WOW, this "is" a Job!
Thread Starter
1969/1971/2021 Coupes
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,212
Likes: 80
From: Port Huron MI
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
WOW, this "is" a Job!
Ever have one of those jobs where minimal use of hand tools is involved? My main tools were grinder, cutoff wheel, sawzall, hammer and chisels. Felt good to eradicate all of the rusted parts though. For those of you planning to replace the radiator, support and frame crossmember, plan a weekend. Out of the estimated 20 bolts I had to remove, 15 of them twisted off. Not to discourage you but more-so preparing you. This is what happens when you have a radiator leak that goes undetected. I believe it leaked before I bought it and someone either used stopleak or it just plain gummed up to where it didn't show any signs of leakage (on the ground). Once I removed the shroud, it was very obvious that there had been a leak for some time.
Terry
Out with the old
In with the new
Terry
Out with the old
In with the new
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 40,435
Likes: 793
From: Redondo Beach, California
OK...I'll just say..I get flamed quite a bit... I have no corrosion problems with radiators. My 68 has not had any water in the radiator since about 1973, my 70 has had no water in the radiator since about 1992, my 95 Cadillac Sevillel has had no water in the radiator since about 1997, and my 95 Thunderbird has had water free coolant since the time I bought it. All these cars have pure 100% ethylene glycol coolant. Water is very corrosive. If you have an aluminum intake manifold and a copper radiator or a copper heater core, the aluminum and copper are dissimbler metals and form a battery cell...corrosion.
The WWII fluid cooled engines, Mustang, Spitfire, etc, were all cooled with 100% ethylene glycol....no water.
For sure I live in So Calif where it rarely freezes. Ethylene glycol freezes at an extremely low temp, but it contracts, not expands like water, so it won't crack the block. It boils at about 350 degrees F, so with ethylene you'll never have a pressurized cooling system. In cold weather climates, the ethylene glycol will probably turn to a molassis thickness in extreme cold and you wont be able to start the car..the water pump won't turn freely.
The WWII fluid cooled engines, Mustang, Spitfire, etc, were all cooled with 100% ethylene glycol....no water.
For sure I live in So Calif where it rarely freezes. Ethylene glycol freezes at an extremely low temp, but it contracts, not expands like water, so it won't crack the block. It boils at about 350 degrees F, so with ethylene you'll never have a pressurized cooling system. In cold weather climates, the ethylene glycol will probably turn to a molassis thickness in extreme cold and you wont be able to start the car..the water pump won't turn freely.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 40,435
Likes: 793
From: Redondo Beach, California
OK...I'll just say..I get flamed quite a bit... I have no corrosion problems with radiators. My 68 has not had any water in the radiator since about 1973, my 70 had had no water in the radiator since about 1992, my 95 Cadillac Sevillel has had no water in the radiator since about 1997, and my 95 Thunderbird has had water free coolant since the time I bought it. All these cars have pure 100% ethylene glycol coolant. Water is very corrosive. If you have an aluminum intake manifold and a copper radiator or a copper heater core, the aluminum and copper are dissimbler metals and form a battery cell...corrosion.
The WWII fluid cooled engines, Mustang, Spitfire, etc, were all cooled with 100% ethylene glycol....no water.
For sure I live in So Calif where it rarely freezes. Ethylene glycol freezes at an extremely low temp, but it contracts, not expands like water, so it won't crack the block. It boils at about 350 degrees F, so with ethylene you'll never have a pressurized cooling system. In cold weather cliimates, the ethylene glycol will probably turn to a molassis thickness in extreme cold and you wont be able to start the car..the water pump won't turn freely.
When I removed my 68 engine to install a ZZ4, the intake water passages were not rusty! They were covered with a white coating that would powder if rubbed..it was the silicates added to the ethylene glycol. Repeat...a 40 year old engine with NO rust in the water coolant passages.
The WWII fluid cooled engines, Mustang, Spitfire, etc, were all cooled with 100% ethylene glycol....no water.
For sure I live in So Calif where it rarely freezes. Ethylene glycol freezes at an extremely low temp, but it contracts, not expands like water, so it won't crack the block. It boils at about 350 degrees F, so with ethylene you'll never have a pressurized cooling system. In cold weather cliimates, the ethylene glycol will probably turn to a molassis thickness in extreme cold and you wont be able to start the car..the water pump won't turn freely.
When I removed my 68 engine to install a ZZ4, the intake water passages were not rusty! They were covered with a white coating that would powder if rubbed..it was the silicates added to the ethylene glycol. Repeat...a 40 year old engine with NO rust in the water coolant passages.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 6,842
Likes: 285
From: Palmdale CA
Intrigued. I'll have to check it out. I run the GM coolant and use distilled water. I'm betting the minerals in the water have a lot to do with it.
God, forgot this is a HOOAH thread! Nice work and great pics of the install. Man, that was a big pile of rust!
God, forgot this is a HOOAH thread! Nice work and great pics of the install. Man, that was a big pile of rust!
Last edited by F22; Oct 27, 2014 at 11:41 PM.
Pro
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 672
Likes: 31
From: Rapid City South Dakota
Nope, it's the water rusting/corroding the metals. There's a lot of imprecise compromises employed to combat the corrosive nature of water, or you can just use a water free coolant.
