De Witts Radiator neck issue
05-21-2017, 07:36 PM
#1
Instructor
Thread Starter
De Witts Radiator neck issue
Hi - I recently ordered a Direct Fit radiator from Zip to fit my 71' LT-1. I also replaced the core support - what a hard job! Anyway, slowly getting the car back together and time to start it up. I had put the cap on after the install and was now going to fill the radiator with distilled water to run it and flush out everything before I filled it with Zerex G-05 50/50 premix.
I could not get the cap off the neck to pour in the distilled water. It would turn all the way counterclockwise against the stops, but would not come off. It came off the old stock radiator. I had to pry it off. While looking at the filler neck you can see the neck opening is not round! I did not try to reinstall the cap.
What do I do? This was a major job and I'm somewhat frustrated about this.
I could not get the cap off the neck to pour in the distilled water. It would turn all the way counterclockwise against the stops, but would not come off. It came off the old stock radiator. I had to pry it off. While looking at the filler neck you can see the neck opening is not round! I did not try to reinstall the cap.
What do I do? This was a major job and I'm somewhat frustrated about this.
05-21-2017, 08:01 PM
#2
Race Director
Member Since: Mar 2003
Location: Eustis ( Area 51 Bat Cave ) Fl
Posts: 11,608
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I understand your frustration with something this expensive it should be high end and perfect,
But sheit 'appens
My guess is its a very rare oversite from dewitts and being 100% on there end i am guessing they will stand behind it 100% ( or at least should )
Oops, dewitts has no control over what zip did so to revise what i posted either zip or dewitts one or the other needs to make this right,
So try hitting up dewitts and please keep us posted .
But sheit 'appens
My guess is its a very rare oversite from dewitts and being 100% on there end i am guessing they will stand behind it 100% ( or at least should )
Oops, dewitts has no control over what zip did so to revise what i posted either zip or dewitts one or the other needs to make this right,
So try hitting up dewitts and please keep us posted .
Last edited by The13Bats; 05-21-2017 at 08:03 PM.
05-22-2017, 09:32 PM
#4
Instructor
Thread Starter
Called them - very nice, said to try to carefully work it back into shape - the neck is aluminum. If I can;t fix it, send it back and they will. So I worked on it and it seems good to go now!!!
Filled radiator with a couple gallons distilled water and will run the engine soon to circulate the coolant in the block and then drain and repeat a few times before putting in fresh coolant.
Filled radiator with a couple gallons distilled water and will run the engine soon to circulate the coolant in the block and then drain and repeat a few times before putting in fresh coolant.
Last edited by Marlon; 05-22-2017 at 09:33 PM.
05-22-2017, 09:55 PM
#5
Race Director
Member Since: Mar 2003
Location: Eustis ( Area 51 Bat Cave ) Fl
Posts: 11,608
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645 Posts
Called them - very nice, said to try to carefully work it back into shape - the neck is aluminum. If I can;t fix it, send it back and they will. So I worked on it and it seems good to go now!!!
Filled radiator with a couple gallons distilled water and will run the engine soon to circulate the coolant in the block and then drain and repeat a few times before putting in fresh coolant.
Filled radiator with a couple gallons distilled water and will run the engine soon to circulate the coolant in the block and then drain and repeat a few times before putting in fresh coolant.
Was there much trash in your system when you flushed it?
Glad this one seems to have a happy ending
07-03-2017, 09:02 AM
#6
Instructor
Thread Starter
I was able to 'work' the filler neck back into shape and everything is fine now! Love the new rad - got mine in 'black' and it looks totally appropriate in there.
I went thru 20 gallons of distilled water to flush the block and the old coolant was very crappy looking indeed. Drain the radiator, fill with 2 gallons distilled, run the car (without tstat) for 10 minutes - repeat until the drained water was pretty clear!
The new Zerex aluminum radiator coolant is clear - how cool.
I went thru 20 gallons of distilled water to flush the block and the old coolant was very crappy looking indeed. Drain the radiator, fill with 2 gallons distilled, run the car (without tstat) for 10 minutes - repeat until the drained water was pretty clear!
The new Zerex aluminum radiator coolant is clear - how cool.
Last edited by Marlon; 07-03-2017 at 09:05 AM.
07-03-2017, 10:53 AM
#7
Drifting
Member Since: Feb 2007
Location: Pearland Texas
Posts: 1,498
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St. Jude Donor '09
Hi - I recently ordered a Direct Fit radiator from Zip to fit my 71' LT-1. I also replaced the core support - what a hard job! Anyway, slowly getting the car back together and time to start it up. I had put the cap on after the install and was now going to fill the radiator with distilled water to run it and flush out everything before I filled it with Zerex G-05 50/50 premix.
I could not get the cap off the neck to pour in the distilled water. It would turn all the way counterclockwise against the stops, but would not come off. It came off the old stock radiator. I had to pry it off. While looking at the filler neck you can see the neck opening is not round! I did not try to reinstall the cap.
What do I do? This was a major job and I'm somewhat frustrated about this.
I could not get the cap off the neck to pour in the distilled water. It would turn all the way counterclockwise against the stops, but would not come off. It came off the old stock radiator. I had to pry it off. While looking at the filler neck you can see the neck opening is not round! I did not try to reinstall the cap.
What do I do? This was a major job and I'm somewhat frustrated about this.
07-03-2017, 11:02 AM
#8
Race Director
Just ordered one for my 71 as the recore of the original failed after 1 year... The shop that did the recore is fixing it, but I drive all over and will not take a chance when 200 miles from home.
The leak was minor and ran 150 miles home with no issue..
07-04-2017, 09:47 AM
#9
Instructor
Thread Starter
YES! I did have to press down really firmly and twist to the left simultaneously to get the cap to clear the final stops!!! But the neck was slightly elliptical and I had to slightly re-shape it - no problem.