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I just had my radiator rotted last year but just now getting it all back together. I put some radiator flush in and let it run for about 30 minutes and while removing the drain plug, the threaded part it screws into fell out with the plug. Grrrr This is the original radiator and I'm really not sure what to do now so looking for suggestions. Should I go ahead and replace it with a new one or can I have this fixed? If replacement is the answer, I'd be happy to have suggestions on what I should buy. It has 2 transmission cooler lines in it and I see them going from $200 to $800. I'm trying not to jump the gun.
From: Some days your the dog and some days your the hydrant.
Royal Canadian Navy
I put an aluminium Cold Case radiator bought from Summit in my early '76. No problems with fitment and its a well built rad with polished tanks. Cools great and has the fittings for the trans fluid cooler.
From: Way too effing close to the city.......NRA Life Member!
2022 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
I have a 1976 with less than 50,000 actual miles and last year I removed the leaky original radiator and replaced it with a DeWitt's direct fit and it was a good move! I wouldn't bother with the old radiator IMO! YMMV!
This is the original radiator and I'm really not sure what to do now so looking for suggestions. Should I go ahead and replace it with a new one or can I have this fixed?
This can easily be resoldered by a shop.
BTW, the service you had done prior is called "rodded".
I really appreciate the responses. I'm so torn because I've just spent the last few days reassembling my corvette and I'm dreading taking it all apart again. (Thanks for the correction 67:72) I guess I'll call around and see if I can get a local place to fix it without me removing it and if they can't, I'll just buy a new one since I'll have to take it all apart anyway. Love these cars but damn....
I put a 3 row aluminum champion in both my 74 and my uncles 76 for under $150 each mines been in the car for 8 years and I did my uncles like 2 years ago. No issues
Last edited by augiedoggy; Jun 17, 2021 at 03:17 AM.
propane torch. flux. solder. not rocket science. near impossible if it is in the car. you just put the car together. so you know where everything goes and no stuck rusty bolts. leak test before you put it back in.
You could resolder it yourself, but I agree whether you do it yourself of take it to a shop, it has to come back out and it has to be really really clean. Like wire brush and brake clean - clean, or the solder joint simply will not take.
And for a shop to do it in place, it has to be towed to the shop. You leak test by filling with water. Probly need to put lower hose on to be sure water level is high enough. Then after reinstall do the bare minimum to fire it up. Maybe even no fan since you want it to pressurize anyway. If hose feels hard and not dripping, you just became a radiator guy… the drain plug base came out. clean up, flux and solder the drain plug while it is out. do the same for the hole it goes in. and if at any point the solder doesn't stick, hit it with the flux while hot. then put the plug up against the hole and heat them and the plug will pop right in. one more bead of solder around the circumference.
Last edited by derekderek; Jun 17, 2021 at 01:01 PM.
From: Some days your the dog and some days your the hydrant.
Royal Canadian Navy
What's the point in repairing an original worn out rad, rodded or not? For a few bucks more you can get a new aluminium rad that will cool better for years to come and be reliable.
Just looking at aluminum radiators I'm seeing such a wide variance in price. On eBay I see one for $135 for a 3-row aluminum (plus free shipping) and on Eckler's I see a very similar one for $600. How much better can one be over the other in holding and cooling water? My Corvette is a standard L-48 with the standard 350 so it's not like it's a workhorse. I'm tempted to buy the cheap one because I don't trust myself to solder and if I'm going to take it and have someone else do it, it's still going to cost me $100 at least. Any thoughts on this?
Again, I really appreciate all the input from you. I feel like I'm going to make an informed decision when it's all said and done.
Last edited by mijohnst; Jun 18, 2021 at 12:40 AM.
Thought's? I wouldn't buy the very cheapest. but as you said you don't need top of the line. I would be looking at a Champion, fairly low price, good warranty. Not the cheapest, but far from the most expensive and plenty of us have had good luck with them.
Just looking at aluminum radiators I'm seeing such a wide variance in price. On eBay I see one for $135 for a 3-row aluminum (plus free shipping) and on Eckler's I see a very similar one for $600. How much better can one be over the other in holding and cooling water? My Corvette is a standard L-48 with the standard 350 so it's not like it's a workhorse. I'm tempted to buy the cheap one because I don't trust myself to solder and if I'm going to take it and have someone else do it, it's still going to cost me $100 at least. Any thoughts on this?
Again, I really appreciate all the input from you. I feel like I'm going to make an informed decision when it's all said and done.
Yes thats normal... I bought mine and my uncles from ebay for around $135 and not a corvette specialty reseller. They were still a champion dealer just not the same price. Often a different average clientel on ebay with different mindset and priorities so different prices. plus those other vendors often have more overhead to maintain their stock, warehouse and and website. Same item just different reseller and price. (A lot like buying a part at a dealership vs autostore). No one is not 6 times better. Its about cosmetic restoration attributes as well as other factors, all of which will not effect actual performance in your l48 car. Go to the stickied radiator thread here and you will see there are many members here with champion radiators. whatever you buy make sure its for the correct year and option (auto trans cooler or not).
My 3 row champion has been keeping my engine at right at 170-172 with my new electric fans and a 180 thermostat. I pulled the rad and drained it to install a roller cam a couple months ago and inspected it. After 8 years its still in great shape
Last edited by augiedoggy; Jun 18, 2021 at 07:45 AM.
I really want to thank everyone for the advice. I took it to a radiator shop and they looked it over and said that they could fix it but it was going to leak at some point so I decided to spend a little money and get a new aluminum radiator from Cold Case that's a direct fit. it cost about $400 but I figure if I never had to take it out again, it'll be worth it.
Just an update on my progress. Other than some nonsense with my ordering a Cold Case from Eckler's, it went well. I did a phone in order to ensure that I could get it soon and they told me 8 days. I don't trust the website stock count anymore. A few days later I enquired about the status (because I never received a confirmation email) and the salesperson emailed that it was back-ordered for 2 months. I told her to cancel my order because I needed it sooner. I ordered a Champion from JEGS and the day the JEGS radiator arrived, the Cold Case arrived from Eckler's. That was a pain and I ended up losing money on shipping the JEGS radiator back. Eckler's couldn't care less over the confusion they caused. Not sure I'm going to buy from there again.
But, beyond that...the radiator went in and works beautifully. My only complaint about the Cold Case is that the ears on the petcock hits the mounting bracket, so I have to bend them a little to get it open and closed. Other than that, it's a perfect fit and looks great!
Thank you all again for your input and advice! Count this one as a success!
From: Some days your the dog and some days your the hydrant.
Royal Canadian Navy
Word of advice. The go to places for parts are Summit, Jegs, etc. I would only buy from a vette specialty shop actual vette parts that aren't available anywhere else. Glad your happy with the rad.
Early 76 radiator suggestion
