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wlpsyp · 02-19-2006, 08:06 PM

Hey guys,

I dont know what the hell is going on, but seems like all I am doing now-a-days is hitting brick walls on the car test fitting. Here is another problem I am running into.... Installing the damn radiator, seems simple but man what the.................

I bought a new four core radiator from PY and Amanda and I are test fitting it to the core support to make sure we have all the hardware etc. Couple question.

1. Once the radiator is installed, is it plum vertically or does it have a backwards lean to it? Our's is leaning back maybe 10 degrees (eye ball)

2. Seems that the radiator is to tall as the rear of the shield Towards front of car) (68 GTO) lays flat ontop of the core support but the front is lifted up off the core support about 1/4-1/2 an inch, meaning if we drilled the holes and tightened down the shield, it would bend. We are using new rubber bushings in all four locations and all bushing fit properly.

Can someone post a few pictures of an installed radiator from the side and back for us? I can post pics of our problem if needed. Going to go buy some beer now....

Thanks,

Frustrated Bill

Greg Reid · 02-20-2006, 12:10 AM

I believe it's pretty much plumb or perpendicular to the ground but compared to the core support, it will have the appearance of leaning back considerably. I don't have a good pic but here's one that shows the relationship between the radiator and the core support.

wlpsyp · 02-21-2006, 05:11 PM

Greg,

Thanks for the info. I am going to have to figure something out as I can not get it plum as it wants to lean back way to much and looks to tall as the hood may hit it. Not sure what is going on, will just have to play with it and maybe fab up some different brackets.

Bill

tremo · 02-22-2006, 05:00 PM

Hey Greg,

I just installed a new 3-core radiator in my '69 LeMans and it was straight-up. Not sure if a '68 is different, but I bought the GM11 (?) 4-core rubber isolators from PY (couldn't find 3-core versions) and ended up installing the isolators in the fan shroud FIRST - fat side towards the back in the channels already cut in the shroud.

I then wedged the radiator in the shroud and installed both as one assembly. Everything lined up and I screwed in the 4 top bolts and then the bottom two. There is no 10 degree angle backwards that I can recall, but I'll check tonight and follow-up if so.

Hope this helps...

Jim.

newtoGTO · 02-23-2006, 06:36 PM

Bill, looked at my 68 and the radiator is tilted towards the engine slightly. The fan shroud was an indicator of the angle. The ends of the shroud have rubber grommets holding the radiator and are perpendicular. I took a leveler (construction) to the ends of the fan shroud showing about 0.5" rise from front to rear. This may give you the correct setting.

John

wlpsyp · 02-25-2006, 12:24 AM

Hey guys,

Thanks for the info. Attached are a couple pics to show my concerns. I dont want to start cutting metal to make this fit nor try and replace with PY as shipping alone to Alaska kills me.

All four rubber mounts are new and correct type. No binding etc on the core support. Everything looks good, it is just that the rad seams to be sitting to high and leaning back to much. My major concerns are it hitting the hood (which I have not tried yet) or the radiator leaning back so much, that it does not get good airflow to the fan when the engine is put in.

Sure glad I went and bought beer for this weekend....

As always, thanks guys for the helping of two rookies.

Bill

Greg Reid · 02-25-2006, 12:59 AM

Bill, look at the pics of mine I posted in your other thread. Doesn't look like you're too far off to me. Maybe the rubber is a little thick? I seem to recall that the rubbers for the top of the radiator is different than the rubber for the bottom slots. Maybe you could switch them around top to bottom?

kk68 · 02-25-2006, 01:25 AM

Bill: I've been studying the photos in your threads and I think the problem may be that the radiator is not seating properly in the lower brackets. The bottom of the radiator seems to be sitting up a little high in the brackets and off of the lower core support. Are you sure you have the wider brackets for the 4 core radiators and not the narrower ones for the three core?

kk68 · 02-25-2006, 02:54 AM

Bill:

Since I am at the same point you are with my project, I have a few shots that might help. The first two show the brackets installed before the radiator was set in place. The last three show the radiator installed but I haven't put the top plate on yet. Note how my brackets extend inward (towards engine) quite a bit, and more so on the passenger side by an inch than the drivers side. I was concerned that something was wrong at first and had to look at old photos before the disassembly to see if this was right, which it appears to be from what I can tell. Note that the rubber insulators on the top of the radiator are set different on each side so that the top plate will fit straight even though the raidator is cocked a little. Your thread makes me want to get my top plate down tomorrow and test fit it to make sure mine fits down flush. Only other thought is that mine has factory A/C and there might be a difference in setup (different lower brackets?) to accomodate the condensor which sits in front of the radiator. I don't remember if you have A/C or not.

