C6 Radiator Replacement Help
Thread Starter
Navigator
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 9
Likes: 0
From: Charlotte North Carolina
C6 Radiator Replacement Help
I took my 2005 base C6 into the shop and was told my radiator had a leak and would have to be replaced. at the moment money is tight and looking online i have found replacement for $200-300, instead of the $800 the dealership quoted. my question is, are the cheaper radiators a feasible option? and how hard is it to replace yourself on a scale of 1-10 and 10 being the most difficult.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 186
Likes: 0
From: Memphhis TN
It depends on which radiator you have. I would say it is about a 2 or 3 if you do not have the oil cooler version of the radiator. If you have a radiator without the cooler lines, I have a used one that I purchased from another member for $50.
Cruising
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
From: Capital City TX
Who have you gotten quotes from? Have you tried radiator.com?
Its about a 2. If you don't care about originality, take a look at the aftermarket ones. The OEM radiators are aluminum with plastic end tanks. Not that exotic, so there should be pretty good aftermarket ones available. I bought one a long time ago and it was just thinner by a fraction. Not enough to make a difference, in my opinion, as there was plenty of capacity.
Its about a 2. If you don't care about originality, take a look at the aftermarket ones. The OEM radiators are aluminum with plastic end tanks. Not that exotic, so there should be pretty good aftermarket ones available. I bought one a long time ago and it was just thinner by a fraction. Not enough to make a difference, in my opinion, as there was plenty of capacity.
Last edited by Nice 'n Easy; Jun 28, 2011 at 01:45 PM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 790
Likes: 63
From: Ft Worth TX
I've got a radiator out of my 2008 collectiong dust in my garage. Took it out at about 22k miles to install a DeWitts. You can have it for $100 plus whatever UPS charges to ship it if you like.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 5,762
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From: Chandler Arizona
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Joined: Feb 2006
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From: Chandler Arizona
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,235
Likes: 286
From: San Bruno CA
Is it worth replacing with a Dewitts radiator? I've learned that the newer radiators with the plastic tanks are only good for a few years and they're disposable-not worth repairing. Figure when it's time to replace the radiator in my C6 I'd upgrade to a larger radiator for better capacity and cooling.
I vote for DeWitts Too!
Racer
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 268
Likes: 6
From: Barstow Ca
I put a dewitts radiator in my C5. All alluminum. Very good radiator IMO. If you can swing it get the dewitts but they will run about 6 to 700 dollars. If you get a cheap one you might or might not have problems installing it or it might not last, but you get what you pay for. Not hard to replace yourself if you have some mechanical skills.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 10,399
Likes: 25
From: Austin Texas
Get an exact replacement if you don't want possible problems. Different models used different radiators. The trans cooler/oil cooler lines have to be the same type of connector in the same location as stock.
