5.3 cooling system plumbing

[C15_Sierra]

I'm now getting around to plumbing the cooling system on my truck. Engine is a '00 Silverado 5.3. Plan is to use the stock '80 radiator with a surge tank from a Silverado of similar vintage as my engine.

I'll admit, the cooling system is not one of my forte's, but from what I understand, the surge tank is plumbed into the return from the heater core. The engine came with the stock "Y" on the return hose but no surge tank, so I'm not sure how the rest of the circuit is plumbed.

I've searched around and, no dice.

Also read the FAQs and found an easy solution for the steam port

Anyone else out there re-use their stock radiator? How'd you plumb the cooling system?

Thanks!

[usmcchevy]

Most members that have done the swap are running the stock radiator plumbed with just a overflow tank.


You probably have seen this, but just in case not, look at post #6.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=377348

[C15_Sierra]

Yea I took a look at that site...I'm just not sure how much the 5.3 cooling setup is different from the LS1 (which has both an overflow AND a surge tank). There is a "tee" coming off the heater return hose, supposedly to go to a surge tank, but I only have that "tee" and rest was cut off when the yard pulled the motor. I can't find any reliable diagrams that point me in the right direction towards a stock 2000 Silverado cooling system diagram.

What prompted this was that my buddy back in Texas who did an LS1 swap into his 84 GMC told me that he had cooling problems because he didn't run a surge tank. I can't remember if he's running the stock or aftermarket radiator - most of the parts on his truck were junk so I wouldn't be surprised if he was running an aftermarket radiator. Or could it be an LS1-specific issue?

If anyone's got pics of their setup that they can post, or details of what they did, that'd be really helpful. I need to know what parts to grab...thanks!