Dewitts alum radiator, Spal fans, Stewart water pump trials & tribulations
02-09-2003, 09:26 PM
#1
Pro
Thread Starter
Dewitts alum radiator, Spal fans, Stewart water pump trials & tribulations
Well this is turning into a major PITA project. Three weekends ago two of my buds helped me get the Dewitt aluminum radiator, Spal fans and Stewart stage 2 water pump installed and everything else bolted back together. Also changed out the belts and hoses while it was apart.
The new radiator was thicker than the original which caused the stock top tranny cooling hard line fitting to be right up against the control arm. I ended up running all over town the following week looking for a 90 fitting to clear the control arm. No luck so I called Tom Dewitt. He couldn't believe it wouldn't clear the control arm :confused: but agreed to try and find a fitting since I had no luck. I called him a couple of days later and he found a fitting and shipped it to me. I'd definately buy from him again.
I intalled the 90 and hooked up the top tranny cooler line and filled the radiator. Guess what...I hear the sound of liquid hitting concrete with the radiator full. I look under the car and AARGH...antifreeze was pouring out from under the water pump area. :eek: I drain all the antifreeze and crawl back under the car. From below I can see that one of the water pump gaskets had shifted during installation and it was causing the leak.
One of the nice things about having multiple vehicles is being able to say "screw it" and walk away, which I did.
Yesterday I tore it all apart again and about 6 hours later, I work slowly, no more water pump gasket leaks. Both gaskets had shifted so this time I used some non hardening gasket sealer to keep them in place during the install. I ran out of time to start it and make sure all was well.
This morning I push the car out of the garage to start it and guess what...no juice...dead battery. AARGH again. :smash: Hooked up the trickle charger and it's working it's magic. I'm out of town all this week so maybe next weekend I'll actually get it started. It's a good thing the weather is terrible and I don't actually want to drive the car.
Next weekend the new Van Steel arms and bearings get installed!! Hopefully that won't turn into a month long project. After that it's new vacuum hoses for the vents (I know that is going to be a real PITA) and the Eckler AC kit (rebuilt compressor, new drier and gaskets) for the R134 upgrade. I've also got to get the new F&R sway bars and lowering kit installed on the 96 LT4 that brown delivered Friday from VB&P.
It's a good thing this stuff is fun. ;-)
The new radiator was thicker than the original which caused the stock top tranny cooling hard line fitting to be right up against the control arm. I ended up running all over town the following week looking for a 90 fitting to clear the control arm. No luck so I called Tom Dewitt. He couldn't believe it wouldn't clear the control arm :confused: but agreed to try and find a fitting since I had no luck. I called him a couple of days later and he found a fitting and shipped it to me. I'd definately buy from him again.
I intalled the 90 and hooked up the top tranny cooler line and filled the radiator. Guess what...I hear the sound of liquid hitting concrete with the radiator full. I look under the car and AARGH...antifreeze was pouring out from under the water pump area. :eek: I drain all the antifreeze and crawl back under the car. From below I can see that one of the water pump gaskets had shifted during installation and it was causing the leak.
One of the nice things about having multiple vehicles is being able to say "screw it" and walk away, which I did.
Yesterday I tore it all apart again and about 6 hours later, I work slowly, no more water pump gasket leaks. Both gaskets had shifted so this time I used some non hardening gasket sealer to keep them in place during the install. I ran out of time to start it and make sure all was well.
This morning I push the car out of the garage to start it and guess what...no juice...dead battery. AARGH again. :smash: Hooked up the trickle charger and it's working it's magic. I'm out of town all this week so maybe next weekend I'll actually get it started. It's a good thing the weather is terrible and I don't actually want to drive the car.
Next weekend the new Van Steel arms and bearings get installed!! Hopefully that won't turn into a month long project. After that it's new vacuum hoses for the vents (I know that is going to be a real PITA) and the Eckler AC kit (rebuilt compressor, new drier and gaskets) for the R134 upgrade. I've also got to get the new F&R sway bars and lowering kit installed on the 96 LT4 that brown delivered Friday from VB&P.
It's a good thing this stuff is fun. ;-)
02-09-2003, 11:54 PM
#2
Drifting
Re: Dewitts alum radiator, Spal fans, Stewart water pump trials & tribulations (914eener)
Sounds like I am reading my own personal story of working on the vettes. Anyway 1 suggestion get each step working or tested out before going foreard or you can end up with a real pile of parts. Good luck.
:seeya
:seeya
