toyota4x4907

I finally got a new radiator! For two weeks I couldn't drive more than a few miles before I lost all the coolant. Even just parked, It would usually leak 3/4 of the coolant. On Friday I was finally able to get to the dealership. When I asked the guy to order me a radiator, he asked if I had asked around to see if anyone had them in stock. I told him only at salvage yards because the town I used to live in with NAPA, Schucks and CarQuest wouldn't ever have had them in stock and I just assumed the same about here. So he calls one of the NAPAs here and luck be hold, they have a few in stock. So I go pick one up. YES!! A radiator. A nice one too. Well I don't have a garage, and none of my friends do either, so I had to change it in the driveway of my sisters house. I only expected it to take an hour or less. Heh. I was wrong. It ended up taking three hours. Only two reasons for that though. One: The ONLY size socket or wrench I DIDN'T have was a 12mm., so I had to use an adjustable wrench. Two: it was 24 degrees outside when I started working. It was -5 degrees when I was done. Hm, I guess the lower radiator hose was a PITA as well..but that was partly because of the cold. I also had to demolish my skid plate because I didnt have a 12mm socket to get the freakin bolts out to take it off! I love my skid plate. So its hanging on all bent with two bolts. haha.
Well I get it in, but before I do, I notice its not like the old one. On the bottom on the side facing the engine on either side are two holes with large nuts and some plastic filling the holes. Also, the rad came with some plug/valve looking things. I have already driven it and they haven't busted, but I'm still a little uneasy about them. I was thinking I could put the valve thingies in the holes and connect the two with some hosing. Does anyone have an idea about what those holes and plugs/valves are for? They aren't really valves because they are hollow, but I can't think of a better word for them. I'll take some pics in a little bit if no one knows. Thanks guys.

Matt16

All radiators have holes. That's where the hoses connect to

I would guess those hole might for draining the rad faster or maybe even flushing the rad. Water could be pumped in one hole and drained through the other to flush it.

toyota4x4907

Haha you're right. Let me rephrase that. "There are holes towards the bottom on either side of the side facing the engine, that are NOT the lower rad hose hole, nor do they look like drain valves." There is a half-butterfly nut looking thing on the side opposite the hose hole, but It won't open. So maybe you're right. I hope the plastic doesn't decide to pop out of those because my fluids would be gone in 60 seconds.
edit: My old radiator only had the lower hose hole and the drain valve on the bottom. this one has those plus the two new ones with plastic in them.

Hophead

Alot of after market rads are set up to connect to your auto tranny ( tranny cooler). If it looks like two stub outs at each bottom corner of the rad that is what these are. You can remove them if you want. You will also have a drain.

toyota4x4907

Thats kind of what I was thinking, but they arent on the corners, per say, as you described. They are in between the lower rad hose and the butterfly nut.

Kinda like this :

O ______O_____________O______|
Hose Hole weird holes Butterfly nut

fillsrunner4

Dont worry about the two holes they come capped off or should if not. They will not pose any issues leaking wise for you. They are for an auto tranny cooler and is a separate thing inside the radiator. Auto tranny fluid flows throw it, to cool it. No coolant will leak from it. Just keep them capped off.

toyota4x4907

GOOD! I wont worry now! They did come capped off. I felt inside the hose hole and could feel the piping behind the ATF holes, but I couldn't get my finger around it to tell if they were connected or not. I just thought they had some kind of internal valve or something. Thanks a lot guys

fillsrunner4

If the holes you speak of are were the zip ties are in the pick... They is no need for them on the 5spd trucks. Just keep them as is and caped off. They only sell radiators with them now because it is cheaper to make generic ones for both auto and manual trucks rather than making two different ones.

4Crawler

iTrader: (3)

The auto tranny cooling lines are just part of a loop of tubing that runs through the lower radiator tank. That tube just sits inside the tank and has no connection to the coolant.

toyota4x4907

Yup, thats where they are at. stupid newb me.
I thought maybe the dude at the parts store gave me an AT radiator at first, but then I thought "Naw, I gave him my vin#..." as long as they are connected and closed, I'm not worried.Schweet.

4Crawler

iTrader: (3)

Almost all replacement radiators come set up for A/T cooling loops. Why? One part fits everything so they don't need to have twice the part numbers to handle manual and automatics.

fillsrunner4

All good dude

Jay351

I thought the exact same thing when I was replacing mine Then I decided to see if it would leak water, nope

Perfect time to retrofit a steering fluid cooler

space-junk

iTrader: (1)

doesnt the power steering setup use fluid similar to hydraulic fluid?? would that react in some bad way with the brass in the radiator??

toyota4x4907

At least I wasn't the only one! haha. It scared me at first. But thanks YotaTech

Are you going to make a steering fluid cooler, Jay? What would be the point of it?....

unless you were being sarcastic...

slosurfer

Your power steering fluid is ATF

Matt16

I didn't know that. Never owned and automatic, but I would have thought the tranny cooler had trans fluid circulating through it from the tranny sump.

Tool Pants

That brings back memories. On my 1988 with manual transmission I replaced the radiator with an aftermarket about 8 years ago. Had two 1/4" tubes at the bottom with rubber caps on the ends. I thought it was for an automatic but was told one radiator fit all.

Need to find a good use for that extra cooling capacity.

space-junk

iTrader: (1)

not mine... but i get your point...

so, could you also, run an oil filter relocation kit and use it as an engine oil cooler??

blackspyder

yep if you're in the mood for it my s-10 and Blazer had similar setups, I was/am none too impressed with GM's thought process on those 2. better to tap the oil ports on the block like a dry sump setup than relocate the filter if at all possible.

using it for a manual tranny cooler / tcase cooler is possible too.