Radiator Upgrade Notes
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,549
Likes: 1
From: Roanoke Virginia
Radiator Upgrade Notes
Last night I upgraded to a DeWitt's radiator. Is it just me, or is this a difficult installation?
While lifting the radiator out the lower steel coupler to the AC wedges into the motor radiator. The right-sided lower bracket on the AC radiator hooks into the motor radiator and is longer and angled (only on the stock not DeWitts) so it only lifts so far because the hose coupler gets wedged.
I suspect that is why the manual says to D/C the AC rad to get it out. I did not want to do that, it was hot, it was late, I had a dyno appt the next day, and I am pigheaded.
Anyway, I bent the bracket and hammered it out (ouch!). The new radiator just fell into place. Other than replacing some lost trans. fluid putting the new one in was easy. Oh, the lower hose coupler for the transmission cooler bumped in to the sway bar. So I had to bend it a bit. That's ok, because the T-1 bars are coming and now it will clear them.
Anyone else run into this (without disconnecting the AC)?
While lifting the radiator out the lower steel coupler to the AC wedges into the motor radiator. The right-sided lower bracket on the AC radiator hooks into the motor radiator and is longer and angled (only on the stock not DeWitts) so it only lifts so far because the hose coupler gets wedged.
I suspect that is why the manual says to D/C the AC rad to get it out. I did not want to do that, it was hot, it was late, I had a dyno appt the next day, and I am pigheaded.Anyway, I bent the bracket and hammered it out (ouch!). The new radiator just fell into place. Other than replacing some lost trans. fluid putting the new one in was easy. Oh, the lower hose coupler for the transmission cooler bumped in to the sway bar. So I had to bend it a bit. That's ok, because the T-1 bars are coming and now it will clear them.
Anyone else run into this (without disconnecting the AC)?
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 24,992
Likes: 2,694
From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
"Drop-In" parts seldom drop in.
I had a BeCool radiator in my C5, the tranny cooler fittings were all wrong. When i got that straightened out, the fan shroud would not fit correctly, had to zip tie the edges in place.
After about a year, the BeCool started to leak. After some hassle they gave me a new one but no help on the serious labor costs. The new one started to leak after about another year, i junked it and went back to the stock radiator.
I had a BeCool radiator in my C5, the tranny cooler fittings were all wrong. When i got that straightened out, the fan shroud would not fit correctly, had to zip tie the edges in place.
After about a year, the BeCool started to leak. After some hassle they gave me a new one but no help on the serious labor costs. The new one started to leak after about another year, i junked it and went back to the stock radiator.
Former Vendor
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 5,593
Likes: 631
From: Brighton
Originally Posted by Gearhead Jim
"Drop-In" parts seldom drop in.
I had a BeCool radiator in my C5, the tranny cooler fittings were all wrong. When i got that straightened out, the fan shroud would not fit correctly, had to zip tie the edges in place. After about a year, the BeCool started to leak. After some hassle they gave me a new one but no help on the serious labor costs. The new one started to leak after about another year, i junked it and went back to the stock radiator.
I had a BeCool radiator in my C5, the tranny cooler fittings were all wrong. When i got that straightened out, the fan shroud would not fit correctly, had to zip tie the edges in place. After about a year, the BeCool started to leak. After some hassle they gave me a new one but no help on the serious labor costs. The new one started to leak after about another year, i junked it and went back to the stock radiator.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,549
Likes: 1
From: Roanoke Virginia
Thanks for all the comments. Putting the radiator in - it just slipped right in. Taking the (stock) SOB out was just gross.
I'm a Carlisle tonight. I talked with Be Cool and DeWitt. I've used Be Cools stuff before, a fan on my Jeep, which did not cool very well. Oh, well. The Be Cool rep really bad-mouthed DeWitt, and was very secretive about why his radiator was better. I have the DeWitt radiator, and know how good it is, so I was just amused as his self-induced loss of credibility. Later I went to the DeWitt stand and was impressed at their professionalism. I am glad to hear other testimony back up my decision for this product.
I'm a Carlisle tonight. I talked with Be Cool and DeWitt. I've used Be Cools stuff before, a fan on my Jeep, which did not cool very well. Oh, well. The Be Cool rep really bad-mouthed DeWitt, and was very secretive about why his radiator was better. I have the DeWitt radiator, and know how good it is, so I was just amused as his self-induced loss of credibility. Later I went to the DeWitt stand and was impressed at their professionalism. I am glad to hear other testimony back up my decision for this product.
