Hello,
I am new here. So i just wrecked my 68 deville convertible screwed up the front end :o I know! I am a novice when it comes to under the hood stuff but I am eager to learn. I busted the radiator in my wreck and just got a replacement radiator that has no heater return line. Here comes the dumb question...can i bypass the heater return line some how? and whats the function of the heater return line ? Any help would be much appreciated!
Thanks
-Johnny
" ... can i bypass the heater return line some how? and whats the function of the heater return line ?"
If you want heat, hot water must be able circulate or none will get to your heater core. Hot water in, cooler water out. Get a proper radiator (easy to find at Rockauto.com) or talk to your local radiator shop about adding a fitting to your current radiator --- also relatively easy --- after you take the radiator back out. ;D
This is a 7 year old thread, but I've found NO supplier that has a radiator WITH the heater return line.... It's frustrating, and it's the side tank not my core that's leaking, so I reckon I'm skrewt on this.
Seems like something an old school radiator shop should be able to repair if you can find one.
Did you look up US Radiator? For the money they get for theirs you would think they could build them with the correct fittings?
What is unique about the 68? Didn't most of the Cads of the era and some other GM's have that return line? I got a modern plastic aluminum one in my 73 and its got the return port.
The newest Cadillac I've ever owned was a 65 so I am no expert on the 68, but can one not tap into the cooling system elsewhere to return the coolant? RadiatorExpress seems to have the correct radiator otherwise.
I managed to make it correct for this 68 by buyint the new tank they have copper brass, and havint them remove the tank and solder my nipple into it, the other incorrectness is the trans cooler line fittings atre 5/16" compression fittings but the 68 Deville has 3/8" compression fitting lines so adapters are necessary and the overflow hose connection is clocked incorrectly but it's still useable.
Anyone know what is unique about a 68? Is it something like 66-75 is all the same except for the location of that nipple so the people that make em figure they will just go with close enough to fit the most cars?
Finding a copper brass one that isn't right seems even stranger since the people still making those tend to be more collector oriented.
When I bought my new radiator for the '74 Eldo (Vista-Pro 433165), it had the same issues . . . heater return was 5/8" instead of 3/4" and filler neck nipple clocked incorrectly. The application is common to a large number of GM cars and listed as fitting the '71-'74 Eldos. It bolted in perfectly. I took it to an old school radiator shop and got the above 2 issues resolved. Since the radiator was brass/copper, the radiator shop had no issues and the corrections were inexpensive.
Kirby Radiator in Fort Worth for those of you in N. Texas. First rate radiator shop.
I had my tanks reused to have a new one made. It avoided all of these issues. Any old-tyme shop can repair the tanks.