The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop There's a leak...

I have the driveline complete, and was preparing to break in the cam, but my radiator wouldn't hold water. I have a '56 L6, in a '48 Chevy truck. Now I'm in searching for a replacement radiator. Is there an option, other that a new one? This project is powered by my knuckles, and my son's budget.
Thanks for any help,

Wes

A new one is the best option but if the budget won't handle it you can take it to a radiator shop & they can clean & repair it. Chances are it is rotten. They can be recored but it will run close to what a new one will cost. A used one won't likely be any better then what you have. If you live in or near a large city, you might check & see if they have a radiator distributor in the city. They are supposed to be wholesale only but if they are like the one in our city they will sell to anyone that can walk up to the counter. It would be worth a call.

i had all mine recored. they all run cooler now. if you go the recored way tell them you want the maximum cooling core that will fit in the rad. frame.

Thanks for the responses. We're in Houston, so cooling is important. We may just have to buy a new one.

This is just a suggestion but I would get some zinc additive into your oil like ZDDP before you break in your cam .Many cams and lifters have been destroyed in the first 45 minutes of running.One 4 oz. bottle will do.I add a bottle with every oil change. Patricks has a big blurb about it in his parts book actually it's more of a warning.

Good call! It's been so long since the rebuild, an having spent the last 3 years rebuilding the Opel GT, that I've plum lost track of the parts I have in the truck. Hopefully, the break-in went without incident, and we will have a damage free engine. Sh...t. it's been 10 years since I have bought parts from Patrick's. I don't recall ZDDP being discussed when I was building this engine 10 years ago.

There's been changes in oil over the last few years, namely the reduction of ZDDP in the current grade oil, which is SM. You just have to make sure to add the break in lube and perhaps some additional ZDDP during break in. Once the cam has been run in, it'll be fine.
I've heard the horror stories of "the oil ruined my engine", usually from guys that had a so-called "professional" engine builder do their work. In many of the cases, it's the builder not wanting to fess up to their poor workmanship. Other cases it's poor quality or mismatched parts. I've been putting SM grade oil in flat tappet engines since it came out, with most of them seeing far more miles than the engines that seem to be having problems, haven't had the first failure yet. If it makes you feel more comfortable adding the extra during regular oil changes, do it. It won't hurt anything. Just make sure to use an additive meant as a regular lube, and not the break in additives, as they can cause pre-ignition as well as premature plugging of the oil filter, which can lead to early engine failure.

Thanks Bill. I will use the additive at regular intervals, and hope that my break-in won't result in a BREAK.

Wes

As for a replacement radiator, I think I posted this a while ago, but here goes again. On my Dad's 49 we used a radiator out of a Dodge Dart with the slant six. It was cooling a six and still is. . .just a different make and model! We only had to drill a couple of new holes and it mounted right up.

Craig