Anyone know what the numbers mean on the radiator in my 442. I just took it out to flush it and replace the core support bushings. I found some funky rubber cushions cut in half and a terrible excuse for modified radiator saddles installed in the core support to hold this radiator in place. Now I'm convinced that this is not the stock radiator for the car.

My car has M40 and option V02. Does the radiator number in the photo correspond to these options ? Someone with far more expertise with this is needed to answer my questions, anyone ?

 

A year and model would help. Also, you may find some letters, both large and small, embossed in each side tank. Those would help. Also, is there any other tag on the radiator by any chance?

 

Thanks for responding. I have a 1970 442 W-30. I think this radiator is not correct for this car because the radiator supports / insulators have been cut in the center to space them out wider to fit around the radiator ends on both the upper and lower locations.

The only other identifiers are on a small tag on the right inner side that is attached to the end. This small tag 1/2" contains the letters "BD". I looked all over the rest of the radiator and the tag and these numbers are all that's there. Any idea what the numbers correspond to without knowing what car this radiator is in. Or do you need to know about the year, make and model of the car before you can identify the radiator. Is there a common source of information to identify Oldsmobile equipped radiators out there ?

 

The original radiators had a stamped tag that clipped onto the side of the tank,but usually fell off,or were removed.Do you see anything like that?Maybe yours is an earlier replacement by Harrison,which was the original supplier for the factory tanks.

 

x2, Each tank will have two letters stamped into each side tank. These letters will be facing the engine as the radiator sits in the core support.

 

The assembly manual will list the correct rad. for your car depending on options.

 

3017108 *is* the correct part number for your application.

 

The radiator code was shown on the build sheet, and was stamped out on the radiator tag.

 

This is a earlier thread I started on this subject.

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...-70-442-a.html

 

I respectfully disagree with Kurt, at least based on the chart at the front of section 11 of the 1970 assembly manual.

Radiator part number 3017108, which is also known as code ED, would be correct for a 442 with the Y72 heavy-duty cooling option -- which is not the same thing as the V02 cooling "option." V02 was actually an automatic "option" that was included with 3.42 rear gears. V02 used radiator part number 3014745, which is also known as code FE.

All this explains why your radiator support brackets are mangled. The FE radiator your car originally came with had the 2.00" core (ie, 3-row), while the ED radiator you now have has the 2.70" core (ie, 4-row). Someone swapped in a 4-core radiator and "adjusted" the brackets to fit.

 

Brian, you are absolutely correct. In my haste (yeah, the waste kind) I found his part number in the parts book, but missed that it was for V01 optioned, not V02.

FWIW, the correct 3014745 was the "base" radiator for the '68-'70 F85 V8s and was also used with the 350s. Thus very common.

For the record, the assembly manual always trumps the parts books for what *originally* came in the car. Parts books will have (*if available*) correct part numbered replacements which are not always the same as the originals.