Radiator - replacement question.
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From: Everyday you must choose between the pain of discipline and the pain of regret. Fredericktown, OH
Radiator - replacement question.
You may recall I needed a new radiator. I bought a Modine from Napa. They had one part number available, just plugs in the trans cooler line to be used in 6 speed cars.
Anyway, I got the OE radiator out tonight and went to drop the new one in. Before doing so, I noticed something that seemed strange to me. On the drivers side, lower, opening in the radiator tank, the whole is nearly covered over from the inside by what appears to be sheet-type metal with a number printed on it, like it may be part of the system for trans fluid??? It is close enough to the opening that I can't fit my finger by it and feel the cores. The OE tank is wide open.
I stopped and was going to go to Napa in the morning, but thought I'd see if this rung a bell with anyone tonight.
Any help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Anyway, I got the OE radiator out tonight and went to drop the new one in. Before doing so, I noticed something that seemed strange to me. On the drivers side, lower, opening in the radiator tank, the whole is nearly covered over from the inside by what appears to be sheet-type metal with a number printed on it, like it may be part of the system for trans fluid??? It is close enough to the opening that I can't fit my finger by it and feel the cores. The OE tank is wide open.
I stopped and was going to go to Napa in the morning, but thought I'd see if this rung a bell with anyone tonight.
Any help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Burning Brakes
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That is probably part of the automatic trans cooler. They are relatively simple so they take up quite a bit of space inside the side tank. I am not a fan of anything 'auto trans' related and would take it back and find a radiator for a manual car.
Team Owner
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From: San Pedro CA
Modine (and GM for that matter) only sell "auto radiators".
The only place you will find a manual radiator is in the expensive world of aluminum custom rads... such as Griffin, DeWitt or BeCool.
Don't worry about it. When I replaced the rad in my 92, I used an automatic rad and it made no difference to the cooling ability. It doesn't effect the flow... just a bit of volume.
The only place you will find a manual radiator is in the expensive world of aluminum custom rads... such as Griffin, DeWitt or BeCool.
Don't worry about it. When I replaced the rad in my 92, I used an automatic rad and it made no difference to the cooling ability. It doesn't effect the flow... just a bit of volume.
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From: Everyday you must choose between the pain of discipline and the pain of regret. Fredericktown, OH
Originally Posted by bogus
Modine (and GM for that matter) only sell "auto radiators".
The only place you will find a manual radiator is in the expensive world of aluminum custom rads... such as Griffin, DeWitt or BeCool.
The only place you will find a manual radiator is in the expensive world of aluminum custom rads... such as Griffin, DeWitt or BeCool.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
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From: San Pedro CA
Why? GM made about 175K Vettes from 1990 to 1996, all use the same radiator (or there abouts) and only 20% were manuals.
The parts costs are a bitch to create 2 replacement parts.
My old car was a Honda Prelude VTEC... that car came ONLY as a 5 spd, yet the radiator was the same as any other Prelude with a manual... and when I got my replacement? It was for an automatic. No biggie...
I have never had a problem using the auto version of the same radiator. NEVER.
The parts costs are a bitch to create 2 replacement parts.
My old car was a Honda Prelude VTEC... that car came ONLY as a 5 spd, yet the radiator was the same as any other Prelude with a manual... and when I got my replacement? It was for an automatic. No biggie...
I have never had a problem using the auto version of the same radiator. NEVER.
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From: Everyday you must choose between the pain of discipline and the pain of regret. Fredericktown, OH
Ok, Bogus, I think you answered my question. You said you've used an auto radiator in a manual car with no adverse cooling impact?
That's what I was afraid of. It looks like the flow would be dramaticaly inhibited by this part of the radiator. I just didn't want to get it in and have problems.
That's what I was afraid of. It looks like the flow would be dramaticaly inhibited by this part of the radiator. I just didn't want to get it in and have problems.
Burning Brakes
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If this helps, I replied to a thread the other day where I thought Doug Rippie Motorsports (DRM) or their friend, Pat, at the Corvette Shop, might have a 'like new' take out 6 speed radiator from a C4 turned into a race only car. I paid $150 for one a couple years ago and it was pretty much a new GM radiator. Go to the DRM website and get their phone number.
Elite Torch Red Member
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From: Exit 89 GSP,Lakewood,NJ The Land Of Mojo
Cental/South NJ Events Coordinator
CI 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12 Vet
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St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07
I have the Modine from NAPA as well. Auto rad in my manual car, no difference. As Andy stated, it's easier to make one part for a car that only had roughly 20% manuals(of which most are in the junkyard, where do you think all the Dana 44's are coming from?)
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Thread Starter
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From: Everyday you must choose between the pain of discipline and the pain of regret. Fredericktown, OH
Mojo and Bogus,
Thanks for confirming real life experiences with auto radiators in a manual. I was getting a bit tense as I didn't want to drop bigger money on an aluminum piece since to car cools very well now.
It just looked like the tranny cooler in the auto radiator I bought really blocked flow in the passenger side tank.
I am going to try the auto radiator I bought and see how it goes. I just didn't want to get the thing in and have to take it out again. Those thee little screws on each side of the shroud in the lower front weren't as easy to get to as I'd hoped.
Thanks again!
Thanks for confirming real life experiences with auto radiators in a manual. I was getting a bit tense as I didn't want to drop bigger money on an aluminum piece since to car cools very well now.
It just looked like the tranny cooler in the auto radiator I bought really blocked flow in the passenger side tank.
I am going to try the auto radiator I bought and see how it goes. I just didn't want to get the thing in and have to take it out again. Those thee little screws on each side of the shroud in the lower front weren't as easy to get to as I'd hoped.
Thanks again!
Elite Torch Red Member
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 57,805
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From: Exit 89 GSP,Lakewood,NJ The Land Of Mojo
Cental/South NJ Events Coordinator
CI 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12 Vet
CI-II Burnout & Drag Champ
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07
Originally Posted by LT-4 CE
Those thee little screws on each side of the shroud in the lower front weren't as easy to get to as I'd hoped.
Intermediate
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Originally Posted by LT-4 CE
You may recall I needed a new radiator. I bought a Modine from Napa. They had one part number available, just plugs in the trans cooler line to be used in 6 speed cars.
That is the real issue - one part number.
It is more expensive to manufacture radiator's for automatic trans cars but the expense is negligible compared to the expense of stocking two of each - remember, we are not talking about stocking one instead of two, think 10,000 instead of 20,000 at a couple of hundred dollars each.
The auto version is made to deal with the heat from the motor PLUS the heat from the tranny - it does just fine when handling the motor alone.
Bill Branscum
www.MrMoms.org
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From: Everyday you must choose between the pain of discipline and the pain of regret. Fredericktown, OH
Originally Posted by Mr Mojo
Take the clips out and reverse them, that way you can reinstall the screws from the front of the car where you can actually see.
Already got that one planned.
