Radiator Lower Water Neck
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 288
Likes: 0
From: Schaumburg Illinois
Radiator Lower Water Neck
Ok, here's my problem of the day for the old 1977. The metal tube coming off the bottom of the radiator is leaking at the weld. Second time it's happened, I repaired it once already. When the lower radiator hose is connected it's actually touching the top of the front anto roll bar. I'm convinced the motion of the anto roll bar is flexing the water neck and causing the leak. The question I have is, does anyone elses lower radiator hose touch the top of the bar? Do you think the radiator core support rubber isolators are just shot and the radiator is sitting too low? I'm even considering asking the shop if they can miove the water neck up 1/4 inch for clearance. Any insight would be cool.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 2,717
Likes: 121
From: Sulphur LA
St. Jude Donor '05-'06,'11,'13-'14,'16,'18,'19,'24, '25
Is it the factory radiator? Have you changed anything on the front of the car lately? If not than it is likely the front has settled, could be a few issues that combined could have caused your issue. I shimed my roll bar with 1/4" aluminum plate (cut to fit) to lower the bar down to give the lower radiator tube some room.
Neal
Neal
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,288
Likes: 489
From: Salmon Arm, BC
I'd shim the anti-roll bar.....oh and while your at it replace the rubber mounts with poly....well you can't have a poly/ rubber mix so you might as well change the upper and lower a-arms to poly.....and paint the a-arms while there out.....oh crap
.... that means the frame needs painting....and you can't paint the underside of the frame without doing a frame off.........better get some....no... lots of beer 
.... that means the frame needs painting....and you can't paint the underside of the frame without doing a frame off.........better get some....no... lots of beer
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 2,717
Likes: 121
From: Sulphur LA
St. Jude Donor '05-'06,'11,'13-'14,'16,'18,'19,'24, '25
You may also be able to loosen the two large bolts that attach the core support to the vacuum canister (bellow the radiator) and lift the nose a little than tighten the bolts back, this will support the nose and raise the core support and radiator a little. I also ran across an issue close to this with my car only one fender was higher than the other, I looked for what was causing this for a while than one day I loosened the two bolts for some other reason and just happen to notice that the fender clearance had evened out. I raised the front a little and tightened the bolts and the front stayed were I had set it.
Not saying this is your issue just suggestions on things to look at.
Neal
Not saying this is your issue just suggestions on things to look at.
Neal
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 14,112
Likes: 28
From: Florida
You may also be able to loosen the two large bolts that attach the core support to the vacuum canister (bellow the radiator) and lift the nose a little than tighten the bolts back, this will support the nose and raise the core support and radiator a little. I also ran across an issue close to this with my car only one fender was higher than the other, I looked for what was causing this for a while than one day I loosened the two bolts for some other reason and just happen to notice that the fender clearance had evened out. I raised the front a little and tightened the bolts and the front stayed were I had set it.
Not saying this is your issue just suggestions on things to look at.
Neal
Not saying this is your issue just suggestions on things to look at.
Neal
Here is a pic of the fit of a 77, only about 1/8" clearance on this one, with no probs.
If that's not enough, shim the bar mounts.
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 288
Likes: 0
From: Schaumburg Illinois
UPDATE!!! i pulled the radiator out and took it to the repair shop. they actually had a 76 vette up on the lift and i was able to show the guy exactly what i needed. they were able to tweak the water neck and get me 3/4 inch clearance before i put the lower hose on. i got new rubber isolators for thr bottom and those coupled with the tweak in the water neck i have over 1/4 inch clearance on the swaybar. i looked at loosening those 2 bolts but i had visions of breakage. i road tested the car sunday and, wait for it..... NO LEAKS!!! what a concept....
