Re: Crappy Spectra Radiator CU959 problem
[Re: slantzilla]
#2419548
12/16/17 06:07 PM
12/16/17 06:07 PM
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 15,938 Central Florida
larrymopar360
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Stud Muffin
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Stud Muffin
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Central Florida
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Hate to say it, but you bought the cheapest freaking radiator you could find and whine because you're not resourceful enough to get it in? As said before, you have 10-15 minutes work and a trip to Autozone and you're done. Turn in your Man Card and take up knitting. Trying to find one I could get quickly, because my truck is filled with furniture for my moving, and it was the only one I could find to fit my truck that I could get in a few days. I'd spend $500 a NOS one if it were available. In fact, I'm having the original re-cored and it's going to cost in the neighborhood of $500. I checked ebay, arizonaparts, national moparts, and several other sources for a NOS one before I bought this one. I am using the helpful advice of others and tomorrow when I have a little time, going to try to swap fittings from old one, and if that doesn't work, try some of the other helpful suggestions. I just haven't had time yet. I'm taking the original to rad shop Monday even though it'll take a few weeks to have it back, I want that one in the truck in the near future. I've been biting my tongue. Can someone please just close this thread? It's obviously not going anywhere.
Facts are stubborn things.
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Re: Crappy Spectra Radiator CU959 problem
[Re: stumpy]
#2419591
12/16/17 08:23 PM
12/16/17 08:23 PM
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 15,938 Central Florida
larrymopar360
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Stud Muffin
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If the lines are still too long you can put a curving bend in them to shorten them a little. You know you just reminded me I have an ancient bender an elderly neighbor gave me years ago that belonged to his father! That might help. It's in the attic and I'm digging stuff out of attic anyhow because I'm moving. Thank you!
Facts are stubborn things.
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Re: Crappy Spectra Radiator CU959 problem
[Re: GarageDodge]
#2419629
12/16/17 10:26 PM
12/16/17 10:26 PM
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 15,938 Central Florida
larrymopar360
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There no drop in radiators anymore,they are all fine china quality.They really don't care how they fit close enough. Yeah, I guess I should have known but was hoping to get back on the road to get my furniture moved that I was right smack in the middle of moving. Then, down the road, when I had my beautiful factory radiator re-cored, I'd put it back in, along with the 7 blade clutch fan I scored on ebay (That's what was recommended by some helpful members on another thread). Yes, going to sand and point before installing Right now it has a 5 blade fixed fan.
Facts are stubborn things.
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Re: Crappy Spectra Radiator CU959 problem
[Re: screamindriver]
#2419861
12/17/17 02:27 PM
12/17/17 02:27 PM
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 15,938 Central Florida
larrymopar360
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Stud Muffin
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It's winter and you're posting on moparts...There's a bunch of grumpy old men on here that will take it out on you instead of their usual,miserable surroundings so don't take it personal... You could post you've won a million dollars and the same group will complain they didn't win it and you suck for winning... Haha thanks for the laugh.
Facts are stubborn things.
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Re: Crappy Spectra Radiator CU959 problem
[Re: 71birdJ68]
#2419862
12/17/17 02:28 PM
12/17/17 02:28 PM
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 15,938 Central Florida
larrymopar360
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Stud Muffin
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Not true, Glen Ray IS a drop in radiator. Though not sure they make one for a truck. Yes, for sure, just the one month turn around because busy right now and the holidays. I did call.
Facts are stubborn things.
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Re: Crappy Spectra Radiator CU959 problem
[Re: Twostick]
#2419863
12/17/17 02:30 PM
12/17/17 02:30 PM
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 15,938 Central Florida
larrymopar360
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A picture might help with the cooler lines because the originals did not use a barbed fitting so I'm confused about why you're fooling with the ones they sent. The ones you need are on your old rad or the nearest parts store.
If the cooler lines have already been butchered to use hoses and clamps now is your chance to fix them right or just do what you have to do to make the connection. Hoses and clamps aren't a good idea on a Mopar because the cooler circuit can see enough peak pressure to blow them off.
If I was going to the trouble of installing a new rad and it cooled the truck when I was done, it would instantly graduate from temporary fix to permanent.
Kevin
I do have pics on my phone and will upload tomorrow. I've just been grabbing every bit of OT lately and there's been a bunch. The factory lines are good. I don't think they've been touched. It'll be clearer as you stated with pics.
Facts are stubborn things.
