Radiator Replacement
My project today is to pull my old 427 radiator and replace with a new DeWitts unit. I have heard it is best to attach the lower radiator hose to the new radiator before putting it in the mounts, and to keep the cardboard cover on the new one as you install it as well. Does this sound correct?
-
Big Tanks In the High Mountains of New Mexico -
Re: Radiator Replacement
Yes! Installing the lower radiator hose and clamp on to the radiator outlet prior to installing the radiator into the car is a good idea. Be sure to orient the hose clamp so that you can get to it to tighten it once the radiator is installed. Anything you can do to protect the radiator fins during installatioLeaving the cardboard over ther radiator during installation will keep fin damage to a minimum.
James West
Omaha, NE. -
Re: Radiator Replacement
Thanks! Will do.Big Tanks In the High Mountains of New MexicoComment
-
Re: Radiator Replacement
Michael,
How did it go? Any pictures?
JoeComment
-
Re: Radiator Replacement
It went well. It took 2 hours, I did it by myself and didn't remove the hood. Nothing got messed up. The hardest part was getting the old radiator out. That 4 core brass Harrison is one heavy *****. And the shroud is a PITA. The new DeWitts DirectFit is about 1/2 the weight of the old one. After a day of test drives, it never gets above 180, the thermostat temp. That is compared to 210-230 before in stop and go and idling. Also the heat soak is much less pronounced after shut down. Wish I had done this a year ago. Here are some pics of the old one out, a view down the throat of the old one showing the extreme mineral buildup on the cores (this was after a radiator shop cleaned it out, rodding they said), and the new one in. Not sure what I should do with the old one. It looks original, but I doubt it can be saved for anything except a boat anchor, exactly what it deserves for such a terrible design and materials.Big Tanks In the High Mountains of New MexicoComment
-
Re: Radiator Replacement
Hi Mike,
Did the upper A arm bolt on the passenger side give you any problems? I have heard it may. I am tackling the same job next weekend on my 390 car and am dreading it. I got the brass/copper radiator from Dewitts. Did you take out the shroud along with the radiator, or just unbolt the shroud for clearance to remove the old radiator? Any help would be appreciated as I am not looking forward to this job. Sounds like you did a nice, quick job on yours. Congrats. ARAComment
-
Re: Radiator Replacement
Mike, there some threads on this. Here's one that might give you some ideas.
Paul
https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthre...iator&uid=7532Comment
-
Re: Radiator Replacement
Thanks, I had never done this job before, and there seems to be no instruction manual, so some trial and error on my part. I took the fan off, then put one of the bolts back in, I was a bit paranoid the pulley would come off and there is zero clearance down there on the crank for the fan belt. I also removed the horns and horn relay to get room to work. I put a bolt through the hood holder to make sure it wouldn't get released and come down on me. I unbolted the shroud, and then attempted to take it off, it just wouldn't come out by itself, kept hanging up on the water pump pulley. Then I took the upper radiator supports off to free the radiator and cut the radiator hoses near the radiator. It is heavy, best to have a helper I think, I am an old football player/weight-lifter so I was able to wrestle it out by myself. I was able to lift the radiator and shoud out keeping them together. I turned the radiator/shroud about 60 degrees or so (driver side up) to help clear the water pump pulley. The shroud is asymetrically shaped with a wide part at the bottom that comes out easier if it is turned where more clearance exists to the driver side of the compartment.
Once out, I used weatherstrip/gasket sealer to coat the new radiator outlet tube on the bottom before I put the hose on. I was using the LIC original hoses and dated clamps. Be careful if you use those clamps, take a pair of pliers to hold the tower straight as you tighten the bolt/screws to seal it up. Otherwise it will twist and get crooked, you can't tighten and loosen them more than a few times, they will fail. I just snugged them loosely on the hose so I could twist the hose once installed for a final fit. With the lower hose in place, I tilted the new radiator/shroud together the same as taking it out to put it back in. The A-arm bolts on the passenger side will interfer and you have to be careful to push the hose around and under it when putting it in. Once it was in, making sure the radiator seams were properly fitted into the lower, foam insert radiator supports, I installed the upper radiator supports. I then twisted the lower radiator hose to get it correctly aligned to the water pump inlet, and coated the inlet with sealer before putting the hose on and tightening down the clamps on both ends. I then installed the upper hose, doing the same sealer coating on the metal before clamping it down. Then I reinstalled the shroud bolts, tightened, reinstalled the horn relay and horns. I filled it with a 50/50 mixture of Zerex G-05 and distilled water, put the RC-15 radiator cap back on. I then started her up, ran it a while to open the thermostat, check for leaks, let he cool down and then took it for a few drives to recheck for leaks when I got back. That's about it, good luck, it's not too hard a job, but best to have a helper.Big Tanks In the High Mountains of New MexicoComment
Comment