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The time has come to finally replace the radiator in my '72 Supreme. I'm going with an aftermarket sourced from a local parts store. It's the Spectra Premium, and it has an extra nipple on the upper right of the passenger side tank.
Spectra Premium provides a cap and a clamp to cover this, but that seems sketchy to me. I'm thinking I could route the drain hose from the reservoir to this port and that would send the coolant back into the radiator instead of just dumping it on the ground.
No, that port will be pressurized and push coolant out of the radiator and into the reservoir.
The reservoir tank must be connected to the port at the filler neck so that the valve within the cap controls the flow of coolant to and from the reservoir.
You can have a local radiator shop remove that hose nipple and install a permanent plug in its place.
Or you can buy one that has the same dimensions without the nipple.
Good luck with that, unfortunately.
The extra port on the tank is used in some Chevy applications for the heater hose, and since the aftermarket sells WAAAAY more of these for Chevy applications that other GM divisions, they have combined part numbers to save inventory cost. Note that some of these radiators even have stepped ports for the radiator hoses to accommodate both the early and late cars with one part number. While a capped port won't hurt anything functionally, the big problem (aside from optics) is that the crappy caps you can get today last about a year until they crack and start leaking. I have radiators like this in a couple of the 1980s D88s, and I have to keep extra caps and a screwdriver in the glovebox. I've been unable to source silicone caps in the US - I've found some in Europe, but shipping is just stupid money.
The extra port on the tank is used in some Chevy applications for the heater hose, and since the aftermarket sells WAAAAY more of these for Chevy applications that other GM divisions, they have combined part numbers to save inventory cost. Note that some of these radiators even have stepped ports for the radiator hoses to accommodate both the early and late cars with one part number. While a capped port won't hurt anything functionally, the big problem (aside from optics) is that the crappy caps you can get today last about a year until they crack and start leaking. I have radiators like this in a couple of the 1980s D88s, and I have to keep extra caps and a screwdriver in the glovebox. I've been unable to source silicone caps in the US - I've found some in Europe, but shipping is just stupid money.
Try US Radiator, Cold Case, or some of the other aftermarket sources.
I looked up a radiator at U.S. Radiator for a '72 Cutlass, and they have them, but the prices are heart-stopping. Pushing $1000.
At the other end of the spectrum, Autozone has a Duralast brand radiator for just over $100. I don't know if Duralast makes their radiators (I doubt it) or just re-labels another manufacturer's product.
I'm sure the U.S Radiator product is a closer match to original, but I'd have to think long and hard before spending $780 versus $120.
I looked up a radiator at U.S. Radiator for a '72 Cutlass, and they have them, but the prices are heart-stopping. Pushing $1000.
At the other end of the spectrum, Autozone has a Duralast brand radiator for just over $100. I don't know if Duralast makes their radiators (I doubt it) or just re-labels another manufacturer's product.
I'm sure the U.S Radiator product is a closer match to original, but I'd have to think long and hard before spending $780 versus $120.
Auto Zone is actually where I'm getting it... they're made by Spectra Premium.
Cold-Case has radiators for a price in the middle, about $400.
Spectra Premium is a good brand. I would have no qualms about installing one of their radiators. They're one of the largest aftermarket radiator/gas tank/etc. manufacturers in existence. But they don't sell direct. You can see their products at their website, but you can buy them only through a retailer (local store, Amazon, Rockauto, etc.).
There aren't dozens of vintage vehicle radiator manufacturers just like there aren't dozens of vintage vehicle weatherstripping manufacturers or dozens of vintage anything else manufacturers. There may be many VENDORS of these things, but they're all selling the same two or three products, just with different labels or different packaging or whatever.
The extra port on the tank is used in some Chevy applications for the heater hose, and since the aftermarket sells WAAAAY more of these for Chevy applications that other GM divisions, they have combined part numbers to save inventory cost. Note that some of these radiators even have stepped ports for the radiator hoses to accommodate both the early and late cars with one part number. While a capped port won't hurt anything functionally, the big problem (aside from optics) is that the crappy caps you can get today last about a year until they crack and start leaking. I have radiators like this in a couple of the 1980s D88s, and I have to keep extra caps and a screwdriver in the glovebox. I've been unable to source silicone caps in the US - I've found some in Europe, but shipping is just stupid money.
I don't think it's the original, and the PO already had it re cored. I have the paperwork, and the shop wrote "no warranty, radiator in poor condition."
It'll involve more parts changing, but here's the simple and elegant solution.
Get a 74-77 water pump which does not have the heater hose nipple and route the heater return hose back to the new radiator's nipple as the factory did those years. Alternately remove the w/p nipple from yours and replace it with a freeze plug or threaded plug, whichever your water pump has.