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Re: Crappy Spectra Radiator CU959 problem
[Re: larrymopar360]
#2420385
12/18/17 04:04 PM
12/18/17 04:04 PM
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 15,938 Central Florida
larrymopar360
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Yippie, on the road again, as Willie Nelson would sing! Filled with some antifreeze and distilled water Thanks to the few that let me off the hood for my lack of radiator knowledge and instead of knocking me from behind the safety of their computer, chimed in with useful advice. Burdar: I don't know why (maybe because new rad had barbed fittings supplied) I never thought of swapping fittings from old radiator! I've always gotten my radiators re-cored or new ones that were direct fit. Bingo! Swapped fittings and on the road! Your simple advice caused me to take a second look and bingo. Thank you!!! And your suggestion of adding a cooler is going to happen down the road anyhow when I get my factory one re-cored and put that back in. Stumpy: needed to put slight bend in one factory steel line and used my vintage bender. Very cool tool. Must be from 50's?? 71birdJ68: I'm going to consider sending it off to Glen Ray instead of my local shop. The month turn around doesn't bother me now that I'm back on the road, and the more I read, the more I like the reputation. Thanks.
Facts are stubborn things.
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Re: Crappy Spectra Radiator CU959 problem
[Re: larrymopar360]
#2420392
12/18/17 04:15 PM
12/18/17 04:15 PM
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 15,938 Central Florida
larrymopar360
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Barring any rain today I can get this furniture out of the back of the truck, and haul some more stuff to new house, which has a TWO car garage. Big improvement over the one car garage now. Here at old house I had truck in garage, Diplomat outside under Covercraft cover, and work car outside which I did at least jockey around to be in shade whenever possible. I already have the Dippy over at new house in garage.
Facts are stubborn things.
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Re: Crappy Spectra Radiator CU959 problem
[Re: larrymopar360]
#2420454
12/18/17 05:47 PM
12/18/17 05:47 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 16,376
dogdays
I Live Here
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Well, well well! Yes, I did miss your reference to Rockauto, sorry. But, I did not miss your reference to fittings.
I don't doubt that you can make the holes line up in a minute with a rattail file. So that isn't worth discussing.
And, in the spirit of trying to help, seeing that the fittings mismatch was the major problem, I made a suggestion. I suggest you stop looking for what's wrong with me and others and the radiator, and think this through logically.
Take the supplied fittings and put them in your extra parts bin. They are clearly a one-size-fits-all solution to the fit problem. I suppose you could cut your steel lines off and use them, then when you got the other radiator lined up, reuse the originals and connect the cut off originals with short lengths of rubber hose. But I agree, that isn't good enough.
Here's what I saw from the picture: The fittings screwed into the openings in the radiator using what look like 1/4"NPT male ends. So, the fitting to adapt your truck lines to the radiator will have a 1/4" NPT male end. Now we have to connect the fitting to the transmission cooling lines. I believe the transmission cooling lines end in an inverted flare fitting, like a fuel line or brake line. If my guess is correct, the fittings on the end of your transmission cooler lines are male inverted flare. So the adapter you need has a female inverted flare fitting on the side away from the transmission.
You end up with a fitting that looks like the two that I showed you in my last post. Put some pipe dope on the external threads, turn into the radiator "bung", and tighten. Bring the metal transmission cooler line to the fitting, thread the male part into the connector, and tighten. Repeat for the other transmission cooler line.
Using the fitting pictured below, the right threaded end threads into the radiator. The oil cooler line fitting threads into the left side of the fitting in the picture.
Problem solved.
Go and do likewise.
Last edited by dogdays; 12/18/17 05:51 PM.
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Re: Crappy Spectra Radiator CU959 problem
[Re: larrymopar360]
#2420475
12/18/17 06:04 PM
12/18/17 06:04 PM
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,368 Wheatfield, NY
Cuda340
top fuel
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top fuel
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,368
Wheatfield, NY
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and these are the fittings that extend out too long and cause the fittings off the radiator and the factory steel lines to overlap. I think even if I cut them a bit they are still much too long. They probably gave you the barbed fittings because 90% of the time those cooling lines aren't coming out, because of rust. So they get cut and spliced with a piece of rubber hose. That's good that yours came out ok.
Last edited by Cuda340; 12/18/17 06:05 PM.
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Re: Crappy Spectra Radiator CU959 problem
[Re: larrymopar360]
#2421384
12/20/17 12:05 PM
12/20/17 12:05 PM
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 15,938 Central Florida
larrymopar360
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Sorry dogdays, no time to read your posts.
Cuda340, yes I was worried about them not coming out, but they had enough trans fluid around them soaking on them since I pulled it out days ago, so that a socket wrench, and a lot of muscle and they broke loose. But yeah, that's probably why.
Facts are stubborn things.
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Re: Crappy Spectra Radiator CU959 problem
[Re: larrymopar360]
#2421388
12/20/17 12:15 PM
12/20/17 12:15 PM
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 15,938 Central Florida
larrymopar360
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See how much room I had to work in my single car garage, and to move around the sides! This pic taken from the side in which I left the most clearance. Back it in with mirrors folded in was a real PITA! Can't wait to get to new place where working on my cars will be a joy! Ten more days!
Last edited by larrymopar360; 12/20/17 12:16 PM.
Facts are stubborn things.
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