Hope this will provide some help to solve your problem and end the frustration... I know the feeling well.

Kevin

Verdoro 68 · 02-25-2006, 03:00 AM

I went back and looked at some pics I took of my car while I was assembling it. I don't see anything wrong with Bill's car.

I had at least that much space between the radiator and core support and my shield doesn't lay 100% flat towards the radiator, just like Bill's. So, either both of our cars are wrong or it's just the way things are. Mine's all together now and I haven't had any issues. I don't have any detailed pics of the areas, but hopefully the attached pics will help.

wlpsyp · 02-25-2006, 03:05 AM

Kevin,

Thanks for the pictures. I would be currious to see if your shield fit. A couple things I noticed in your pictures.

1. The two lower prackets do not look the same that you have. Mine are both the same style/design as yours that is on the drivers side right in front of the steering gear box.

2. Both of my upper rubber would only go in the shield one way as one end is thicker than the other. You show yours having one one direction and the other the opposite. I think you will see that they will only go in the shield one way as mine did.

My car did originally have A/C, but we are not installing it this go around.

Thanks for the help and pics, let me know if your top shield fits and lays flush ontop of the core support.

Bill

wlpsyp · 02-25-2006, 03:09 AM

Ken,

Thanks for the pictures and comments. I take it you have no clearence issues with the hood closing? Is the fan perpendicular to the radiator or is there an angle?

Thanks for the help. THis is driving me nuts. Something so damn simple...

Bill

wlpsyp · 02-25-2006, 03:16 AM

As a side note. I have "grinded" the lower rubber mounts both width wise and depth wise (the groove/slot that the radiator mounting points lay in) to ensure they seat fully on the radiator. All the rubber mounts sit flush and tight. They fit perfect when the rad is laying on the work bench and when the rad is in the car sitting on the rubber.

Greg Reid · 02-26-2006, 11:40 PM

Bill, check this thread. Sounds like this user named derrick is having the same issue unless I'm misinterpreting what he's saying.... http://216.178.81.108/forums/showthread.php?t=468357

Verdoro 68 · 02-27-2006, 03:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wlpsyp

Ken,

Thanks for the pictures and comments. I take it you have no clearence issues with the hood closing? Is the fan perpendicular to the radiator or is there an angle?

Thanks for the help. THis is driving me nuts. Something so damn simple...

Bill

I got a chance to take my car out this weekend and took a closer look at things. The fan is perpendicular to the radiator and the radiator is straight up and down. The fan guard on the top of the support sits flat against the core support as well. I must not have had it bolted down all the way in the pics I posted.

I'm wondering if maybe you have the brackets for the radiator installed in the wrong holes in the core support? Or possibly have the brackets flipped around? I remember it being a little confusing when reinstalling the brackets in my car. If I remember right, there's several sets of holes where the brackets go on the core support.

Greg Reid · 02-27-2006, 11:32 AM

If he had them in the wrong holes, I don't see how the rubber could line up in the correct locations on the radiator.

Verdoro 68 · 02-27-2006, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greg Reid

If he had them in the wrong holes, I don't see how the rubber could line up in the correct locations on the radiator.

Good point. I was just throwing ideas out there as I'm stumped. I was thinking more that maybe they are backwards so the radiator is farther back on the core support. However, comparing kk68's pics, Bill's pics and mine it looks like he's got them in right.

Roadbuster · 09-23-2007, 01:47 AM

I am abount to install a new radiator in my 68. If you guys don't mind where did you get the upper radiator isolators and the seal that goes under the radiator? I tried several venders and they do not have them.

Jon

surfnuke9 · 09-23-2007, 12:40 PM

There is supposed to be a rubber seal along the bottom on a 68 ? hmmmmm.....maybe have had some ypa airflow all this time....

Your pics look like how my 4 row sits before tightening down the top.

Greg Reid · 04:55 AM

Been a while since I've looked at this but IF I remember correctly the only difference in the upper and lower isolators is that one of them doesn't require the little 'nibs' sticking out so you snip them off. Does that sound like what you're talking about?
At any rate, I got mine from Ames.
I didn't have any lower radiator seal but I do recall reading in the Judge forum recently that there was something like that on certain cars that had HO or RA engines, certain rear ratios with a/c, etc...Again, I just can't remember!
And of course, they were talking '69 models.

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