Hey guys, I'm changing the radiator in my 95 c4 6 speed. The new one I got has ports for the trans. Cooling lines and the old one does not as it is a manual trans. Should I be able to just plug the ports on the new radiator or do I need one that doesn't have them at all?

 

I understand the question. Most here say the ones without ports are not made as replacements. That is unless you go to Dewitts. It will work fine. Just leave the plastic plugs in if it came with them. Dan

 

Thanks Dan. I appreciate it.

 

anyone have suggestions on coolant? I'm not sure if I should get the 50/50 mix or stick with the original mix yourself.

 

No need to plug the lines. You can leave them in place. Coolant will not flow through them with a manual trans car. Personally I prefer the mix it yourself coolant. But I see nothing wrong with the 50/50 blend.

 

I agree. Nothing wrong with 50-50. It just costs a crapload more. If you do mix yourself don't use tap water but stop by the grocery store and get distilled water. 50-50 is an easy ratio to figure. Dan

 

50/50 is what most people run and that is "okay" for most of us. I have a 1968 C3 running high compression and heat is a problem so I went to an aluminum Radiator and pure water with a can of "Water Wetter" in it which worked fine in the hotter months but would be problematic during the winter. I finally removed every drop of coolant from the engine and radiator and put in Evans NPG. The NPG lets me forget about boil-overs as it doesn't boil until it gets over 350 degrees and I can run with ZERO pressure in my coolant system and get the best cooling. The NPG provides way more freeze protection than I need here in Northern Virginia.

On my 1988 C4 I use 70% Distilled Water and 30% anti freeze and that makes the car happy year round where it doesn't really get that cold. I have seen cars that were overheating and found out that they had tried 100% A/F with no water and that does not work. Water is better at transferring the heat over A/F. "Water Wetter" is made by REDLINE Products and is a great product, it really helps cool down the car by eliminating the layer of bubbles that form on the inside of the engine's cooling jackets.

I am still using the Prestone Flushing Kit parts on my C4 as it simplifies flushing the engines cooling system. It also makes it easy enough that I do it more often, a good thing for my cars! As far as brands go I still use what is on sale that week as long as it is a major brand and works well on engines with aluminum heads. Just remember to replace your radiator cap every five years or so, they loose their ability to hold pressure in the system which is critical on the C4's ability to not overheat.

Just remember "water works best", use just enough A/F to eliminate the chance of freezing and the proper rated pressure radiator cap will keep your boil-over protection safe. Personally I replace the Radiator cap every time I change the Coolant.

Good Luck!

 

HERE is a different take on it with the excerpt below:

 

As I mentioned before I have used and tested ANY products I suggest.

I do not think I am a "Fool" for using a product that made a difference on my car while I was testing different cooling solutions.

As an Engineer I was trained to evaluate things not just blow them off because somebody dislikes or distrusts all additives.

I used plain distilled water and measured the engines temperatures when they stabilized. The engine and its cooling system ran cooler with the water wetter being the ONLY thing added to the pure distilled water/coolant. I then tried two bottle and found no significant difference. The way it works is very simple, it allows the water to actually have better contact with the inside of your engine's coolant tracks. When you watch water starting to boil in an engine a fine layer of bubbles stick to the metal and prevent the transfer of the heat, this materiel allows the water to make contact allowing the heat to be removed from the engine. After adding one bottle of Water Wetter in my 427 it made the car run cooler, less than 10 degrees but every bit helps.

So maybe I am a "Fool" to YOU because I am willing to experiment. This "fool" has six patents from trying "new" things that others poo-pooed. Guess what, they are all related to cooling systems used around the world today.

I have done my testing carefully and stand behind my statements that Water Wetter REALLY does work despite the naysayers. I don't believe that any product like the Water wetter would still be sold if it didn't work.

