C6 z51 m6 radiator
Thread Starter
2nd Gear
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
C6 z51 m6 radiator
Hey fellas, brand new to the forum, but have been lurking for a minute now. Purches my m6 2007 c6 with a z51 package a few months back, and the car is about to hit 38k miles. Walked out yesterday to a coolant leak, and it looks like I'm in need of a new radiator.
The problem I'm currently having is that I'm not sure what radiator to get! I'm still learning about ls motors and am very unfamiliar with the z's to begin with. So what it looks like is that my current radiator has 4 connection points for hoses, and all of the radiator's that I find for "base model" vette's only have two on the right side. if you google "2007 corvette radiator" two pictures of the radiator will come up. One with 2 screw in connections, another with 4.
If I'm making any sense, I'd love a little help. And I'm on a pretty tight budget until we deploy this coming February, so any cheap temporary fix would help. Thanks again!
The problem I'm currently having is that I'm not sure what radiator to get! I'm still learning about ls motors and am very unfamiliar with the z's to begin with. So what it looks like is that my current radiator has 4 connection points for hoses, and all of the radiator's that I find for "base model" vette's only have two on the right side. if you google "2007 corvette radiator" two pictures of the radiator will come up. One with 2 screw in connections, another with 4.
If I'm making any sense, I'd love a little help. And I'm on a pretty tight budget until we deploy this coming February, so any cheap temporary fix would help. Thanks again!
Race Director
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 16,667
Likes: 1,209
From: Raleigh, NC
St. Jude Donor '15
Need to look at yours and figure out which one it uses. Mine is a 2005 and had the engine oil cooler and transmission oil cooler built into the radiator (Z51 M6). At some point I believe they separated at least one of the coolers out to a separate unit.. I don't recall which year that happened.
Best bet is just to go check yours IMO. If it has metal lines connecting to both sides of the radiator, then you need the one I bought (link below). If not.. then I'm not sure what the part number is, so I won't be much help.
AC Delco radiator is going to run over $300 for a new one. No way around it. Dewitts makes a really nice unit but if you need one with two coolers they get pricey quick
I replaced expansion tank and cap while I was at it. Might be worth considering.
Cheapest price for an AC Delco one I could find was on Amazon and it was on prime so free 2 day delivery was nice too
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EQPBCC/
Best bet is just to go check yours IMO. If it has metal lines connecting to both sides of the radiator, then you need the one I bought (link below). If not.. then I'm not sure what the part number is, so I won't be much help.
AC Delco radiator is going to run over $300 for a new one. No way around it. Dewitts makes a really nice unit but if you need one with two coolers they get pricey quick
I replaced expansion tank and cap while I was at it. Might be worth considering.
Cheapest price for an AC Delco one I could find was on Amazon and it was on prime so free 2 day delivery was nice too
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EQPBCC/
Last edited by schpenxel; Aug 10, 2016 at 10:21 PM.
Thread Starter
2nd Gear
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Need to look at yours and figure out which one it uses. Mine is a 2005 and had the engine oil cooler and transmission oil cooler built into the radiator (Z51 M6). At some point I believe they separated at least one of the coolers out to a separate unit.. I don't recall which year that happened.
Best bet is just to go check yours IMO. If it has metal lines connecting to both sides of the radiator, then you need the one I bought (link below). If not.. then I'm not sure what the part number is, so I won't be much help.
AC Delco radiator is going to run over $300 for a new one. No way around it. Dewitts makes a really nice unit but if you need one with two coolers they get pricey quick
I replaced expansion tank and cap while I was at it. Might be worth considering.
Cheapest price for an AC Delco one I could find was on Amazon and it was on prime so free 2 day delivery was nice too
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EQPBCC/
Best bet is just to go check yours IMO. If it has metal lines connecting to both sides of the radiator, then you need the one I bought (link below). If not.. then I'm not sure what the part number is, so I won't be much help.
AC Delco radiator is going to run over $300 for a new one. No way around it. Dewitts makes a really nice unit but if you need one with two coolers they get pricey quick
I replaced expansion tank and cap while I was at it. Might be worth considering.
