I need an opinion on replacing my radatior or rebuilding the one that is in my 82. the seams are pretty shot and its starting to leak pretty bad.

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Was it doing a good job keeping your car temp in range before it went bad?  If so, then just get it overhauled.

You can't go wrong with a new aluminum radiator, but it will cost more too.


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yes it keeps the car at 150 according to the gauge. Im Moving to Phoenix at the end of this summer so im not sure how that "dry heat" is going to effect the car.

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Save yourself some coin and have it recored. 

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GEN III 5.7L "LS6" Engine swap
TKO500 5 spd.

An alumimum radiator will cool 30% better, i.e. 30% more BTUs.  A copper radiator is probably better at resisting corrosion.  I would have kept the copper and brass radiator in my LT-1 w/ a/c if it would have cooled worth a damn.

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No im not interested in the "bling" I just want it to run cool. to recore they said 350.00 if it needs it. I will probibly have the shop look at it pressure test it and go from their.

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If you do go with a new radiator, do look into getting a 4 core if by chance yours isn't already. Dad's 76 has a 3 core raddy and I have a 4 core to go into it one of the days.  It does the job for now, and by adding an external transmission cooler probably helped a little...and also the fact that there is not an a/c unit so no condenser.... just food for thought...

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StingrayJim
NCM Lifetime Member #1936

Stingray's '76���������������������������� StingrayJr's '78���������������������������Lil Red '94

(click each one to see a bigger version)

to my understanding the leaking one in the car is original. (but i was told a lot about the car that turned out to be very incorrect) Im not sure how to tell to be honest. I know its done a really good job at keeping the car cool, with the clutch fan on the motor and the electric 18 inch fan mounted to the radiator she runs at close to 150 or lower most of the time except for limping it home today it hit 200 and that is the hottest the gauge has ever read since i have owned it.

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I agree with Gary. The aluminum will dissipate heat faster. That is the one big plus of aluminum. If you've had good luck with the stock one and you don't necessarily want the bling factor, fix what you have imo. 

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GEN III 5.7L "LS6" Engine swap
TKO500 5 spd.

150 degrees?  I think you mean 180.  That tick on the gauge between 100 and 210 is where my needle sits with a 180* thermostat.

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your probably right. 

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If your car was running at 180 degrees, you didn't have a 195 degree thermostat.  

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With the rad out I've just run the garden hose into the manifold water neck and cranked it up. Pull the thermo first....you can try running both ways, put the hose into the water pump opening and blast the other way...might float some crap out wedged up in there. Makes a mess if you have rust....don't do it on a concrete driveway. No point in buying a rust dissolver (flush kit) since you cannot let it sit in the engine without the rad.

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My Christmas present to ME! Bought Sat 11-30-2013. 72, 350 4 spd, Silver with blue interior...Can't you just hear Pablo Cruz playing in the background?

I will eventually get my brass radiator restored. but i couldnt afford the cost on that, the aluminum one is just a temporay. my radiator needs a lot of work to be usable again. it looks like a 1 to 2 core, looks very small for the 350 motor. Since its apart im detailing the engine bay

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lots of good info on rads, can anyone give me the dimensions of the original rad that would of been in my 75 manual transmission. sold the old rad never gave dimensions any thought. no ac

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Cindy, I have an old one I can measure. The rads SHOULD be the same auto or standard. The auto has the internal cooler for trans lines. Standard does not. I believe they are interchangeable. Standard won't work in auto, as the cooler is absent, but auto will work in standard. Just have to plug lines, for water and dirt contamination.

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Click on image for full view

Cindy, here are some dimensions from my original ‘73 radiator. My car is a four speed so I do not have any connections for the AT cooler lines. Overal size measured to the outside of the end tanks, not including inlet/outlet pipes 32” x 19” x 3 1/2”. Core only dimensions, not inlcluding end tanks 28” x 18” x 2 1/2”. Hope this helps.. According to the vendors I can find, the same size radiator is used 73 to early 76. Let me know if you have any questions or need any further information.

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John Sigmund

thanks for that info. sites say rads fit from 73 - 76 so should be good. I have a manual as well. rad I had priced out in town which they looked up for me is not even close to the numbers you gave me

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Cindy, you’ve probably got some wiggle room on the outside width dimension including the tanks. The critical dimension should be the 28” dimension I provided at the core. If you check the brackets at the bottom of your core support, that’s where the radiator is held into the core support. There should also be two brackets that bolt on to the top of the core support. The dimension between should match up with the brackets on the bottom. The dimensions between those four brackets, width, height and thickness are critical to how your new radiator with mount into your existing core support. Not sure what the Canadian pricing would be like including shipping, but I highly recommend Dewitt’s aluminum radiators. I ordered mine in their refinished “Black Ice” set up for a four speed, no cooling fittings to be plugged. Fit perfectly and it’s been running great for the last four years. Good luck !!

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John Sigmund

yeah I know that is what I had planned on all along was a Dewitts but looking at well over a 1000 with the fan set up and that isn't with any shipping, so not sure what I'm doing

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