What kind of Radiator hoses are you using?

[LT1_Malibu]

I've got a LT1 f-body radiator, which I'm told will work just fine, but I was wondering where you guys got your hoses. I've seen the flexible kind that you just cut to length, which I've considered doing, and I could also just buy stock ones if they would work, I'm just worried about the length being different going from a F to a G-body. Anyone have any pics or info they would like to share?

 

[Killerdave8813]

I would almost bet the F-body hoses should work just fine,besides that it seems to me that Auto Parts store hoses are a little on the long side and need to be trimmed a bit anyway!! Let us know how it works out!! KillerDave

 

[LT1_Malibu]

Has anyone ever used a lt1 radiator on an ls1? I plan on making it work, but there is one small port on the bottom left hand side of the radiator that I'm not sure what to do with. I have a lt1 fbody that I used for reference and it looks to be some sort of heater hose port? I'm not running any heat or ac on my Malibu so would it be safe to just cap that off or should I try and route it into the heater hose ports on the ls1 water pump?

 

[dynodanmanda79]

Has anyone ever used a lt1 radiator on an ls1? I plan on making it work, but there is one small port on the bottom left hand side of the radiator that I'm not sure what to do with. I have a lt1 fbody that I used for reference and it looks to be some sort of heater hose port? I'm not running any heat or ac on my Malibu so would it be safe to just cap that off or should I try and route it into the heater hose ports on the ls1 water pump?

I'm using an LT1 radiator in my 89 Iroc with a 5.3, IIRC the LT1 radiator is slightly bigger than the LS1 radiator. I just capped the port on the left hand side off and mine does just fine, I have no overheating issues.

 

[79loserbluebu]

Anyone using a Northern radiator with the passenger side openings for the thermostat and water pump hoses?

 

[LT1_Malibu]

Has anyone ever used a lt1 radiator on an ls1? I plan on making it work, but there is one small port on the bottom left hand side of the radiator that I'm not sure what to do with. I have a lt1 fbody that I used for reference and it looks to be some sort of heater hose port? I'm not running any heat or ac on my Malibu so would it be safe to just cap that off or should I try and route it into the heater hose ports on the ls1 water pump?

I'm using an LT1 radiator in my 89 Iroc with a 5.3, IIRC the LT1 radiator is slightly bigger than the LS1 radiator. I just capped the port on the left hand side off and mine does just fine, I have no overheating issues.

Good deal. Thanks for the info!
I plan on just looping the heater hose ports on the water pump and was wanting to cap that one port on the radiator off but wasn't sure if I could be done. That defiantly simplifies things.

 

[dynodanmanda79]

Yeah I went to auto zone and bought this assortment of bypass caps in the Help section:

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/accessories/Help-2-pcs-each-3-8-1-2-5-8-and-3-4-in-i-d-cooling-bypass-cap-assortment/_/N-26ma?counter=3&filterByKeyWord=bypass+cap&fromString=search&itemIdentifier=426020_0_0_

And I also bought this:

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/accessories/CarGo-QuikSteel-plastic-tank-repair-kit/_/N-25zw?counter=3&itemIdentifier=344797_0_0_

I took the quicksteel putty and put some inside the rubber cap and stuck it on that port, you don't have to use the quick steel but it hardens up and forms a good leak-free seal, i've had mine like that for 6 months now. That quicksteel sh*t is pretty good, I used it on my coolant overflow tank after it cracked and my car started to overheat, I went to Autozone and bought it and put it over the crack, let it dry and drove it home and did just fine. It stayed like that for about 2 to 3 months until I bought a new overflow tank and it never leaked once.

 

[BulldawgMusclecars]

When I was buying hoses for Grocery Getter, I just took some spare 3/8 aluminum fuel line I had lying around and bent templates to take to the parts store. My local O'Reillys knows I'm always working on something crazy, and pretty much lets me help myself with stuff like that. I used an Afco swap radiator, but if anyone wants the #s of the hoses I used I can get them when I'm back in the shop on Monday.

 

[LT1_Malibu]

I bought some flex radiator hoses and made it all work. I had to cap off the small port just like dynodanamanda79 said to do and everything seems to work out okay.