Pro
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 672
Likes: 31
From: Rapid City South Dakota
OK...I'll just say..I get flamed quite a bit... I have no corrosion problems with radiators. My 68 has not had any water in the radiator since about 1973, my 70 had had no water in the radiator since about 1992, my 95 Cadillac Sevillel has had no water in the radiator since about 1997, and my 95 Thunderbird has had water free coolant since the time I bought it. All these cars have pure 100% ethylene glycol coolant. Water is very corrosive. If you have an aluminum intake manifold and a copper radiator or a copper heater core, the aluminum and copper are dissimbler metals and form a battery cell...corrosion.
The WWII fluid cooled engines, Mustang, Spitfire, etc, were all cooled with 100% ethylene glycol....no water.
For sure I live in So Calif where it rarely freezes. Ethylene glycol freezes at an extremely low temp, but it contracts, not expands like water, so it won't crack the block. It boils at about 350 degrees F, so with ethylene you'll never have a pressurized cooling system. In cold weather cliimates, the ethylene glycol will probably turn to a molassis thickness in extreme cold and you wont be able to start the car..the water pump won't turn freely.
When I removed my 68 engine to install a ZZ4, the intake water passages were not rusty! They were covered with a white coating that would powder if rubbed..it was the silicates added to the ethylene glycol. Repeat...a 40 year old engine with NO rust in the water coolant passages.
The WWII fluid cooled engines, Mustang, Spitfire, etc, were all cooled with 100% ethylene glycol....no water.
For sure I live in So Calif where it rarely freezes. Ethylene glycol freezes at an extremely low temp, but it contracts, not expands like water, so it won't crack the block. It boils at about 350 degrees F, so with ethylene you'll never have a pressurized cooling system. In cold weather cliimates, the ethylene glycol will probably turn to a molassis thickness in extreme cold and you wont be able to start the car..the water pump won't turn freely.
When I removed my 68 engine to install a ZZ4, the intake water passages were not rusty! They were covered with a white coating that would powder if rubbed..it was the silicates added to the ethylene glycol. Repeat...a 40 year old engine with NO rust in the water coolant passages.
Last edited by lurch59; Oct 28, 2014 at 02:01 PM. Reason: misspellling
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
5 Best & 5 Worst Corvette Daily Drivers
Joe Kucinski
The Headlights of Every Corvette Generation Explained
Joe Kucinski
5 Best & 5 Most Overrated Corvette Track Packages of All Time!
Joe Kucinski
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained
Joe Kucinski
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Verdad Gallardo
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 1,743
Likes: 289
From: Chardon Ohio
Ever have one of those jobs where minimal use of hand tools is involved? My main tools were grinder, cutoff wheel, sawzall, hammer and chisels. Felt good to eradicate all of the rusted parts though. For those of you planning to replace the radiator, support and frame crossmember, plan a weekend. Out of the estimated 20 bolts I had to remove, 15 of them twisted off. Not to discourage you but more-so preparing you. This is what happens when you have a radiator leak that goes undetected. I believe it leaked before I bought it and someone either used stopleak or it just plain gummed up to where it didn't show any signs of leakage (on the ground). Once I removed the shroud, it was very obvious that there had been a leak for some time.
Terry
Terry
That is a nice pile of rust!! Keep those safety glasses on.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 1,918
Likes: 451
From: Central NJ
OK...I'll just say..I get flamed quite a bit... I have no corrosion problems with radiators. My 68 has not had any water in the radiator since about 1973, my 70 had had no water in the radiator since about 1992, my 95 Cadillac Sevillel has had no water in the radiator since about 1997, and my 95 Thunderbird has had water free coolant since the time I bought it. All these cars have pure 100% ethylene glycol coolant. Water is very corrosive. If you have an aluminum intake manifold and a copper radiator or a copper heater core, the aluminum and copper are dissimbler metals and form a battery cell...corrosion.
The WWII fluid cooled engines, Mustang, Spitfire, etc, were all cooled with 100% ethylene glycol....no water.
For sure I live in So Calif where it rarely freezes. Ethylene glycol freezes at an extremely low temp, but it contracts, not expands like water, so it won't crack the block. It boils at about 350 degrees F, so with ethylene you'll never have a pressurized cooling system. In cold weather cliimates, the ethylene glycol will probably turn to a molassis thickness in extreme cold and you wont be able to start the car..the water pump won't turn freely.
When I removed my 68 engine to install a ZZ4, the intake water passages were not rusty! They were covered with a white coating that would powder if rubbed..it was the silicates added to the ethylene glycol. Repeat...a 40 year old engine with NO rust in the water coolant passages.
The WWII fluid cooled engines, Mustang, Spitfire, etc, were all cooled with 100% ethylene glycol....no water.
For sure I live in So Calif where it rarely freezes. Ethylene glycol freezes at an extremely low temp, but it contracts, not expands like water, so it won't crack the block. It boils at about 350 degrees F, so with ethylene you'll never have a pressurized cooling system. In cold weather cliimates, the ethylene glycol will probably turn to a molassis thickness in extreme cold and you wont be able to start the car..the water pump won't turn freely.
When I removed my 68 engine to install a ZZ4, the intake water passages were not rusty! They were covered with a white coating that would powder if rubbed..it was the silicates added to the ethylene glycol. Repeat...a 40 year old engine with NO rust in the water coolant passages.