I also tested the EVANS NPG products before I committed to them. NPG really works also, do you believe that? The NPG is very expensive per gallon and that is a deterrent as most people are too thrifty to try it. I drive a Corvette with a 12.25-1 Compression ratio hundreds of miles from home with no fear. There are a lot of folks that will tell you that you can't do that, why? They haven't tried it. My car should kill itself on 93 octane right? wrong.... High Compression makes a lot of extra heat that most cooling systems can't handle. I studied the cylinder heads available and chose one in particular because its characteristics, I gambled and built an engine using these heads that makes up in the 240 psi range while checking the compression. I chose a "Closed Chamber" cylinder head when today everybody makes "Open Chamber" heads trying to get cleaner emissions. I spent $1000 on porting the heads before I installed the valves in it. My gamble paid off nicely, I have amazing horsepower and my engine does not ping or knock while driving it. My pistons stick out above the engine block more than 1/2" probably closer to 3/4" and my Buddy/Engine Builder kept warning me that I was in for gas problems and even he became a believer in my design after I did a 0-60 in less than 3 seconds with my 3.36 rear end. My engine blew away a bunch of high horsepower late sixties Corvettes (and their 4.11 rears) and early 1970s LT-1 Corvettes at the race track. I even beat a Viper with his traction control turned off.

There are thousands of people who would laugh at your Water Wetter quote, how did they test it? I buy new products that I have heard of and try a few here and there, I do not buy them "in the Hopes of improving", I buy them if they have the potential to help me on my cars I try to be as scientific as possible performing the testing on my Corvettes. I use at GTECH to VERIFY any improvements or losses, I don't go on the word of the advertiser.

Why must you always jump out and say that NO additives work? I am not giving bad advice every time I mention something that you don't like just because you don't like additives. Some products actually "Work" but you will never know if you don't try things once in a while. I try to keep an open mind, if you disagree with me that is your "right". I have not gone out and posted a response just to discredit any person on this Forum. I offer advice based on my 47 years of Corvette ownership and what works for me and what did not work for me. If I suggest a product it is because I trust it and have had good experience using it.

 

I don't consider someone a fool because they are willing to go off the beaten track. OTOH, I see a lot of fools at the parts houses trying all kinds of crap that works great in theory but nothing yet proven by the manufacturer. I agree that it MIGHT work on a given circumstance. What I want to see is simple. Show me that it works on a well maintained car not a "one off" situation. I have a cam that works great for my car. Doesn't mean it works on any SBC motor. I agree it works on paper based on what the manufacturer says. I do NOT agree it works simply because "it wouldn't be sold if it didn't work" since there are, I assume you agree, tons of snake oils out there. Does the product work only on your car or will it give me a 10 degree drop whether I dump it in MBs, Ford, Audi, Volvo, etc? Will I only get that drop on a race motor or will it (manufacturer) or you guarantee a 10 degree drop in any car I use it on? Until that is addressed, all we have is "it seems to work on my situation, therefore, by extension, it works on any car".

With all due respect to you and your cooling achievements, and I mean that sincerely, I tend to be in the "prove it" minority. You sell a product to cure a condition? Show me it works. Your theory is a GOOD START but see the job through. There are laboratories that will prove something. We can see the methodology and critique it. I like the Water Wetter theory of surface tension. I also would like it more when you attach a lab sheet on your website to prove "9 out of 10......" and not just "In theory, it should". In your case, it worked with 100% distilled water. Great. Lets see what the gain is in my ordinary car that runs 50/50.

 

How does your piston stick up that far over the deck? Your rings...

 

The Pistons are for a 1967 L-88 engine using a pair of GM cast Iron 3931063 Cylinder heads. I was always surprised at the clearance between the valves and piston tops. I am using a special Head gasket designed for High Compression engines.

When my #1 cylinder is at top dead center the very top of the piston is sticking above the block, the rest of the piston is flush with the block. The crown of the piston fits into the pockets of my cylinder heads. We measure all eight cylinders using Clay and I had "plenty of room" according to my engine builder/friend. It was over .125 at the closest.

With it's compression the engine makes a spitting/popping sound while Idling. What I have is a 427 with the Pistons from a L88 using a GM cast iron head. My Camshaft is a DE 268 from Comp Cams and I am using hydraulic lifters from the old days. I have a four bolt main block and a forged Crankshaft and Forged Rods. I do not have aluminum heads with little snowflakes on them and I do not advertise my car as an L88. It is a fun build I made close to 25 years ago and it has been a real fun car to drive despite the High Compression. It has been mistaken for a real L88 at Corvettes @ Carlisle. I just wanted to make power "the old way".

Good Luck