your temp sensor either in the head or the intake as those are a much better indication of temp. You want to know the temperature of your motor, not the rad.

As long as you had a trans-cooler type rad before, and the new one is the same style it will work fine. However, rad-type trans coolers serve more as transmission warmers than coolers. I suggest using an external cooler (I picked up one in a junk yard in great shape for $10).

[Longhorn Man]

Plug off the 1/2 inch fitting, that is used on some of our trucks, I think it was an A/C thing, not vertian though.
your main problem may be the lower hose outlet from the rad. The 67 - 72s were angled upwards to keep the hose off the frame rail, later ones were not. I don't know if the alluminum rad with plastic tank will swap right in or not.
As for the trans cooler, it is defenatly a cooler, not just a warmer. If your truck is not run real hard, then don't worry about an aux cooler, your climate doesn't dictate it like in the south western desert. If the rad fits in there OK, and the hoses hook up, then just carefully rebend the cooler lines to fit.

[69C10@16]

Well i got the old one out just a few minutes ago and held the new one in and the trans lines look like they'll fit almost direct. a little modding may be needed but so far so good. i think my main issue is going to be the hose outlet and inlet sizes. they differ from the old radiator by 1/2". The new ones being smaller. Im not sure how to get this to work. Any ideas? The mounts look like they are going to be just right as far as holding the thing in goes. Im feeling a little better about this.

[69C10@16]

And as for the extra outlet im still not sure what it is. the overflow outlet is right beside the cap and this one is between the cap and the first trans line. it sticks out about an inch maybe inch n a half. I still need to figure out how to plug it. I want to put in an electric fan, which i have IF it works, so i thought it would be a good spot for a heat sensing switch.

[john]

How about a sensor for low water level? I think my 88 had one.

[extd56]

May be for the heater hose

[69C10@16]

I didnt even know there was such a sensor. I looked at his old setup and his heater hoses went to the intake and the water pump so it cant be that. I dont know what it is but its getting plugged somehow. lol

[mikeys junk]

I had a 71 that used the extra outlet for the heater hose.
Mike

[qksilver]

It's for the heater hose...........cap it off, no worries