dan6712cc

Did I miss something or did I just cut up my '94's radiator shroud for no good reason? I cut the shroud 3/4 of an inch like the instructions below say and now I have this gap between the radiator and the shroud. It looks like it would have been perfect if I didn't cut it. Can someone help me out, it seems straight forward but I must have missed something.

Here is what it looks like now:





Here are the instructions:

mseven

It will be hard to tell w/out putting the upper shroud in, and bolting, or at least holding the fan assembly in place

dan6712cc

There's no way the radiator can move anywhere, look at the sides of it, the shroud touching the sides of the radiator stick out about a 1/2 inch past where the gap is. The fan assembly is in there.

dan6712cc

Here are more pics.


This is where the part of the shroud touches the side of the radiator so it can't move forward anymore even if the upper shroud is in place.



These show the fan assembly is in.



Another look at the part of the shroud that is keeping the radiator from moving forward.

mseven

What I am refering to, is on mine when the fan assembly is unbolted from the back of the shroud, it will lean back towards the motor. W/out the upper shroud in the rad also doesn't exactly sit right. I can't tell in the pics, but are you also saying it is to tight to the left and right in the lower part of the shroud, so that it cannot move at all?

dan6712cc

I'm saying the position of the fans won't matter because the very ends (or sides) of the shroud stick out past the part that was cut. So if the radiator would be pushed back to close the gap the shroud would cut into the radiator, there is nowhere for it to go. If you look at the last pic I posted, look right above the red hose on the bottom of the pic. That is the piece of shroud I am talking about.

dan6712cc

Ok here are some better pics that clearly show the part of the shroud I am talking about that is preventing the radiator from moving back to close the gap. I am pointing to it with that green thing in the first pic.

mseven

Those are better pics. and now I can see what you mean, it doesn't look like you missed anything. The outside edge of the fan ***. was the same as the inside "shadded areas". At this point, the only thing I would be looking at is if the outside edges of the fan ***. will prevent it from bolting the the top shroud w/out shimming.

dan6712cc

The bottom rubber cushions won't let the radiator move back, which it would do if I trimmed the outside shroud edge. They only let it tilt back but the gap would be too big now. I think I need a new shroud.

dan6712cc

Also just mounting it up the way it is would let that gap cause inefficient cooling. I think someone needs to modify their instructions...

mseven

From what you've mentioned, I am wondering if the outside edges on both sides will need to be trimmed as well. If so, at least that would allow those "shaded areas" to get up tighter to the rad. Either way, I wouldn't get a new shroud I don't think the cutting will hurt it, based on the thicker core.

dan6712cc

I'll give it a try, hopefully it will work. I'm just afraid that the bottom rubber cushions won't let the radiator slide back that far, but I'll see.

mseven

tom's place is about 20minutes from my house and when mine was done I went and picked it up. While I had some extra things/mods done to this one, I did a lot of measuring prior and questioned John about the other issues w/the aftermarket rad., and this part was not addressed. But post back with the verdict. I have one sitting here that I need to put in, been a little lazy in the last couple of weeks......guess I'll fire up the heater today and get my butt out there....it's about 20*f outside.

djxib

Mine's the same (1992). I kept the part of the shroud that was cut off and next time I feel compelled to access the radiator area I intend to re-attach the removed part... In terms of everyday driving, the shroud only makes a difference at lower speeds; I have operated mine for 2 full summers in Atlanta with the 'shroud gap' and it works just fine. Actually, one thing you should check before you put the covers back on is the gap under the radiator - on mine I had a large gap that I had to fill post-installation. IMO that makes more of a difference to cooling efficiency than the gap inside the shroud.

dan6712cc

I don't think its possible for me to re-attach mine the way I cut it. This is really bad info from Dewitt's if they are having us cut up our cars when they don't need to be.

dan6712cc

The verdict isn't good. The sides of the shroud can't be trimmed back enough to compensate for the gap because on the driver side of the shroud there is a section of plastic about 2 inches wide that goes the height of the shroud which prevents cutting that part of the shroud any further. Actually the part of the shroud that the directions say to cut back actually need to stick out FURTHER than the sides because the middle part of the radiator is recessed about 1/4 of an inch compared to the sides. The directions are completely opposite of what needed to be done. I guess other years must be different but the directions are just plain wrong for my car. It's time to search eBay or call up Vette2Vette for a new shroud. I know the gap won't make the car blow up or anything but it bothers me knowing it's not right

mseven

well that's not good.....have you tried, or are you going to give those guys a call ?

dan6712cc

Who Vette2Vette? Yeah if I can't find anything on eBay in the next few weeks, I'm not in a rush I have so many things to do to the car right now.

mseven

I meant Tom or John over at dewitts. I haven't got that far yet today, now I'm guessing that's why these were sent w/it ???
I don't want to have to shim it out this way, hhhhmmmm

dan6712cc

Yeah I got those in too with my radiator, but from what Tom said in a thread on here its better to have the radiator closer to the fans so it will cool better than shimming it back. I don't see why I would call them though, the shroud is already ruined.