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Before I get started, I’m not a certified mechanic so I’m sorry If I use the wrong terms. Well anyway, I bought a new radiator for my 2001 corvette cause my old one had a leaky tank. Everything was going fine until I tried to screw in the transmission cooling lines. They didn’t fit, the radiator I got was a quick insert one (it didn’t state that) And I have the radiator with the early 2001 cooling line insert (image below shows what I mean)
. So now my question is, should I buy a new trans cooling line with the quick insert, should I try and remove the oem insert and replace it with a quick insert (if that’s even possible), or just see if I can get my money back for the radiator I bought and buy a new one. Thanks for your input fellas!!
Okay. I have a 2001 and it has the radiator like your bottom picture. It requires a tool to remove that fitting properly from the radiator. The screw in fitting stays in the radiator and just the tube pulls out of the fitting. If you have the inverted flare line you should send the radiator back and get the proper one. When I purchased my replacement radiator I first received one with the inverted flare type and I needed the bottom quick disconnect type on the bottom picture. My car is the A4 auto transmission equipped model. I returned and got the proper radiator.
I might be not understanding exactly, but I replaced radiator on 1994 Grand Am, and the 2 threaded holes for transmission lines were different than factory radiator.
However in the radiator box, I found 2 adapter nuts that thread into radiator, then the female threads on the adapters fit the original male threads.
Maybe that's all you need?
Last edited by 1999corvettels1; Aug 3, 2019 at 04:29 PM.
If you come across this issue and are beating your head against a wall like most. And don't want to take the chance of buying another wrong radiator again. Take of the quick disconnect fitting( likely still on the cooler line from transmission) off with a fuel line disconnect tool. Oddly enough a ford tool worked for me 3/16. (GM sells a a tool to take them off, but have to order on amazon). Purchase Dorman part #: 800-605 (another GM quick disconnect fitting). Treads right into the newer style radiator and fits into the transmission line as well. No need to order another radiator, and maybe get it wrong again!
Radiator hell.
