engine water pumps

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Driver side near upper radiator hose



Red circled area seems to be apparent leak source that oozes slowly to the lower area with its greenish color
 
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Leaking source area more clearly seen.

I was thinking that a new all aluminum radiator, like the “Engineered cooling products” 2 inch double row version would be needed, but since the area of leakage appears tiny and on the plastic tank, is there any repair possible with epoxies? or plastic heat gun? That would avoid a whole constellation of issues including the forced exchange of the thickened OE AC condenser for the thinner one found on 86,87,89 C4s. Yes, if successful, it would be kicking the can down the road, but for me, in the northeast, the need to maximize cooling efficiency is not so great yet until I can figure how to get more HP out of the engine. Could that work?
 
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While we are at it, what are these pipes for( circled in green) as they course around and through the radiator shroud? I have heard that it could be oil cooler lines? But if so, and pardon my ignorance about how the KC4 variety works, do these lines flow coolant or engine oil, and how do they interplay, or connect with the radiator, if not stand alone. I gotta say things are a bit confusing without my disassembly of the radiator shroud.

The yellow labels on those lines say “0149” and “0150”respectively.
I do wish I had noticed whether this type of cooler was on the oil filter mounting when I recently changed the filter.
 
One more bit of information. I found an old parts list on my car that said I have a Heavy Duty Radiator option to go along with the Z51 and 4+3.
Having found that, I measured the tank width through the shroud opening. I think the tank is 2 inches in width, but the bracket extends about 1/4 inch on the back and front of the radiator face for a total of 2.5 inches. So what I don’t know if the side tanks are much thinner than this on the standard OE 1 row radiators that most people replace. I could speculate that a new aluminum 2 row radiator could be similar to the one leaking. If so, could it be that my thickened AC condenser would not have to be discarded since it was relocated by the factory to accommodate the thickened HD radiator of that time period? Any info to help with the mystery would be appreciated.
Without further advice, I may be forced to remove the shroud just to have a look at the innards, and to see where those driver side pipes of questionable function insert.
 
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I pulled this photo of an old and rusted oil cooler off of EBay.
This is what I think may be installed on my 84 C4.
It seems from others descriptions that the two connecting lines are for coolant. On my vette, how those cooler hoses/lines relate to my HD radiator is a puzzle at this point.
 

sFumEP6kw9ovz0RIlDvQ7g_3.jpg


www.summitracing.com

Dorman 918-110 Dorman Engine Oil Coolers | Summit Racing

Free Shipping - Dorman Engine Oil Coolers with qualifying orders of $109. Shop Fluid Coolers at Summit Racing.
www.summitracing.com
www.summitracing.com
rnb-918-110_mt_s.jpg

dorman sells a similar oil cooler that adapts to the oil filter
yes these were on some 1984-1985 corvettes, and yest they tend to both stabilize the oil temps and help keep the oil temps in the reasonable 200-215F range
 

sFumEP6kw9ovz0RIlDvQ7g_3.jpg


www.summitracing.com

Dorman 918-110 Dorman Engine Oil Coolers | Summit Racing

Free Shipping - Dorman Engine Oil Coolers with qualifying orders of $109. Shop Fluid Coolers at Summit Racing.
www.summitracing.com
www.summitracing.com
rnb-918-110_mt_s.jpg

dorman sells a similar oil cooler that adapts to the oil filter
yes these were on some 1984-1985 corvettes, and yest they tend to both stabilize the oil temps and help keep the oil temps in the reasonable 200-215F range
Thanks for that info.
What is still not clear to me from your supplied diagram is why there are “2” lines going through the left side of my radiator shroud ( see pipes circled in green above about 4 posts up) and what they connect to near the radiator. None of the replacement radiators show coolant ports on the driver side of those radiators other than the upper radiator hose to the engine.
 
I never hinted at that linked info (posted above) was the answer,
I just felt that info, was related at least enough to include here in this thread,
I'm still researching your photos as I personally have not seen similar lines on any corvettes I've worked on,
but don't lose hope, there's lots of very knowledgeable and experienced members who are fee to post answers on this web site yet,
and , NO! I'm not ignoring you, I simple have no useful info to include YET!
those might be trans fluid, or maybe power steering fluid coolant lines,or related to the air conditioner heat exchanger,
but they look and are located a bit differently, than on any corvette I've worked on,
, so I'm continuing to look for related info..
Im sure the answers simple and obvious
but I freely admit I don't know everything about every corvette ever made :sad: :like:
 
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I just got off the line with Summit to see if they had any info to help me understand how my oil cooler lines could hook up. No luck. This mystery seems to be pushing a disassembly of my shroud sooner rather than later.
 
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This shot of those lines still closer to the front on the left.

A bit further to the left (forward) the lines then turn upward to show their appearance in the photo where I outlined them in green.

My observations are that 1) the rusted oil cooler off Ebay demonstrates the same slightly offset ports that are evident on my line connectors where the oil filter screws into its base. I think that is a match for the oil cooler, or a variation.
2) following the two lines forward, I see no insertions into the engine throughout the course documented by my photos ( unless that hex shaped fitting all the way to the left in this photo is actually a T tapping into the cooling system on the block, although I do not know where the block cooling port is on a SBC.)
3) those lines that I circled in green are from the oil cooler.

Anyone with a different assessment or see something I missed?
 
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Well, I just found an interesting thread.
So if any of you think that oil coolers did not come on some 1984 C4s from the factory(not you Grumpy) , there is this:
See posts 17-23


So, when I get around to taking my shroud off, I will take pictures.
While I could find the oil cooler that uses coolant fluid to cool the oil, I will now not be surprised to find an actual oil cooler located in front of the radiator utilizing oil flowing tubes and pipes to/from the oil filter housing. While that system is not currently a problem for me, although the system is indeed about 40years old, I will mostly be looking at the fitment requirements for a needed replacement radiator. There is now indeed a strong possibility in my mind of being able to use one of the replacement HD radiators, which may not require any magical additional coolant ports for the oil cooler lines. With any luck, the AC condenser and the hopefully discovered oil cooler will allow almost a drop in fitment.

I have already squirted some penetrating oil around the connectors hypothesized to service transmission OD on the passenger side radiator, but am concerned that those lines may sustain damage, as warned by a YouTuber.
I will not be replacing that radiator yet, as I’ve got a bunch of other stuff to do, but for those of you who have removed those transmission cooler connections, were there any tricks to avoid damaging them?
 
I have not removed the shroud yet but todays view of the front intake from below the car revealed many leaves but also this( ignore the fluid areas as they are squirts of Corrosion Block where I saw rusting):

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Can there be any doubt now that the front most radiator is for an oil cooler, and is where those mysterious pipes connect to/from the oil filter assembly? Again folks, this was OEM on my 84 Z51 with HD radiator option.
 
wow that front oil cooler looks corroded, the aluminum looks very oxidized
 
Thanks for the observation. I sprayed that area also with Corrosion Block. Corrosion can and will occur anywhere but can you think of any reason that an aluminum oil radiator would be so obviously affected in this location?
 
probably spent considerable time in the past ,partly clogged with lots of wet trash like grass clippings etc.
I know I cleaned out a trash bag full of road trash grass clippings and plastic bags stuck in front of the radiator when I purchased my used 1985 vette, c4 vette are especially good at acting like mobile road trash vacuum cleaners

 
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