old school radiator upgrade..????

[betonj97]

So I was driving to work and I notice steam coming out from under the hood....I pull over and sure enough a leak from the center of the radiator....I was pissed, but she managed to get me home without over heating. The radiator that went bad is a 4 core radiator. My pocket isn't so deep at this time of month and it so happens to be half off this weekend at the pull yard. So the yard it is.....the question is: has anyone tried to run a radiator from a newer truck? 80's 90's ? Everyone talks about the 4core because of overheating and such but what about finding something newer?
Thanks for the input.

[70' GMC]

id like some info too because i had mine patched and it still leaks a lil bit here and there

[Jtrux]

I think there is a difference in the location of the hoses on the newer radiators.

[betonj97]

The hose location would not be a big deal, as long as it did the trick of properly cooling down a tricked out motor.....thanks

[PanelDeland]

Measure your radiator and go look.I once used a donor engine from a Monte Carlo.I "think" it was a 76-77.When I went to reinstall the radiator in the truck (1967 C10)I had the original and the one from the Monte sitting there.The one from the Monte looked better and the same.I used it for 4 years. All the stock mounting hardware and rubber worked too.The nicest thing about GM is the interchangability.

[Sinister]

I was in a pinch driving cross country and swapped in a 3 core radiator from a '72 Caprice. No problems with hoses or cooling. Cost $100 at Autozone a few years ago...

[wibilly]

i belive the 73 and newer truck rads are taller but as said before there are several cars that used the same ones. just mesure yours so you know when you find a nice one that it will fit

[Longhorn Man]

73 - 87 had 2 core sizes, the smaller one is the same as the 67 - 72. However, the lower hose comes straight out and will run into the frame. You'll need the lower outles cut off of the old rad and soldered onto the newer rad.

[betonj97]

Thanks for the feedback......I will be getting back to you guys sometime tomorrow of what i found! If not I am going to try and find that $100 radiator Sinister is talking about.

[see ten]

If you're only leaking from one flue you can pull it out of the tank on either end and solder up the holes. I saw a radiator repairman do this to a jeep after the fan blades kissed the radiator core. He took a pair of pliers and twisted the leaking flue right next to the tank and it pulled right out. After that he just sealed up the holes in either tank where the flue had been. He didn't pull the bad flue out of the core, just out of the tanks. A handheld torch some rubyflux to clean things up before soldering and some solder and you'll be on your way if you wanna try it yourself. I don't remember what kind of solder has to be used on radiators (?) anyone?

[Tx Firefighter]

Back in the day, I was a poor lad, going through a divorce and found myself needing a radiator. I used a 73-87 truck radiator I had lying around. It was taller than I needed, but with two pieces of angle iron, the old welder, and some Krylon 1617 semi-flat paint, no sweat.

[Gray Ghost]

Some of the GM 3 cores are very close to the same size as a four core...the third core being bigger. I had one in my El Camino...cost was $99 at AZ.

[Longhorn Man]

we use silver solder on the rads at work.

[betonj97]

NEGATIVE:
So here it is, I woke up early and went to three different yards! NO FREAKEN LUCK! All the newer trucks had either no radiator or rusted out radiators, and older trucks just don't exsist......... Thanks for everyones input, but I think I might look into an el camino radiator (thanks Buffalo Elk). TX Firefighter, just wanted to thank you as well for the pics on that radiator.......I dig the brackets, when push comes to shove we must do what our pockets allow us to do.
POSITIVE:
Although I walked the yards looking for a radiator and found nothing, the day was not a waist, I found a good looking a/c heater housing that was missing on mine.

Came home and passed out, to much walking for one day!
Thanks again....

Oh Buffalo Elk I was wondering what year you got that radiator from?

[Pont406]

I am using 70 firebird 4 core radiator. Original radiator had too much rust in it from running straight water from PO. Firebird radiator size is the same as an original. Some difference in trans cooling lines. Factory shroud will fit also. I have no room so I used a 69 firebird fan shroud. Look for 70-81 firebird with 4 core radiators. Camaro radiator same years might work also. I hope this helps.

[betonj97]

So I got up this morning and decided to hit up a family owned yard that was not part of the three yards I had hit up yesterday......I ran into a solid 67 GMC 3/4ton........And when I opened the hood its like the light of life appeared! 4 core radiator is awesome shape!, with a good looking fan shroud as well.
Even though I was unable to try something different because it seems we are limited to options, at the end of the day I was able to find an og 4 core.
Just wanted to thank everyone for info and time.


Thanks for the info Pont406, I was determined this morning to get up and go order that radiator you told me about but then decided to hit this other yard. But its good to know.

Ok everyone, I thought I would just put it out there but this yard had a 2004 6.0 block , (lower end, heads, coils, intake....i did not see a harness), I am not promoting this just letting those know who are intereseted. Its a motor they have pulled and sitting in there show room. $500 is the cost.
Area 51
Happy lane
Sacramento, CA 95827

[ChevLoRay]

When my 4-row cored radiator sprung a leak on the top tank, I did a little repair work with some JBWeld. Later, I noticed it was leaking around the tanks and decided to get a new one. Went to a radiator shop about 25 miles from here and got one that is a duplicate although made somewhere in S.A. Seems like I paid less than $125 for it. Since the last 4-core radiator I had fixed cost more than that for recoring, I didn't bark.

[Boog]

I bought a new 4 row for mine from someone in Little Rock area for $146 I believe it was. It's not a GM rad but it is all new and fits right. The problem with dealing with an old radiator is you might fix one leak and 2 more develope as the metal gets weak with age. Go new if you can.

[caminokid]

My truck when I bought it...it has a 2 row in it. I have had no problem with it over heating. I figured I wouls since I have a 350 and a 3 speed.

[chris71]

sorry guys i am late to this thread but i used a 1982 caprice rad in my 71 truck, i was in a jam and had a spare caprice, my 6cyl. rad died and this rad was the same dimensions, the only mod i made to mount it was to replace the petcock with a plug, the pet cock was to long and hit the core support, i did this because the petcock is on the other side of the rad, this and the lower hose diameter was different. the rad had the trans cooler ports, and i had to cut the shroud to fit the cooling lines. just passing some info along.

[68K20 x Drill]

I got a 4 row from a really big Cadillac with a 472 Maybe 1978?
I have not got the truck even slightly hot since.