Radiator 65 Dart 225 6 CYL impossible to locate

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williaml

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Why is it that I cannot find a radiator for my 65 Dart. The current radiator seems to work but the gauge says it is running hot.

Thanks for all that read and respond

Regards
Bill
 
there could be several reasons why a car with a "working" radiator is running hot
bad water pump
slipping belt
bad sending unit
faulty gauge
clogged up radiator
running low on coolant
bad thermostat



if it were my car, I would pull both radiator hoses off and put a garden hose in the top inlet and see how quickly it flows out the bottom
that will tell you if the radiator is clogged up and its a place to start
 
I got a tip on here when I needed a new radiator...a 1980 Aspen radiator fits right in, but you have to redrill two bolt holes that don't line up. Then, I used the Aspen upper hose and a lower hose for, I believe, a 1975 Dart with a 225.
 
I put a copper radiator for a ~1972 Dart (square top) in my 1965 Dart. It was the first one Autozone listed w/ a passenger side lower port, and I wasn't resourceful enough for ebay then. The lower port is 1.5"D, so probably intended for a slant. I actually used it for my 273 V-8, but w/ the later alum water pump, and had to adapt to 1.75"D. I recall having to drill 2 holes to match the car's bolt holes. The lower port doesn't angle like most slant radiator do, but should still work. For lower hose, lookup the PN I posted for my 64 slant.

But don't feel so limited. Many radiators could work. My 64 slant has a thin radiator from who knows what. It came with a Honda battery and M-B pusher fan (and no pulley fan). Most all cars I have seen have a 1.5"D upper hose. Think where you want the upper port for any later accessories you might add like AC or power steering. A center port works nice for a slant, since you just need a little 90 deg hose and those will never become "not avail".

Before all that, try steps 1 & 2. Verify your temperatures with an IR gun (cheap at HF). Remove the radiator you have and fill w/ citric acid solution (ebay or grocery store) for a few days (or Prestone flush), then flush. Verify it flows well using a garden hose, and also back flush it. You may find pinhole leaks that were ready to fail, but that is a good thing. Also, remove and test the thermostat.
 
Why is it that I cannot find a radiator for my 65 Dart. The current radiator seems to work but the gauge says it is running hot.

Thanks for all that read and respond

Regards
Bill


Bill, went through the same challenge a couple of months ago, found one;
http://www.usradiator.com/dodge-dart...-radiator.html

Ordered it and it took a while to get built and shipped, but it is in the car. Works great! Good luck.

Hammer
 
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