It’s never a good sign to see that green puddle appear under the front of your car. It never happens at a convenient time! The old 4 core brass and copper radiator has served well in it’s 20 years of service in the nose of the 1981 Monte Carlo, and is being replaced by a new aluminum radiator. This is a 31”x19” radiator and is quite common. This is a 3 core ¾” thick tube that has more fin to tube surface than the brass and copper offering better heat transfer. This is way more radiator than this mild 350 will ever need, there is some peace of mind knowing that it’s unlikely that it will ever overheat from not having enough radiator! Luckily all the G body cars out there can use this upgrade and it’s an easy Saturday job.
Here’s a link to get a similar radiator
Since this has already had a bigger radiator in it, there are a few things that need to be done when upgrading from the original sized radiator. There are 2 taps on the core support that need to be trimmed so they don’t contact the radiator and cause a leak or damage down the road. The fan shroud also needs some trimming to accommodate the larger tanks and the distance from the tanks to the fins. This may vary from radiator to radiator, so make sure you check what you have to make sure it fits like you want it to.
After the install, it’s time for the shake down drive to make sure things are leak free. With any first drive with new parts, I like to bring a few basic tools in case things need to be tightened or adjusted. I brought along a screwdriver in case the hose clamps need an extra turn. All was leak free and the 1981 Monte Carlo!
Here’s some links to stuff I like to use! These are affiliate links and I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.
PWRCORE 12 Brushless 12V 3/8” Impact Wrench Kit
WavWatch – Use Discount Code ERIC100 for $100 off at checkout
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