Stupid Radiator capped off extra part keeps leaking

I got an all aluminum champion in my g body, $200. But plastic are always the cheapest option.

 

The plastic/alumn units last 100k miles if taken care of. I will never see those miles on my car.

 

All the new cars/trucks have the plastic/aluminum. Cheaper to just buy a new one than fix the old ones... one of the reasons radiator shops are getting hard to find.

 

Or plug the heater core return hole with a threaded metal plug, route the discharge hose from the heater core outlet to the fitting on the radiator. Problem solved, doesn't look hateful.

It's better if the heater core outlet and the rad nipple would happen to be the same size.

 

I put on normal length of heater hose on this damn par ton the rad. I still leaked once. I pushed the hose on as far as I can, moved the clamp around to make sure it was one straight. I suspect it will leak again. Only thing I can think is that the plastic there is cracked.
Either way I think I am taking this POS out of the car this winter.
Is there a decent one out there that does not have this optional part built on it? I don't mind plastic side tanks otherwise.

 

Something essentially the same size (maybe thicker) but all aluminum. If it does have that extra port it will be a bolt and an o ring most likely. An aluminum 2 core with 1"+ tubes will cool better than a 3" core with smaller tubes. Get a good 2 core aluminum rad (I like my champion, but its in my regal so part number wont help much) with at least 1" tubes. If you measure it right it will fit in the stock rubber saddles.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3Row-Core-...=2828585996189c8d00d32b38487c9e37d9f775ba72e1

 

I've had real problems with the cheap aftermarket hose clamps on radiator hoses. Seems that most won't seal right. Doesn't seem to matter if it is brass, aluminum, or plastic radiators. I replaced all the old rusty original hose clamps with new shiny ones because they looked better, but most of them ended up leaking. Put back on the old rusty ones and none of those spots never leaked again.

 

Just curious, if that's an unused port, could it be sealed up solid with JB weld or similar epoxy type product?

 

The modern type screw (worm?) clamps bunch up the hoses. The old tower clamps did not. Or not as much.

 

This is the one I fitted to my 72 Electra and the Jegs info says it is also good for a 72 Riviera.

https://www.jegs.com/i/Champion-Cooling-Systems/166/AE161/10002/-1

It also has the unused port in the same location but it is a threaded boss with a supplied plug and it has never leaked.

Cheers
Bob

 

I agree that worm gear clamps don't work very well. GM hasn't used them since the mid 80's. They, and I believe all the OEM's have switched to tension clamps. Worm gear clamps will constantly need to be tightened as the hose heats and cools which results in ruining the hose. Tension clamps maintain the correct tension on the hose, hot or cold. I never use worm gear clamps anymore, but I'm not a numbers matching kind of guy.

 

These constant tension style are best on plastic. Screw clamps tent to break the plastic (overtightening) and should not be used.

 

I have some of those tension style claps, I will throw one of those on.

 

You need a plug from the hardware store that fits tight on the inside of that plastic nipple, so you have something solid to clamp down on. Clamp down on that, after you dry it up and JB weld it too.
Ace hardware has assorted bins with lots of different size plugs or stoppers.