Nightmare Radiator Change

Okay I am simply posting this story because it has been a nightmare.

So I ordered a replacement radiator a couple of weeks ago and I received it and everything looked GREAT but when I test fitted it the upper radiator hose was to close to the AC compressor. I call the company and he tells me I have the SAME radiator except the upper and lower radiator ports are on opposite sides. Lower on passenger and upper on driver side versus the original which was the other way. I tell the sales person all right that sounds like it will work.

I received it the other day and it looks good by just looking at it. I start off by running to Napa at about 11:30 to get a replacement radiator hose. I set the radiator and try to attach the radiator hose and it does not fit. I pull the radiator back out and realize the lower radiator port is NOT 1.5 inches but 1.75 inches. Well crap the outlet of the pump is 1.5. I then get on the phone with a local radiator shop and find he has a 1.75 to 1.5 rubber reducer. I thank him profusely after I begged for a ride to get it. Ohhh but I had to walk 1.5 miles to get the ride. He gave me the adapter for free.

Then back to Napa for some 1.75 inch hose. I go ahead and buy 3 feet of nitrile hose thick as hell and about as flexible as a heavy bow. After fighting to for 30 minutes trying to get the hose in place I give up and say let me get some of the other stuff in place first. Going to connect the transmission coolant AND they are to short. Back to begging for a ride to Napa. I get to Napa and get a nipple and some shorter bolts for the fan because the radiator is thick as hell. I finally get everything except the lower radiator hose in place and fight with it a little more when I realize it doesn't matter if I do get it in place because it was rubbing on the belt.

I sit back and thick for a few minutes what can I do. Eureka exhaust pipe. This nitrile hose is pretty sticky stuff so I walk the 1.5 miles again and this time I decide to try my 150cc scooter that I have NOT rode in 2 years. Someone turned the headlights on and killed the battery. Thankfully it can be kicked over so I kick and kick and kick for 30 minutes and finally get it to go over. I ride down to OReillys because by this time it is 8:15. So I get a right angle 1.75 ID pipe and bring it home test then trim and everything looks good finally. I get everything in place I fill the radiator start the car and let it go for about 20 minutes one minor leak and I notice the lower radiator hose looks a little loose so I tighten it and sure as **** steaming hot water/coolant pours all over me (I did not get burnt). I throw my hands up in disgust go take a shower and call the wife who is was going to Walmart. I was asking her to pick up some coolant and trans fluid. She had already went so we drive down there after she gets home. I put everything in the garage and go inside.

Next morning I put everything back together fit it back tighten everything down and take it for a drive around the neighborhood one small leak when I get back nothing serious. Yay so I go to work. Everything looks great no leaks system is staying cool. Awesome. Run a few errands later in the afternoon. Get back to the office and I am smelling coolant ****. The damn belt rubbed a hole. So back to oreilly for a short tube to fix it.

Just finished ran it for about 20 minutes it all looks good. Now the belt is about 1 to 1.5 inches from the metal tube so even if it does rub it is a metal tube.

If it could go wrong it did. Please I am not telling this story criticism. I simply wanted to tell others my frustration.

Most of us have days that are like a blues song no one wrote because it wouldn't even be a good blues song. I enjoyed reading it all the way through til the happy ending. Sometimes it helps just to vent doesn't it?

Just about everytime I do any easy job on my car its a Never easy like it should be, patience is a virtue.

Amen to that and yes venting does make it a bit better now maybe my shoulder and back will stop hurting and I will be all good lol. Thank you guys I know sometimes you start and are all prepared and say this will be a cake walk And it turns into anything but.

If it makes you feel better, I'm heading up on 50 years walking this earth. Been turning a wrench since I was big enough to pick one up. Broke my first starter about six months ago. On my car. Stranded in a parking lot. On a slant six. Couldn't be an easier starter swap and couldn't have mucked it up more.

lol I like that one Revhendo

Sounds like about every "simple" fix I have done on my Duster LOL!... Builds character right?

Sounds like me! One (so I think) easy job, but then six trips to the store. And I wind up with most my tools out of the box to get the job done.:toothy5:

At least you knew what needed to happen to fix it! So many people I know are completely lost if it does not fit EXACTLY the way its supposed to. no ingenuity.

Been there, done that, glad you got it fixed!!

Thank you cosworth. Truth is I have a very analytical mind so it is VERY point a to b to c.

cosworth said:

At least you knew what needed to happen to fix it! So many people I know are completely lost if it does not fit EXACTLY the way its supposed to. no ingenuity.

Click to expand...

Gotta be a "Macgyver"

Damn it I don't really like the mullet. lol Now all I can think of is the show opener.

Well that was a pretty good story. I can honestly say I've been there, done similar crazy stuff like that just to get 'er going, so don't feel bad. Good luck on the next adventure.

tekslk said:

Just about everytime I do any easy job on my car its a Never easy like it should be, patience is a virtue.

Click to expand...

Yep, isn't that the truth!!!

I'm the type of guy that ALWAYS underestimates the amount of time it will take to get a job done.....I say to myself, "yeah, that should only take me about an hour" then three hours later.....I'm still at it. I'm 44, and over the years I've gotten better at just walking away from the car for a day or two.

If only I could have walked away. She has recently become my daily driver so that was not an option.

Yeah, when she's a daily driver, it's not an option. I salute your persistence.

i feel your pain! i just installed the oil filter adapter for the fourth time in two days, and it is still leaking. i was about to have a meltdown earlier today. i am starting to think this dart does not want back on the road. i got it w/ bad motor, put new motor in, did break in / tune up, put it in gear, BAD TRANS. WTF had trans rebuilt but it all back together, oil leak, try to fix oil leak it gets way worse, try to fix again and again with no results, WTF? NOW I GET TO TRY AGAIN

Dont you just love it? Putting a new radiator in my '65 and turns out I bought a Ford radiator (swap meet deal, still a great score) So the tanks are on the side, no big deal. The lower is on the wrong side for the slanty so I run a flex down to the botton, get 2 PVC 45's and a coupler, weld it all up with PVC glue and then run a section of old radiator hose to the new outlet position...WTF, it bit me like it did you. The lower is a 1.75! So I find a lower hose from a Ram and cut the 90 off and sure as **** it necks down to about 1.60 so I cut it, put 2 big clamps on it and it holds water! Top was a little easier, cut 2 90 ends off a weird 1.5 hose and used a piece of chrome down pipe from a sink as a inner coupler and 2 hose clamps. Gives me a place to tap into the upper hose for my turbo water outlet. Sometimes these projects are laughably difficult.

There are no siple jobs anymore. When the wife asks "How long will it take you", I think to myself, well, its just an oil change so maybe half hour. Then I figure to give myself a buffer, so more like an hour. I then respond About 2 hours, give or take.

Ohh and any more "Character", I would be a looney toon.

Cars are fun,aren't they ?
We've all been there. Many times I've asked myself, "Why do I do this again"?

As you found, the early cast-iron water pumps and all slants (I think) have a 1.5"D inlet (lower radiator hose). Later small blocks (70+?) and all BB & RB (I think) have a 1.75"D inlet. They also swapped it L to R on all but the slant. Fortunately, almost every classic engine has a 1.5"D upper hose.

Kind of like my repairs, except I would have stopped at 6:30 pm and taken it up again next week (or month). I can do that since currently 7 cars. I only keep a few tagged/insured and rotate them in only when perfect. That way, I never have to run to a parts store. I just wait until the next time I pass by or wait for a cheaper part off ebay or rockauto. And it is always nice to have a part on the shelf ready to swap in.