The radiator nipple resulted from customer complaints about heater gurgle and moan on the 71-73 B&C cars. There was a factory fix that is almost Goldberg-ish in design but the permanent fix starting 1974 was to route heater return hose back to the radiator cold side tank instead of the water pump.
That is why new one-size-fits-all radiators have the nipple.
Or you could get a tee and plumb it in to the existing heater return hose. One port to water pump, the other to the radiator. Accomplishes the same thing, just looks a little mickey-mouse. I ran a 76 Custom Cruiser like that for years.
I agree with My442, recore the original, nothing fits like OEM!
Originally Posted by dc2x4drvr
Yup, have your original recored.
These comments make it sound like getting the original recored is a no-brainer, but that's not necessarily true.
First, it can only be recored if the tanks are OK. If those are shot, you can recore the middle part all you want, but you still need new tanks, which basically means a whole new radiator, anyway.
Second is cost. I needed a new radiator for my '78 Toronado, and absolutely no one makes replacement radiators for the second-generation Toros. So I had no choice but to have mine recored.
Cost? A whopping $600. I would have gladly paid $150 for a Spectra-Premium replacement if one had been available no matter how much the radiator gods might favor getting the original recored.
Your going to find that those in expensive radiators will have plastic tanks and aluminum cores. Not a bad thing as I've been running a single core for 11 years now.
Your going to find that those in expensive radiators will have plastic tanks and aluminum cores. Not a bad thing as I've been running a single core for 11 years now.
The one I'm looking at is a two core... supposed to be a replacement for a 4 core. What application are you running that single core in?
76 Cutlass assembly manual also states with illustrated pictures that for normal cooling option, route the heater hose to water pump, and on HD cooling option, you route the heather hose to that very same radiator nipple.
The one I'm looking at is a two core... supposed to be a replacement for a 4 core. What application are you running that single core in?
Originally Posted by Koda
Probably that built 67 in his pictures.
Yes in the 67, BBC 468 w/180* stat, T400, no AC. Using an APDI/PRO 8010322 Radiator - single row, 1 1/4 core + Flex-a-lite 1818 fan with no shroud. It was in the car when I bought it with the 330, ST300. If you have AC the 2 core should work well.
Yes in the 67, BBC 468 w/180* stat, T400, no AC. Using an APDI/PRO 8010322 Radiator - single row, 1 1/4 core + Flex-a-lite 1818 fan with no shroud. It was in the car when I bought it with the 330, ST300. If you have AC the 2 core should work well.
Well, the K Seal helped but it didn't fix it. Slowed the leak but still some seepage, so I'm gonna replace the radiator. The good news is I found out that extra nipple has a fitting already installed, so one less worry with that😀
Way back when I was more “macho” and felt my car didn’t need heat or A/C, I removed the heater hose fitting from the water pump and installed a freeze plug, and then covered the freeze plug with JB Weld. If it can be fixed with JB Weld, it ain’t broke!!
Can you reach the heater hose fitting inside the tank? If so, remove the radiator. Throughly clean and dry the tank, cover the hole (inside the tank) with duct tape. Mix up enough JB Weld to fill the heater hose fitting. Once dry, remove the tape. Install the cap over the heater hose Nile, reinstall the radiator, consider it fixed.
Maybe I missed it but just wondering how many rows in that radiator? I had a 75 Buick years ago and the 4 row rad went and the local auto supply's replacement was a 2 row, no comparison. Better off getting it recored.
Dave, I know I'm late to the party on this. Here's my experience with my 72 radiator. I needed it fixed - thought it was a minor leak. Nope, the core was shot. But it was a 2 row core and I guess by anyone's standards for it to last as long as it did was short of a miracle. I took it to a rad shop who inspected it and confirmed the tanks were both good. So I asked them to re-core using a 3 row core. BTW the tank codes for 2 row and 3 row are identical so that worked in my favor. It came back looking like new and best of all slotted right into the car with no modifications required. Best of all it cools incredibly well. I realize you're already committed to a new one but I have to echo the comments of those who said 'recore the original'. It was definitely worth it and didn't cost as much as your new one will.
Dave, I know I'm late to the party on this. Here's my experience with my 72 radiator. I needed it fixed - thought it was a minor leak. Nope, the core was shot. But it was a 2 row core and I guess by anyone's standards for it to last as long as it did was short of a miracle. I took it to a rad shop who inspected it and confirmed the tanks were both good. So I asked them to re-core using a 3 row core. BTW the tank codes for 2 row and 3 row are identical so that worked in my favor. It came back looking like new and best of all slotted right into the car with no modifications required. Best of all it cools incredibly well. I realize you're already committed to a new one but I have to echo the comments of those who said 'recore the original'. It was definitely worth it and didn't cost as much as your new one will.
Thanks for the input Allan, but check my response #17.
