What is the correct radiator for a 71 W-30, 4 speed, non air, 3:42 gears. I have always thought the W-30s came with 4 core radiators but am unsure now. My 71 inspectors guide does not specify mandatory heavy duty cooling for the W-30, neither does my assembly manual. From my research it seems like a code "SS" is correct. Is a "SS" radiator a 4 core? Any help is appreciated.

Thanks,
Don

 

With the 3:42 gear,your W30 could have been ordered with standard cooling.If it came with the 3:73 gear,then the heavy-duty cooling was ordered with it.Look at your core support & top plate,if you still have the originals.The 4-core takes wider tabs on the bottom,and a slightly different top plate,compared to the 3-core.
Here's the 71 radiator application chart,incase anyone else is wondering.

71rads.jpg

 

Thanks for the input Brian. My car does have the smaller saddles in the core support and top plate(not sure it they are original though). What about a fan shroud. The top plate that I have is the style without holes in the top to secure the shroud. Everything is leading me to think that no shroud would be correct for my car also. Would this also mean that the non fan clutch set up is correct also?

 

Yes,there is a non-shroud style top plate,for the basic cooling,and that could be had with 3:42 gears.You could also look at the bottom of the core support,where the shroud could mount,and see if the tabs are tacked-on.If they are not there,and never look like they were,then I'd say all your parts are correct to the way the car was built.

 

Correction on my previous post. I assumed a non clutch fan for this application, but in the 71 Chassis Service manual it states that ALL W-30s used a clutch fan. The 71 assembly manual is not as clear on the clutch itself although it specifies a clutch driven style fan for the W-30's.

Don W

 

The 1971 Engine Assembly Manual says that all 1971 442s (including W-30s) with A/C received the "OS" clutch (p/n 4950788), while W-30s without A/C received the "OR" clutch (p/n 4949861). The latter contained a lower viscosity fluid and thus would present less drag on the engine. The former ensures a little more air flow through the radiator, even when idling and not locked up.

 

The "OR" clutch is not even listed in my regular assembly manual for 71. Looks like I need to get an Engine Assembly manual as another reference. Do you know if the Engine Assembly manual is reproduced?
Thanks,
Don W

 

While I do sell a high-quality reproduction of the 1970 Engine Assembly Manual, I do not do the same for 1971, the reason being that my 1971 "masters" are of poor quality, and most of the 1971 manual consists of hand-written tables of unknown origin. I have no reason to believe they are from anywhere but Olds Engineering, but I cannot prove that.

But rejoice! You can find a copy of the 1971 manual (and 1970 for that matter) posted at WildAboutCars.

So we have conflicting information. You say that the whole-car assembly manual doesn't list the "OR" clutch, while I say the engine assembly manual does. Which to believe? In this case, I would lean toward the whole-car manual for two reasons. First, THAT is where they installed the fan clutch -- on the final assembly line, not the engine assembly line. Second, as I said, the charts in the engine assembly manual are hand-written, while your whole-car assembly manual consists of official, released engineering drawings. But who knows?

 

Thanks again for your detailed answers. As for the radiator, I was looking through all my piles of "stuff" and found a radiator with an SS tag. Are the other letters/codes on the tag important? The radiator tag has the following information on it

SS
1A maybe IA
CF
30
3017258 8

Thanks,
Don W

 

 

Thanks!

 

And just so you know (since you seem to care about such things), those side tank codes appear not only on the tag but also are embossed in very large letters right in the tanks themselves. So if you care about originality, it's not enough to go buy a reproduction tag, you've also got to find the right tanks.

 

Thanks Brian, any input is welcome. I have been an Olds guy for over 20 years but never really cared so much about the different codes, but since I have purchased my W-30 I feel like it is a car that is deserving of such details. I am sure I will have more questions in the future.

Don W

 

Examples

IMG_0832.jpg

IMG_0833.jpg

IMG_0838.jpg

 

Any date codes that I should be aware of on radiator or tag and what do the correct plugs look like that fit into cooler ports in a 4 speed application. (1971)

Don W

 

Passenger side tank that has the filler neck will have a date code for the assembly. The photo above shows a "B" which is for February.

IIRC radiator overflow hose clip has a two digit alpha code that converts to year of manufacture. The radiator tag will have the GM radiator assembly P/N and the last digit of the year (ie. 1971 = 1) stamped on the crimp-on portion of the tag.

 

I took the SS tag off my 4spd car today. It has all the same numbers as the radiator tag desribed in the post above
SS
IA
CF
30 3017258 8

I am thinking about selling the tag. Make me an offer in a PM if you want to buy it for your w30

 

PM sent on the tag. Still looking for radiator or the cap side tank for my 71 442 4 speed. For the record thanks Brian T. and Brian for their prior help to me on this item. Now with this thread I know what I need and how to interpret the letters.


Lee