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Radiator question

  • Thread starter Thread starter 1980corvettegibson
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1980corvettegibson

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My old radiator sprung a leak around where we had sartered it before, so we took it off and tried to fix it, but it didnt work. We went to autozone to buy a new one and they had standard with AC with 3 rows and max coolant with 4 rows. We forgot to count the number that mine has before we went down there and ordered the 4 row one, cause that was what the guy there said we probly needed, since it had the transmission cooler. but when we got back, mine only has 3 rows and we went back and changed it to the standard with AC. My question is will a 4 row even fit in a 1980 corvette that has a 3 row, or would i have to change the braces? Also if anyone has bought one before, do they come with hoses in them or do we have to take these off the old one and put on it? Also one last question, my old radiator cap broke and we went to get a new one, my old one said 15 lbs and the new ones only came in 16 lbs...i just wonder why? if anyone knows. Thanks
 
Replaced the one in my 77 3 yrs ago with the auto zone 4 core,only thing i had to do was recut the upper rubber mounting pads (very little) to fit the thicker 4 core radiator. Very happy with the way it cools and there is so little difference in the thickness it was no problem at all.The upper pads are thick enough that i just ground the bubber out a little in the corners to fit the new radiator.
 
Just my .02 I had a 15lb cap fail. It would hold any pressure. The gasket was totally shot. No big deal, "I'll just replace it and get back to cruis'n." Well, got a new 16lb cap and holy s_ _ _! I swear, if coolant ran through it, it started leaking. Water pump, heater core, radiator, tstat housing, hoses, you get the idea. After replacing all of the above, except the heater core,(bypass) I got a 7lb cap and got a colder tstat (185 instead of 195). I figured what's next core plugs? Haven't had a problem since. Drove it all summer long and temps never rose above 200.
 

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