Radiator Replacement & Repair Suggestions-86 & 77 K30's

[prairie]

Have an 86 K30 454 with a small pin hole radiator leak that was fixed, at least temporarily, with radiator leak stop pellets. Overall the radiator appears to be in good shape.

Have recently purchased a 77 K30 SBC400. The radiator has a crack near the top hose connection. Radiator condition is rough looking, with several amateur appearing repairs.

Was thinking of getting the 86 BBC radiator reconditioned/repaired and putting it in the 77. Any problems to look out for?

New radiator for the 86. What brand/type would you recommend?

 

[cybrfire]

Aluminum!

 

[prairie]

Aluminum!

Aluminum sounds great, except for the cost.

Will probably be just running a stock or mildly modified 454 for a few years.

Any suggestions as to what brand/style would be best?

 

[dyeager535]

What are you using the '86 for? If it's not being twisted up offroad, I'd say a "cheapie" (stock) AL radiator probably.

Many of the "stock replacement" radiators anymore are aluminum, so no more expensive than a copper/brass job. If copper/brass works for you, no reason to go to aluminum really, although they do tend to cool better.

 

[FlatBlackBurb]

try vatozone??? when my radiator finally blew i took my chances and found the least beat up chevy truck at the "u pull it" and put it right in. i was actually really lucky because 1, my radiator was slightly bigger than the other ones and i actually found one the same size, and 2, it holds pressure really well...

i would go to the junkyard, just my 2 cents.

it turned out to cost me nothing because i returned my old radiator and said it was the new one that i didnt want anymore

 

[prairie]

What are you using the '86 for? If it's not being twisted up offroad, I'd say a "cheapie" (stock) AL radiator probably.

Will be mainly mud/snow running.

Just checked with our local NAPA, $220 for a 2 core, the only one they had listed.

Am going to check with a few on-line sources as well as a couple of area radiator shops.

Would a 2 core cool as well as the factory original 4 core?

 

[dyeager535]

2 Core aluminum or copper/brass?

The real advantage to the aluminum radiators is design, and two cores are very common in AL. Unless it is some new-fangled copper/brass 2 core (and there might be!) I wouldn't expect a 2 core traditional radiator to work well with a big block.

 

[prairie]

Went with an 2 core aluminum radiator with welded end tanks, and plumbing for heater and tranny just like original. Most aluminum radiators were not plumbed for the tranny lines and would have required an auxillary tranny cooler, which I can still add later if needed.

The pin hole leak showed up again on the 86, so will try to change things out ASAP, and get the original repaired and stuck in the 77.

 

[dyeager535]

What did they charge, if you don't mind me asking? Welded end tanks makes it sound like it's not a stock replacement, most are plastic tanked I thought. Hopefully won't have to replace any radiators any time soon, but pays to keep up on this stuff.

 

[prairie]

What did they charge, if you don't mind me asking? Welded end tanks makes it sound like it's not a stock replacement, most are plastic tanked I thought. Hopefully won't have to replace any radiators any time soon, but pays to keep up on this stuff.

Checked several sources on-line and local, and choices and pricing varied widely.
Pricing from $200 to over $500.
Choices were brass/copper, plastic/copper, plastic/aluminum, aluminum (crimped)/aluminum, aluminum (welded)/aluminum. Then throw in 2 core , 3 core, and 4 core. It almost got to confusing.

Paid $340 for the welded all aluminum 2 core radiator from a local radiator shop. All the radiators of this type were similiar priced, but this was the only one with tranny cooler connections like the original.

 

[ryoken]

I know you found one, but for anyone else...

Summit sells the direct replacement in aluminum for about $250... I went with the non-tranny one for $175. Made by Northern, nice unit...

 

[prairie]

I know you found one, but for anyone else...

Summit sells the direct replacement in aluminum for about $250... I went with the non-tranny one for $175. Made by Northern, nice unit...

Had checked the Summit site yesterday and double checked again this morning, but didn't find an all aluminum radiator that exactly fit my application. The only two that were close started at about $500.
86/K30/454/Auto, needs transmission and heater connections.

My radiator is a done deal now. But out of curiosity,do you have the part #?

 

[ryoken]

well, i was refering to blazers.. i see for a k30, they only have the aluminum and plastic..