71- help can't get radiator out

[Peter M.]

Help please - trying to remove radiator on 71 non ac manual car. Factory manual and others all say loosen shroud(plastic) and hand over fan and remove radiator. No good-took fan off even though didn't appear to be in way but no matter how I try to twist and turn the shroud it hits the bolts on the A arms(?).
I am getting ready to unbolt the support thinking I must need to do that regardless what manuals say but don't want to do if someone has the tricks of the trade - extremely frustrated at this point.

Any help would be appreciated.

Also - how do you ID if the support is the original for a 71? Is Dewitts the only radiator dealer?

Thanks

Pete

[Tom H.]

Re: 71- help can't get radiator out

Isn't easiest to take the hood off, pull radiator out then tip the support forward and pull the shroud out?

[Edward M.]

Re: 71- help can't get radiator out

Two things...1) loosen the radiator support bolts so it can move forward slightly, and 2) remove the upper A-arm bolts that are in the way.

Stop twisting the fan shround, you will break it...I know.

Can't help you on original ID for a 71 radiator.

No, Dewitt is not the only radiator supplier, just one of the best. Go to Ebay and search on Corvette radiators. Also check ZIP and Ecklers, and perhaps Corvette Central.

[John M.]

Re: 71- help can't get radiator out

Call me crazy but I take the hood off and then take the support, shroud and radiator out as a unit. I worry a lot about dinging the radiator; looks crummy if you do.

[Gary R.]

Re: 71- help can't get radiator out

Thats how we do it too. I think we left the hood on the last time. Get a helper with this one.

[Jack H.]

Re: 71- help can't get radiator out

In '71 there were two radiator systems for the SB cars: (1) aluminum Harrison radiator + stamped steel shroud for the base engine, and (2) copper/brass Harrison radiator + fiberglass shroud if base engine was equipped with heat producing options (AT or A/C).

Since you say you're working with a plastic shroud system & do NOT have A/C, I'll presume you've got an auto trans OR past owners have modified the car...

Yes, you can expect the shroud to 'hit' the front suspension components creating an interference. The shop manual teaches this:

(1) Scribe/mark the hood and remove it.
(2) Remove fan & fan clutch.
(3) Remove radiator hoses.
(4) Go into the wheel wells and remove the bolts holding the radiator core support to the body EXCEPT for the last on on each side which you only loosen.

Now, swing the radiator forward to put it in an upright position relative to the body and both the shroud and radiator should simply extract without interference straight up & out.

That's the 'by the book' method. BUT, I can tell you I've seen experienced 'rate buster' mechanics get the job done WITHOUT removing either the hood or standing the radiator upright in quick order and NOT doing damage to the fan shroud. This takes experience and a 'feel' for the job that few of us have...

Others partially disassemble the RH A-frame to gain clearance and do the job that way. Bottom line, for a first timer, radiator R&Y is NOT a straight forward task!

[Peter M.]

Re: 71- help can't get radiator out

Jack - thanks. car is 71 4spd lt-1 but radiator may not be original.

Which shop manul do you refer to? I must be looking at wrong one because I thought I was looking at Chevrolet shop one(one with cartoon type drawing with green covers partly. Also similar in style is chassis guide.

Regardless, when you say take out all the bolts in wheel well, except for last one on each side, do you mean the lowest one on the side? I can't tell precisely but it looks like it has approximately 4 bolts running down each side and about 4 or 5 at bottom running across horizontally?

When you suggest taking off hood, do you take off parts where attaches to hood or parts where it attaches to body? What is best?

Thanks for your help.

Pete

[Tom H.]

Re: 71- help can't get radiator out

When you suggest taking off hood, do you take off parts where attaches to hood or parts where it attaches to body? What is best?

Thanks for your help.

Pete

Where it bolts to the hood. Scribe it to make it easier to line back up. Get a couple of helpers for coming off and going back on. Getting it off is easy, lining it back up is a little different. Not hard, but it takes a little time.

[Jack C.]

Re: 71- help can't get radiator out

Hint, when you get the new radiator (from Dewitt's), cut and then tape the cardboard from the new radiator box to cover the radiator fin surfaces. It will save you a few dings.

[Jim T.]

Re: 71- help can't get radiator out

I have never removed the hood to remove a radiator from my 68 and 70 Corvettes in 40 years.To get the upper right A-frame back and out of the way is so easy. Just support/lift the bottom A-frame which takes the tension off the upper and just undo the bolts move the A-frame back. The serrated bolts can be knocked out and reused. Works every time for me and my 70 is the big shroud/big radiator. My radiator supports for the 68 and 70 have never been moved.

[Jack H.]

Re: 71- help can't get radiator out

1971 Chassis Service Manual. See Section 13, Corvette Radiator & refer to Figure 5. Note there are two R&R sequences described: one deals with the base engine/small Harrison aluminum radiator/stamped steel shroud while the other talks to the balance of the cars with Harrison copper/brass radiator and plastic shroud.

[Jack H.]

Re: 71- help can't get radiator out

Yep, that's another 'rate buster' approach that I did mention... However, that approach is NOT what Chevy documented for the 'official' R&R process.

Were they 'dumb' or trying to 'pump' the labor line? Can't say. But, increasing the labor hours would work against them in warranty jobs...

[Robert S.]

Re: 71- help can't get radiator out

Peter - I have done the remove and replace radiator task twice on two different 74's. If you have never done this before I would scribe around the brackets where the hood brackets bolts to the hood and remove those bolts and the bolts for the support brace. As someone said have someone help you lift the hood off. You will need to remove the fan and the fan clutch, drain the radiator and remove the upper and lower hoses. Unbolt the fan shroud. Although you can partially unbolt the radiator support and then tilt and pull the radiator out of the support, the radiator support is typically rusted on many cars and may need to be replaced. If not you may want to clean up surface rust and repaint the support and you may want to also replace the rubber cushions into which the radiator seats. Therefore you may want to pull the radiator support and radiator as a package. To do this you will need to remove all the side bolts holding the radiator support and also remove the front strut rod and as I recall two bolts on the bottom which as I recall go through large cast washers. There may be other attachments for the radiator support but as I recall they are obvious as I did this job without the aide of a manual. On reassembly you will need a radiator seal kit - get one from Dr. Rebuilt. This is essential to making sure the air goes through the radiator and not around it. I have never had a problem with mine keeping the engine at 190F even on 90Fplus days.

[Dennis S.]

Re: 71- help can't get radiator out

Remove the radiator/shroud/support as a unit. Disassembling, cleaning, painting, then properly reassembling with new seals is all much easier out of the car. The whole assembly goes back in the car, with an extra set of hands, in less than 5 minutes.

[Kenneth T.]

Re: 71- help can't get radiator out

Call me crazy but I take the hood off and then take the support, shroud and radiator out as a unit. I worry a lot about dinging the radiator; looks crummy if you do.

Is is necessary to support the nose when the rad support is removed.
I have a vague memory of the nose sagging without the support in place.