Pontiac: Radiator Update

Well I got the new radiator today. What would normally be a 20 - 30
minute job turned into a 3 hour job.

First all The GM radiator listed for $532.
My cost was $441, but my buddy ( Big Al ) didn't know if that was a
Harrison Radiator. My original is. The place the Chevy dealer deals with
on aftermarket radiators is SPI. The radiator is made in Canada. My cost
was $123 and is the plastic / aluminum type like my original.

I figured I'd buy the one that cost less. Not sure how much longer it
will be till new car fever strikes & I buy a new car.

Monday night I had removed the Fan shroud from the car. 6 bolts..

Tuesday
10:45 am Pick up new Radiator.
11: 10 am - remove old radiator.
11:16 am - Begin Installation of new radiator.

11:25 am - Discover my 5/8 Trans line fittings won't fit in the 1/2
connector in radiator tank.

11:30 am - Remove new radiator, put back in the box, then recall Big Al
goes to lunch 11:30 am- 12:30 pm.

11:45 am - 12:30 pm - Lunch !

12:30 pm - Return to Chevy dealer. Bring
radiator up to parts department counter.

Big Al - Whats the matter?
HF - It don't fit - the trans line are 5/8 and the connectors are 1/2 .
Big Al - Did you try the adaptors?
HF - What adaptors?
A GM Goodwrench - ( standing at the counter ) There should be some brass
fittings in the box, you screw them into the radiator tank then attach
your trans lines to the brass fittings.

HF - Ohhhhhh..., that's what that noise was hitting the garage floor
when I pulled the radiator out of the box.

Big Al - Yeah they probably rolled under the car.

HF - Well,,, let me go home again & look.
12:55 pm - Return home. Look under car, no fittings, look all over the
floor - nothing.
Hmm!? Look in box - There they are, a baggie stapled to part of the
packing material that was plastic banded around the radiator when I
pulled it out - went unnoticed. Damn aftermartket parts !

1:00 pm - Install brass fittings first in the radiator to make sure they
fit alright..
Remove and try them on the trans line connectors to make sure they fit
alright. Amazing, Everything fits.

Screw the fittings back in the radiator,
Clean out the bottom of the radiator pan.
If it was warmer out & I had more time I would of painted the pan white.

Drop the radiator in the car. Attach upper radiator hose. Begin to
install upper trans line. The alignment angle is off slightly, so I only
thread in by hand. Something don't look right. Begin to install lower
trans line.

Now we have a new problem - The fittings move the trans line connection
3/4 further out from their original location. The bend in the lower
trans line won't line up with the new brass fitting. Hmm. Kind of hard
to bend a piece of pipe that only has 3/4 sticking out from the bend. No
tube bender here. Struggling for about 20 minutes or so, mumbling' &
bitchin, not throwing the tools yet!

1:30 pm - crawl under car & remove the transmission line stabilizer
brackets that are bolted to the bottom of the radiator pan and lock the
trans line in place behind the radiator pan.

Now the lines can free float because further down they connect to about
8 inches of rubber hose.

1:40 pm - I'm now able to screw trans line connectors into brass
fittings. Attach lower radiator hose. Hose Clamp tightens to where it
was originally, but I can pull the lower hose off with my hand ! What
the hell goes on now ! Remove hose. Measure outlet pipe - Its a little
over a 1/16 smaller in diameter that original radiator. Give the screw
driver about 5 -7 more turns----- finally its tight. Hope it don't leak.

1:49 pm - Clean up some of the spilled oil & antifreeze. Clean out the
over flow bottle. Put the antifreeze that mixed with the trans oil in a
gallon jug. Won't be needing that mess.

I ended up not using the new Prestone I bought, the old stuff was clear
lime green & clean so I reused the gallon & a half I drained out.
Actually the antifreeze was new in August when I put the water pump on.
I poured the antifreeze through a mesh screen funnel to filter out any
particals that may have been there.

Mixture is good for - 60 below 0. Not that it'll be that cold here, but
I like to be prepared, Currently run a 60 / 40 % mixture.

2:00 pm - Prepare to fill the radiator. Attach overflow bottle hose to
filler neck. Now I find out my yellow Prestone ( brand ) radiator
funnel doesn't snap into the the radiator filler neck like it did on the
original. Jesus Christ ! I wonder if my radiator cap fits !? I try the
cap on, Luckily it goes on.. Get a different funnel. Pour in almost the
full gallon of Anti, then start the car up. Put the heater seating on
hot & blower set to high.

Add more anti as the level drops,
Press down on the throttle to rev the engine, antifreeze level in
radiator drops, bubble continue to pop in the side tank, no rod knocks,
no lifters ticking, hell it only has 277, 179 miles on it !

Temparature gauge reaches the half way point. Add more Anti. Hot damn
the transmission lines aren't' leaking. At last the air is purged out
of the cooling system, heat is filling up inside the car, temperature
gauge needle returns down to its normal resting place undre the second
line, upper radiator hose is hot. Overflow bottle is filled to proper
lever. Mmmmm that hot Prestone smells good.

2:20 pm - Time for a test ride.

Drive about 2 miles from home, stop, open the hood, no leaks. Lot of
heat in the car, continue running the heater on high with the 4 windows
open. Temperature gauge in its normal position.

All is good. Will check later tonight for leaks after cooldown.

Wednesday - Recheck hose clamps & fittings. Lube / Oil & Filter later
in the afternoon.

If you didn't see my original post on Sunday, the tank on the driver
side of the radiator began to crack open in three places and began to
leak. There are also three more cracks forming on the other side tank in
almost the exact same spot.
This was the original radiator that never had anything done to it. Until
Today !

Ø¿Ø

=========
Harryface
=========

1991 Pontiac Bonneville LE
3800 V6 ( C ), Black/Slate Grey
_~_~_~_~277, 028 miles_~_~_ ~_~_

I would much rather just bolt in a clone, too. Especially on someone
else's vehicle at flat rate. In today's world of cheaply made
throw-away cars and tv's, that's probably as it should be.

TV's? wtf? someone sounds bitter