Cheapest price for an AC Delco one I could find was on Amazon and it was on prime so free 2 day delivery was nice too
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EQPBCC/
But thanks a ton man, I really appreciate it! It's worth a shot to see if it fits. It's not leaking bad enough to where it drains a ton, but it's definitely a fair sized puddle. If I have to keep topping it off for a week or two, I'm not too concerned considering the farthest I'll drive is 5 miles at a time.
Race Director
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 16,667
Likes: 1,209
From: Raleigh, NC
St. Jude Donor '15
Yeah they've always been pretty easy to deal with on returns. Basically just give you a return label and you send it back. If it's their fault they cover all the costs, if it's yours (i.e. you just don't want it anymore or something like that) then you cover part of the return shipping.
If you're sure it has coolers on both sides of the radiator then it should fit. Have had one in mine for over a year now.
If you're sure it has coolers on both sides of the radiator then it should fit. Have had one in mine for over a year now.
Last edited by schpenxel; Aug 11, 2016 at 08:25 AM.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 13,592
Likes: 187
From: Hudson WI
NCM Sinkhole Donor
Not saying what I did is right for you, but on mine I went with a 2006 Z06 oil cooler and a Z07 radiator. The Z07 radiator is all aluminum and has twice the core thickness of a regular C6 radiator and the Z06 cooler is the width of the radiator. Everything bolts right up becasue they are factory parts.
Here is a thread about the Z07 radiator.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...7-package.html
Here is a thread about the Z07 radiator.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...7-package.html
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 16,557
Likes: 2,108
From: Peoria/Phoenix AZ
C6 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
As a quick fix or permanent if you choose, you could eliminate one or both of the coolers. Neither exists on a non-Z51, since the assumption was that Z51 cars would be used competitively. Since the single cooler radiator is much easier to find, you could retain one cooler (trans) and if you intend and require an engine oil cooler in the future, you could install one separate from the radiator. To eliminate the engine oil cooler, you only need the bypass plate and gasket that bolts onto the pan. About $12-15 at a dealer.
Your profile only shows you live in the US. Filling it out with more info helps others answer your questions. For instance, if you lived in Arizona, I'd give you a good used single cooler radiator just for stopping by and picking it up.
Your profile only shows you live in the US. Filling it out with more info helps others answer your questions. For instance, if you lived in Arizona, I'd give you a good used single cooler radiator just for stopping by and picking it up.
Race Director
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 16,667
Likes: 1,209
From: Raleigh, NC
St. Jude Donor '15
Any suggestions for an external engine oil cooler for those of us with it built in by default? I see 230* pretty much no matter what, even on the interstate and higher when driving hard. I'd like to get it down closer to 210-215*.
Last edited by schpenxel; Aug 11, 2016 at 01:44 PM.
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Race Director
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 13,592
Likes: 187
From: Hudson WI
NCM Sinkhole Donor
Go to the used parts section and get a 06 to 09 Z06 oil cooler. It works so well, that I have to block it off on cool days to get oil temp. I got a piece of carbon fiber, put a rubber gasket around it and have block off the grill when I drive the car in weather under 70.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 13,592
Likes: 187
From: Hudson WI
NCM Sinkhole Donor
Race Director
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 16,667
Likes: 1,209
From: Raleigh, NC
St. Jude Donor '15
I'll give them a call or shoot them an email and see if they have one. I found some on eBay for $199 for the cooler only, no lines.. if I could get out for around that with lines I'd be real happy. No idea if that is realistic or not, though.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 13,592
Likes: 187
From: Hudson WI
NCM Sinkhole Donor
I changed mine because I believe that more hp creates more heat, so when I put the stroked LS3 in my car the oil cooler and radiator were upgraded. My trans and diff still go through my water radiator. The European Z51 cars come with a diff cooler like the Z06, so when I changed to a Quaife, I got the correct side cover and put a Z06 diff cooler on.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 6,457
Likes: 297
From: corpus christi Texas
Call a dealer and give them the last 8 digits of your vin# and they will give you the correct part#......I had a new rad put in my 08/z51 a few months ago and the base has the same part #.